Albert King Guitar Licks | Reverb Learn to Play

Bluesman Albert King was a left-handed guitar hero whose tuning and techniques mystify many to this day. Jeff Massey walks through some of King's riffs in standard tuning so you can add them to your own repertoire.
Read more on Reverb: goo.gl/1caSDG

[@yurodivy1]

I believe Albert usually did a TWO-step bend up to the fifth while soloing. Such an essential part of his sound. Tough to do in standard tuning on the E string, but light strings help.

[@FlaxeMusic]

He wouldn't have done it in standard.

[@youreatoilet]

I believe he tuned down to C# but don't quote me

[@thelifeproductions1]

Thanks for posting this. I love Albert King's blues guitar playing.

[@JohnMichaelLawrence]

Albert will forever be THE King of the blues guitar for me. No disrespect to BB or Freddie (both phenomenal and deserving of all of their accolades), but Albert's style and demeanor was on a level that elevated him beyond mere blues, and essentially into the category of full on rock 'n' roll. He was the ultimate "badass" of electric blues guitar.

[@kvenable20]

Agreed!!

[@catguy96]

His tone and style is honestly the best for soloing. No wonder why Hendrix and The Yardbirds were so good lol

[@mma1st105]

I love his stinging hot licks. I've been copying his style my whole guitar career lol

[@davidmartin7081]

Albert was asked: Is there anyone that would intimidate you if they walked on stage? He replied:" No. Not if it was my stage. Believe me.". I believe him! If anyone could intimidate others, it was Albert.!! 1st time he met the "Iceman' Albert Collins, it was one for the history books. King said to Collins:I've heard a lot about you. Collins replied : The same here. King told him : Well when we go out on stage I'm gonna kick your ass. ". Ha. At 6' 4" + 250 lbs, with a guitar that was strung upside down, river deep tone, Albert was the King of intimidation!

[@bigbb416-5]

I ABSOLUTELY agree.. BB has Incredible Vibrato and notes to bend your knees but Albert Is Absolutely Raw. Excellent comment.. 💯

[@PeterKertesz2013]

The Velvet Bulldozer was the best electric blues guitar blues musician for me.Thank you for sharing these licks!

[@damiensmith371]

Great video. Thanks for continually producing these team! Seriously, who thumbs down these videos? I feel sorry for their lives. man oh man.

[@lukaskucera9043]

"Copied by stevie Ray Vaughan" Stevie and Albert were friends and taught stevie how to put feel in to his playing

[@ryankadyschuk6657]

Ya but that was later on he was rather inspired not copied

[@skittlesstarburst4532]

@@ryankadyschuk6657 everyone knows everything these days. This guy is clearly a genius in knowing who taught who.

[@bubbaluvv]

@@skittlesstarburst4532 yeah I taught them both... Well what not to do anyway 🤯

[@stankyst4nk39]

it's not an insult that's blues man, everyone steals from everyone

[@fasturh2476]

@@skittlesstarburst4532 he didnt teach stevie how to put feeling haha but that lick is a albert king lick and stevie plays this lick differently, albert used his thumb and stevie did the snap with the middle finger, ive heard them both say they had a father/son relationship

[@TheRiveroad]

Love these videos ! Thanks guys

[@Stendekmusic]

You NAILED the tone on this video! Thanks for the tips.

[@roberthancock2563]

Awesome lesson!! Albert King,John Lee Hooker,and Lightnin' Hopkins are my top three bluesmen!

[@colo5260]

It’s the winter of 2022, the world has changed a great deal… and this lesson is still fresh and new. It’s amazing how complex and rich a few well placed notes can sound when playing with pitch, vibrato, and intonation.

[@Andrew-Gomez904]

maybe some freddie king licks?

[@guyguyguyjean]

What a great way to start my bew year!

[@kylem7718]

Pure gold, thanks

[@uncleandyguitarherbst1157]

Very cool video. Thanks for sharing!

[@johnkelly6129]

Nice job! Thanks!

[@lukeboston7921]

Excellent and great tone

[@tytantyphlosion2910]

This dude looks like he took a time machine from the 70s to 2018... Badass

[@michaeltaylor8734]

I knew Albert and he played old solid state Acoustic bass amps..using a mxr phase 90 pedal these were his favorite.

[@kevinlamarr1424]

I’ll play the blues for you could make you never want to pick up a guitar again! There’s so much greatness in that jam that you truly understand the skill and unique talent that he possessed!

[@teenaphelps2187]

I'll play the blues for you part 1 and part 2 (the long version) is one of my longtime favorite tunes by Albert King. I only knew one blues guitarist that played that tune just like Albert King, his name is Willie Davis, he use to be Willie Kent and the Gents guitarist. I don't like that tune played no other, it's got to be funky.

[@whatsabryan]

I remember reading in Guitar World that Albert King used solid state acoustic amps. They were talking about the tone from Crosscut Saw specifically so it might have just been that song but I always thought it was interesting.

[@JoeGagan]

True. He used acoustic amps a lot. Much of the distortion was speaker breakup.

[@skeletalwreck]

A friend of mine was Alberts touring backing guitarist. Although that may be true for studio recordings, he states that often while touring, Albert would just plug into whatever backline was at the venue.

[@whatsabryan]

Steve Raff that's badass. His tone is all in his fingers.

[@skeletalwreck]

I guess a lot of the sound is the fingers (thumb), clean amp, and that Flying-V tone. I think perhaps a bigger thing they didn't mention was that he often played with an MXR Phase 90 left on all the time. A key part to that Albert King lead tone.

[@whatsabryan]

Steve Raff man you're educating me right now. I never would suspect he'd go anywhere near a pedal. Was it all the way down in speed?

