Albert stood 6 foot 4 inches tall and weighed over 250 pounds, his daytime job before becoming a full time musician was being a bulldozer operator. This explains his playing technique.
Albert tuned down 11/2 steps to C#, not open tuning. And he used 8,11and 14 gauge top strings. And most of the licks are played on 2 strings. One can play Blues Power on just 4 strings!! Set up a guitar like it and you'll see! Lucky to open for Albert twice in the 70s. Good luck and Joe is just Great!
Joe is absolutely correct about the older blues players back in the day regarding amps. They weren't chasing tones or using a floor board full of pedals. It was just the guitar straight into a cranked amp. I used to be a working blues guitarist and sure I know about amps but to be honest I don't really care as long as my amp is the loudest thing onstage. Only effect I ever used was the amps reverb.
@@michaelreed2787 he's like a bluesman for the drunk, over 50, country club golf crowd..... Sterile enough to not be offensive...... I imagine his crowd doesn't listen to Otis Rush and Son House........
The kid just has feel. He is an amazing musician completely dedicated to his soul funk sound ..yes I appreciate him also . That Joe mentions him,,, right.
As a guitarist myself, I just heard the real nugget of truth from a modern legend that truly knew, passed down from the BLUES HEROES. GIVE ME MY SIX STRINGS, GIVE ME VOLUME, AND LET'S HAVE FUN
Awesome perfornance by Joe! I was lucky to see Albert in concert, a wonderful night. He was a big man with a deceptively soft voice and I remember thinking how can he play these exquisite licks when that V just looked like a toy in his hands - magic!
I got into Albert because I'm a huge STAX Records fan. That's Booker T and the MG's on Albert's 'Born Under A Bad Sign' album from 1967. In fact, Booker wrote the song 'Born Under A Bad Sign' with STAX singer William Bell, and gave the song to Albert. It's also worth noting that Booker T wrote the famous riff on the organ and Steve Cropper adopted it for guitar. Steve also wrote Albert's other hit on that album called 'The Hunter'. Speaking of Steve Cropper, I recommend an album on STAX from 1969 called, 'Jammed Together'. It's credited to Steve, Albert, and the great Pop's Staples. Pop's was also a STAX artist with the Staples Singers. Booker T and the MG's are also the band on the album. It's a fantastic album all guitar players should hear. Being a STAX Records fan, I have a load of Albert stories I read over the years. Producer Don Nix said Albert tried desperately to hide the fact he was illiterate. When lyrics for songs were presented to him, he would pretend to read it, until Don got frustrated and told him everyone knew he couldn't read. Albert pulled a snub-nosed 38 on him. 😂😂😂😂
Saw Duck Dunn standing in line for a beer and a burger at Alfred's, I think it was in 87. Pretty cool. It's (was) the little place in midtown with the thousands of toothpicks in the ceiling that you'd blow up there with a straw lol
Doyle Bramhal II really shows what playing with the strings reversed sounds like. Some of his work just amazes me and I love watching (and listening) to it.
Eric Gales is probably the most technically gifted of the upside down lot, but his phrasing and feel doesn't have the gravitas of Bramhall or King. It's a lot of monotonic shredding which to me just always seemed more party trick than sound poem.
One of the Greatest to ever play and one of my favorite because I play upside down as well but I am nowhere near that good. Always love to listen to Joe man is a Guitar Genius.
King tuned all of his strings down a whole step. He then tuned his low E and A strings down a further whole step. So his guitar was actually tuned from Low to High C, F, C, F, A, D... this was confirmed by master luthier Dan Erlwine who built replica's of Albert's favorite Flying V "Lucy."
@scottcummings8602 meant to ask you. I get the tune down a whole step part. But how did get the idea to lower the low 6th and 5th strings down another whole step? Did he mimic someone or just thought that up himself? Would you happen to know?
@@televinv8062Albert was the King of the Kings, both vocally and guitar wise, and did not mind letting you know! I had the pleasure of seeing him several nights in a row up close on Beale Street in the early nineties. Absolute embodiment of the ultimate blues player, singer, composer. Despite All odds, you could hear see and feel all those life lessons of pain and success bought on stage with him. He is had a horn section but as far as I was concerned they could have stayed home. He was the well that other artists dipped in to drink.
“It didn’t matter”. Correct. I saw video of Clapton sitting in with Asleep at the Wheel, on someone else’s 355, through a Music Man amp. He twiddled a few knobs, cranked it, and…..you guessed it, sounded EXACTLY like Clapton.
