Anyone Can Play Guitar
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Albert's House and BB's Box in the Key of A
Above in figure 1 you will find a simple pattern that you should memorize. It is easy to visualize this shape as a "house". This shape is named for Albert King, a very influential blues guitarist. It is really just a minor pentatonic scale. In this case, it is A minor pentatonic. (A, C, D, E, G, A).
Hint: Learn the names of the notes on the B string, and you will be able to play this shape in any key. The B string is string 2, the second thinnest string.
In figure 1 the note A falls on the 10th fret of the B string. Solid dot indicates root note.
Figure 2 Ascending Descending
The shape in figure 2 is associated with B.B. King. It has a different character. Like figure 1 it is easy to visualize and remember. BB's box has the notes A, B, C, D, Eb, E, and a note which can be thought of as F# or G flat.
Hint: Figure 1 is useful in blues and rock. Figure 2 is more specific to blues and jazz blues.
Once you are familiar with these shapes, experiment by adding and subtracting notes. Make these shapes part of your vocabulary. Using a combination of these 2 shapes you can create a lot of music within the space of 5 frets. Can you come up with some riffs of your own?
Bonus Theory: Compare the scales.
| Degree of Scale | |||||||||
| Name of Scale | root/1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | b5 | 5 | b7 | 7 | octave |
| 1 A minor pentatonic | A | C | D | E | G | A | |||
| 2 BB's box | A | B | C | D | Eb | E | Gb | A | |
| Combine Figures 1 and 2 | A | B | C | D | Eb | E | Gb | G | A |