[@tasosaromonte4826]

great stuff

[@krisscanlon4051]

You done it again Jeff of Reverb...Albert was a monster all the way around

[@bakontrackz]

What a great lesson and what a beutiful Les Paul you got

[@sm1164]

The Albert King tuning -- down a step and a half, to C sharp.

[@catguy96]

sm1164 sounds great with a bit of distortion too

[@jacko717]

Eb will work too.

[@theroscoeswildchild1879]

Hell Yeah!!! About time

[@dinitha11]

That’s a beautiful guitar

[@eaglewindrider7700]

👍🔥🎸🦅 AWESOME WISHED I HAD SEEN THIS SOONER BTW AWESOME GUITAR👍

[@isaacjohnson.]

this was great! Thanks! Awesome tips, great riffs and playing. Love it.

[@nikoferdi]

keep in mind that albert played upside down, so when doing the double bend, start on the e string instead of the b string to emphasize the e string

[@jojomama4787]

Where in the world would S.R.V. be without Albert?And yes,you're absolutely correct about the thumb and that double string thing you show.THANKS!!!

[@arminpolsinger6025]

Thank you! :)

[@iwillnevergetone5]

@Reverb can we get him doing a full video on this LP Custom in detail? that thang looks and sounds gorgeous

[@sk1mmyj1mmy]

Darrien Day seconded

[@laundry1799]

i swear man i see you literally everywhere on here

[@hackcomic]

Great sound.

[@stillsupro46]

Jake Whitson He is on all videos i see too. For years now for real

[@iwillnevergetone5]

just means we would all the the most amazing band if we united, friends :)

[@rdmservice5909]

Super video bro......

[@Zozzle12]

More! Can we please have more?

[@EverettDudgeon138]

I believe it's been confirmed his tuning was B-E-B-E-G#-C#" with light strings....makes sense with the insane vibrato he had.

[@oguitars3531]

Steve Cropper examined his ax once and declared it was tuned (low to high) C B E F# B E, whereas Dan Erlewine checked it several years later and found it tuned to C F C F A D.

[@yakamarezlife]

It's easier To bend when playing right handed I play that way

[@julieb6913]

Thanks ! Im gonna try that on my squier 😂😂

[@larrygeetar9309]

There's an easier way to play the last lick. In G (as he's playing), bar strings 1-2 at the 3rd fret then play as follows: 1st string @ 3 / 2nd string @ 3 / 3rd string @ 5 / 3rd @ 3/ and 4th string @ 5. Then follow that with some of those choice Albert tag notes like Jeff shows. To me, this seems more efficient, with each note within two frets and descending through the lick. Getting Albert down is tough for all those reasons Jeff mentioned. Stevie Ray Vaughan was the best at copping Albert's licks I have ever seen, bar none.

[@catguy96]

That Les Paul though 👌

[@memygtar]

What gear was being used thanks

[@beenderedonedat]

If it was so easy, every pentatonic player would sound like this. Look around

[@eldjr1104]

yeah, somebody called those wild multi-string bends, "trainwreck bends". I like it.

[@rottenpizza84]

Cool beans .

[@YungTrinidad407]

Great lesson

[@jacko717]

This Jeff Massey cat can play👌🏻

[@VladStashek]

Which key are we in here ?

[@VladStashek]

E# ?

[@matthewtaylor808]

G

[@SGVB22]

if you put it on .5 hes stoned as fuck man hahah great licks reverb!!!!

[@PipeOPhile]

Ok but can we talk about THAT Les Paul !?

[@doovie101]

Albert King used solid state amps.

[@Nghilifa]

Albert was in deed the King, hehe.

[@thouston0]

Massey should explain that he's playing in 'G' and using G pentatonic...plus King used a solid-state Vintage Acoustic 270 Amplifier Head. I saw him several times is the late and early '80s.

[@davidjameschamberlain]

He also used a Phase 90 that he left on most of the time for a period

[@phatman1478]

I was expecting a guitar strung upside down!

[@catguy96]

Guitars and Comics it’s incredibly difficult to play because I’m so used to the normal way. I’ve tried it lol

[@andrewpride5230]

Much like Doyle

[@donccarlos9794]

Unless you play with stings reversed it's not easy to get the strength in the fingers, Albert pulling down instead of pushing up makes the difference, I'm left handed and play both ways and experience this. Feeling is another matter. We lefties have it though,, LoL

[@aaronbrown0417]

He didn't even pick like that.... he hit the strings with the front of his thumb and the guitar was leaning abit up straight.... which gives you a different feel and sound

[@ojderrick5632]

This simple video made guitar players hate me! Click now!!! No seriously I use this in all my blues licks now😂I'm sure my friends are sick of it by now

[@isaacoliveira2yearsago981]

B.b king criets the vraibatou

[@ushnicyuvnikof2748]

This dude looks like the 5th member of Led Zeplin.

[@JoeGagan]

Overall good. But you are going nearly a half step sharp most times you return to the root. Check it. Example, 2:16. Vibrato should center above @ the note, not just make it go out of tune.

[@davidherman8244]

You can't do Albert lik s with out a v

[@guillll]

David Herman Of course you can.

[@DavidMorisset]

It’s the player not the gear

[@BD-ve5ru]

tell that to stevie ray vaughan lol

[@moonpie22399]

Lol that’s nowhere near the truth but ok

[@moonpie22399]

I have several grievances with this video only because I actually know what I’m talking about.

[@petercnixon]

moonpie22399 I have watched your crosscut saw video many times to attempt to learn the Albert King licks. In my opinion you are the best I have seen on KZbin for this style. I would love it if you did a tutorial video. Failing that I'll keep on watching and attempting to work it out for myself.

[@JesusRocks26]

this video is kinda disappointing