Got my sons 78 V back from our luthier yesterday. It sounds different than any of his other guitars. In your face tone. All original. Carter's Vintage Guitars...$700 steal. They liked him cause he was 14 at the time. Now plays around Nashville (ugh lib infested) and has a blast.
@JoeandAngie I have a carters hat I wear around! I sold them a 1954 gibson j50 that I found on Craigslist for a steal, but didn't have the money or skills to repair. At least that guitar got a new life as a guitar rather than rotting away in someone's garage. I just wish I could have played it once.
Joe seems to have missed the key element: Albert's bends are two whole steps, from flat third to fifth; he didn't bend from the fourth. He did the same bend from fifth to ninth, over the five chord.
What a great torch bearer Joe Bonamassa is of everything that Blues guitar music is, and his musical sense of the Blues zeitgeist is wonderful to learn and listen to.
Otis Rush also played upside down, but he was in standard tuning. He also was a great bluesman, but he obviously didn't sound like Albert. He was happy to be Otis. One of my first blues vynils had both Otis and Albert. It was called "Door to Door".
Can anyone tell me which Boogie amp Joes playing through? I know Joe could make any amp sound great but those were some great tones in addition to his always phenomenal playing
That tone is spot on, but like Joe says, nobody can quite get those bends like Albert did. Joe's attack is more modern and his vibrato smoother and faster (and with less personality) than Albert's.
@@thomasbrown3325 I'm talking right strung upside down. Hendrix played right handed guitars upside down but they were strung for lefty. Left handed guitars were rare. Albert didnt change the strings. He just turned it over and played it.
So if you're a lefty, take a right-handed guitar and learn to play it with the strings the way they're strung. Now, being upside down. Pulling your bends instead of bending your bends. Vibrato will be different for sure.
Nigel in Canada 🇨🇦 we have several generations now of guitarists? who think 5 note (penetonic) scales are the "be all and end all" play some Rockabilly Brian Setzer stuff it's a LOT MORE DIFFICULT than it sounds my ears need a break from blues scales even Sabbath gave us variety with DIMINISHED NOTES
I've seen Albert get so annoyed with a drummer that he would put down his guitar and sit down at the kit to show him how it's done for a minute or two. Then he'd hand back the sticks, pick up his V and blister through a solo like a lightning storm from the Gods.
I respect his influence and historical significance but Albert King was completely delusional when he said he could have “very easily” played Jimi Hendrix’s songs but Jimi couldn’t play his 🤨 I have a hard time appreciating such an overinflated ego, sorry not sorry 🧿🧿🧿
Funny how we tend to make Saints of people that have great talent. Also of note is the ''they don't care...'' comment, in reality we all care what we are playing through and on. Albert would not have had the blues career he had playing an acoustic guitar through a ''Hello Kitty'' amp, miced' up with a karaoke microphone. 😄 Hendrix and Albert were both amazing artists, especially Hendrix, he changed the world, Listening to Larry Davis playing his Texas Flood tune suggests to me where both Hedrix and SRV in part, drew their styles from. Larry imv was quite influential in setting the platform for many of the early Blues/Rock artists.
Joe Bonamasa is fuel for the uninspired. He’s never done or said anything mildly impressive. Joe’s fans enjoy the watered down version of life. Life on easy mode. Guthrie Govan? No thanks. Eric Clapton. Shawn Lane? Nuh uh. Mark Knopfler. Allan Holdsworth? No thank you I have Jimi Hendrix. TMac or Greg Howe? Absolutely not. We got all of the kings. King of being lazy. Lazy musicians box themselves in and don’t know how to expand or even absorb any information outside their approved spectrum.
"That's a lot of not dating in high school.." Best line of the whole video!!!!
its not about the gear its in the hands and the heart!
Albert stood 6 foot 4 inches tall and weighed over 250 pounds, his daytime job before becoming a full time musician was being a bulldozer operator. This explains his playing technique.
I’m 280 and 5 foot 7 😕👀😓😔
But can you play the blues?
@ Yes
Wait a sec I’m 6’4” 260 & I sound nothing like him! WTF! I want my money back ! 😅
"The Velvet Bulldozer".
Albert tuned down 11/2 steps to C#, not open tuning. And he used 8,11and 14 gauge top strings. And most of the licks are played on 2 strings. One can play Blues Power on just 4 strings!! Set up a guitar like it and you'll see! Lucky to open for Albert twice in the 70s. Good luck and Joe is just Great!
