[Harp-L] BB King - Rock me baybe

[Pierre <plavio@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I am tabbing parts of  "Rock Me Baby" by BB King (Key of G).

I have done the first couple of minutes of the tune. I am a bit surprised at his note selection. Many key notes are neither from the blues scale nor from the chord arpeggios.

For example the opening rythm riff is:

2d 2d** 2d

A bit later he plays this:

4b 3d (3*** 3****)   (Vibrato between 3***  and 3****) 



He also plays:



4d  3d* 3d** 


and at 1:08 he plays 

3d* 3d** 3d** 3d*** 3d*** 3d*** 3d**


I've never tabbed guitar playing, is this normal?

Writing this, I am realizing what may be happening is that he is bending up the 2d rather than down from 3d*** (pretty hard to bend down on  guitar :-)). Still why emphasize the note of resolution then? Is this common?

Any comments on the use of 2** and 3**  ?

I'm intrigued by BBs use of volume on this tune, volume goes way down, you have to strain to hear him, then later it goes way up. I thought dynamics were more on a note by note basis, never figured it would be on a passage basis. Seems to create a lot of tension as you want it to come up.

One last question, when playing 2d** on a C harp, is there any way to get a clean sound? Can this be mastered or is this the nature of the beast. I expect to play this with a piano, so I would like a clean sound if its possible.

Thanks,

Pierre.