I heard Rev Gibbons tell his switch to very light string gauge when he played BBs guitar. 'Why suffering?' was BB answer to him.
That sums everything up perfectly especially the tuning down one and a half steps
Finally someone brings up the phaser sound in Albert’s tone. I’ve always noticed it, but never heard anyone talk about it, until now.
Joe should do a whole series on Legendary artist trick bags! 🎸 🔥
What the honor listening Mr Joe Bonamassa reminisce of Albert King, Stevie Ray… Blues Forever!
Joe is absolutely correct about the older blues players back in the day regarding amps. They weren't chasing tones or using a floor board full of pedals. It was just the guitar straight into a cranked amp. I used to be a working blues guitarist and sure I know about amps but to be honest I don't really care as long as my amp is the loudest thing onstage. Only effect I ever used was the amps reverb.
The old blues guys hardly ever “cranked” or played with a lot of breakup
@@joshuahymer15 WRONG
Joe Bonamassa always has fantastic tone
It's cause he bought up all the vintage equipment.....
Welp, it’s a brand new Fillmore here 😂
its not about the gear its in the hands and the heart!
When he has the best equipment he can get the best tone
@@michaelreed2787 he's like a bluesman for the drunk, over 50, country club golf crowd.....
Sterile enough to not be offensive......
I imagine his crowd doesn't listen to Otis Rush and Son House........
yes, I love the playing of Albert King. He does nearly always the same lick, but that never gets boring! and killer vibrato!
I had no idea about the open tuning or reversed stringing. Incredible. Learn something new every day.
Yes......I'm happy to hear Eddie 9V gets a mention - such a great player.
The kid just has feel. He is an amazing musician completely dedicated to his soul funk sound ..yes I appreciate him also . That Joe mentions him,,, right.
The CC comes up Eddie Van Halen 😄
I had to play it back.
Truly honored!
@@Eddie9V - Sir, you have earned all the recognition and respect coming your way. I look forward to you coming to Melbourne Australia.
Saw you at The Venue in Aurora. Told you you had great tone after the show and I meant it! @@Eddie9V
I didn’t know AK played upside down. Learn something new everyday. Thanks Joe. I love these Gibson vids.
Albert played a right hand strung guitar...but left handed
As a guitarist myself, I just heard the real nugget of truth from a modern legend that truly knew, passed down from the BLUES HEROES. GIVE ME MY SIX STRINGS, GIVE ME VOLUME, AND LET'S HAVE FUN
I like the end part, it doesn’t matter what you play through, if you got soul, it just doesn’t matter.
Awesome perfornance by Joe!
I was lucky to see Albert in concert, a wonderful night. He was a big man with a deceptively soft voice and I remember thinking how can he play these exquisite licks when that V just looked like a toy in his hands - magic!
I got into Albert because I'm a huge STAX Records fan. That's Booker T and the MG's on Albert's 'Born Under A Bad Sign' album from 1967. In fact, Booker wrote the song 'Born Under A Bad Sign' with STAX singer William Bell, and gave the song to Albert.
It's also worth noting that Booker T wrote the famous riff on the organ and Steve Cropper adopted it for guitar. Steve also wrote Albert's other hit on that album called 'The Hunter'.
Speaking of Steve Cropper, I recommend an album on STAX from 1969 called, 'Jammed Together'. It's credited to Steve, Albert, and the great Pop's Staples. Pop's was also a STAX artist with the Staples Singers. Booker T and the MG's are also the band on the album. It's a fantastic album all guitar players should hear.
Being a STAX Records fan, I have a load of Albert stories I read over the years. Producer Don Nix said Albert tried desperately to hide the fact he was illiterate. When lyrics for songs were presented to him, he would pretend to read it, until Don got frustrated and told him everyone knew he couldn't read.
Albert pulled a snub-nosed 38 on him. 😂😂😂😂
Saw Duck Dunn standing in line for a beer and a burger at Alfred's, I think it was in 87.
Pretty cool.
It's (was) the little place in midtown with the thousands of toothpicks in the ceiling that you'd blow up there with a straw lol
@JoeandAngie I met him in NYC. He was a jerk.
Wuss
Doyle Bramhal II really shows what playing with the strings reversed sounds like. Some of his work just amazes me and I love watching (and listening) to it.
Every guitarist should listen to the Arc Angels album
Eric Gales is probably the most technically gifted of the upside down lot, but his phrasing and feel doesn't have the gravitas of Bramhall or King. It's a lot of monotonic shredding which to me just always seemed more party trick than sound poem.
Doyle Bramhall II deserves more recognition. There's a reason he's in claptons band, great guitar player
For sure. There is something to say about pulling your bends over pushing them to truly sound like AK
@randall9000 great album and I still listen to it now
One of the Greatest to ever play and one of my favorite because I play upside down as well but I am nowhere near that good. Always love to listen to Joe man is a Guitar Genius.
On that session SRV played like no one could or can do it , at same point Albert stops playing and give him a hand of applause,
its not about the gear its in the hands and the heart!
Albert King bend, you know it, you love it. It's as recognizable as Hendrix, SRV, B.B. Doesn't get enough praise imo, just an amazing player.
King tuned all of his strings down a whole step. He then tuned his low E and A strings down a further whole step. So his guitar was actually tuned from Low to High C, F, C, F, A, D... this was confirmed by master luthier Dan Erlwine who built replica's of Albert's favorite Flying V "Lucy."
Incredible 👍
He also played upside down.
@scottcummings8602 meant to ask you.
I get the tune down a whole step part. But how did get the idea to lower the low 6th and 5th strings down another whole step? Did he mimic someone or just thought that up himself? Would you happen to know?
@@televinv8062Albert was the King of the Kings, both vocally and guitar wise, and did not mind letting you know! I had the pleasure of seeing him several nights in a row up close on Beale Street in the early nineties. Absolute embodiment of the ultimate blues player, singer, composer. Despite All odds, you could hear see and feel all those life lessons of pain and success bought on stage with him. He is had a horn section but as far as I was concerned they could have stayed home. He was the well that other artists dipped in to drink.
How it is even possible to play that noodle tuning on a short scale?
I so much can't wait to see Joe live in May 🎉🎉🎉
It didn’t matter what they played through because they were just that good!! True pioneers and innovators we all copy, steal from and try and emulate.
Including bonnamossa
“They didn’t care what they played through “ so cool
Damn when JoBo play those Albert King licks the hair on my kneck stands up.
Perfect AK tone!
“It didn’t matter”. Correct. I saw video of Clapton sitting in with Asleep at the Wheel, on someone else’s 355, through a Music Man amp. He twiddled a few knobs, cranked it, and…..you guessed it, sounded EXACTLY like Clapton.
Powerful sounds!
Joe is the best
Joe youre great man. Thanks for giving back
Flying V is the most consistent Gibson . They always sound good.
Dave mustaine v
Got my sons 78 V back from our luthier yesterday. It sounds different than any of his other guitars.
In your face tone. All original.
Carter's Vintage Guitars...$700 steal. They liked him cause he was 14 at the time.
Now plays around Nashville (ugh lib infested) and has a blast.
@JoeandAngie I have a carters hat I wear around! I sold them a 1954 gibson j50 that I found on Craigslist for a steal, but didn't have the money or skills to repair. At least that guitar got a new life as a guitar rather than rotting away in someone's garage. I just wish I could have played it once.
Joe seems to have missed the key element: Albert's bends are two whole steps, from flat third to fifth; he didn't bend from the fourth. He did the same bend from fifth to ninth, over the five chord.
I agree. However, you don’t think he EVER did one step bends?
What a great torch bearer Joe Bonamassa is of everything that Blues guitar music is, and his musical sense of the Blues zeitgeist is wonderful to learn and listen to.
Albert was also the funkiest King of the 'Kings' 👍🙏
So so goooood!
Love Joe!
"B.B. loved the LAB series". Yup, me too.
Excellent, cheers from Canada...
Stellar! 🖖🥳
Great analysis.
Thanks Joe! Amazing…always loved the King!
Glad you enjoyed it
Otis Rush also played upside down, but he was in standard tuning. He also was a great bluesman, but he obviously didn't sound like Albert. He was happy to be Otis. One of my first blues vynils had both Otis and Albert. It was called "Door to Door".
Alert King, Albert Collins & Otis Rush are my favorites
I love this channel. Good idea.
Glad you enjoy it!
Mr know it all didn’t mention that Albert’s V was out of phase, not using a phaser… and he tuned to C#. That’s why those bends were so easy for him.
BB also preferred to set his amp wide open and let Lucille control the tone and volume.
Can anyone tell me which Boogie amp Joes playing through? I know Joe could make any amp sound great but those were some great tones in addition to his always phenomenal playing
Fillmore
Eddie 9 Volt 😊
Albert King was and is the best ever no ifs or buts.
But ....IF
I've never seen Albert King landing on the root the way Joe does it it here. He often landed on the 5th at the end of a phrase.
Cheer up Joe
Thanks Joe. „It didn’t matter“
Very true Noone can do albert including jb.
That tone is spot on, but like Joe says, nobody can quite get those bends like Albert did. Joe's attack is more modern and his vibrato smoother and faster (and with less personality) than Albert's.
Joe is so great. Love that he shares this.
TBone Walker. B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Freddie King were there before, Albert is one of the greats, not the first.
🔥
the only other artist I know who plays a right strung guitar upside down is the 90's British artist SEAL.
I'm hearing things about some dude named Hendrix....
@@thomasbrown3325 I'm talking right strung upside down. Hendrix played right handed guitars upside down but they were strung for lefty. Left handed guitars were rare. Albert didnt change the strings. He just turned it over and played it.
@@turnerthemanc Check out Otis Rush and Elizabeth Cotten. Great musicians.
Chris Cain does a MEAN blues power version
Doyle Bramhall ii gets damn close to nailing Albert’s thing..
If its "impossible" to sound like albert King as you say.
What do you try showing others?
“A lot of not dating in high school” hahaha , viva guitar nerds!
I’d love to see the interviewer start playing while Joe’s talking, that would be satisfying!
Nice to hear Joe doing some legato playing
Where?
Freddie King was the real king. ❤🤷♂️
I can...
So if you're a lefty, take a right-handed guitar and learn to play it with the strings the way they're strung. Now, being upside down. Pulling your bends instead of bending your bends. Vibrato will be different for sure.
Nigel in Canada 🇨🇦
we have several generations now of guitarists?
who think 5 note (penetonic) scales are the "be all and end all"
play some Rockabilly
Brian Setzer stuff
it's a LOT MORE DIFFICULT than it sounds
my ears need a break from blues scales
even Sabbath gave us variety with DIMINISHED NOTES
in my opinion Doyle Bramhall ll does the best Albert King.. 💜
3:15 😂😂 sad but true 😢
No one gets anywhere near Albert King
You are your sound
Albert tuned down 3 frets
"Eddie 9 volt" sounds like a mafioso name
I've seen Albert get so annoyed with a drummer that he would put down his guitar and sit down at the kit to show him how it's done for a minute or two. Then he'd hand back the sticks, pick up his V and blister through a solo like a lightning storm from the Gods.
Left handed people are very good and also not so good.
AI Bert King
Flaudações show
I like the blues just fine. But I'm not hearing what these guys hear.
counting 10 Gibson logos in this vid...anyone more?😅
why is bonermaster so afraid of eye contact?
The guitar and amp were just tools to the old blues guys.
"Dude"...😢
The Boogie amp with that Gibson logo slapped on it is kind of gross to me. We know you own the company.
Pretty sure he only picked with his thumb and nothing else lol
It’s rude to noodle while someone is trying to talk to you…
I respect his influence and historical significance but Albert King was completely delusional when he said he could have “very easily” played Jimi Hendrix’s songs but Jimi couldn’t play his 🤨 I have a hard time appreciating such an overinflated ego, sorry not sorry 🧿🧿🧿
Funny how we tend to make Saints of
people that have great talent.
Also of note is the ''they don't care...''
comment, in reality we all care what we
are playing through and on. Albert would
not have had the blues career he had
playing an acoustic guitar through a
''Hello Kitty'' amp, miced' up with a
karaoke microphone. 😄 Hendrix and
Albert were both amazing artists, especially
Hendrix, he changed the world,
Listening to Larry Davis playing his
Texas Flood tune suggests to me where
both Hedrix and SRV in part, drew their styles
from. Larry imv was quite influential in
setting the platform for many of the
early Blues/Rock artists.
Stay out the ring then son...hahaha
Albert even attempting to play Little Wing or Castles Made of Sand would've been comical.
the worst
Joe Bonamasa is fuel for the uninspired. He’s never done or said anything mildly impressive. Joe’s fans enjoy the watered down version of life. Life on easy mode. Guthrie Govan? No thanks. Eric Clapton. Shawn Lane? Nuh uh. Mark Knopfler. Allan Holdsworth? No thank you I have Jimi Hendrix. TMac or Greg Howe? Absolutely not. We got all of the kings. King of being lazy. Lazy musicians box themselves in and don’t know how to expand or even absorb any information outside their approved spectrum.
Stevie was shocking when he played Albert licks.