The B.B. box is a small cluster of notes on the top three strings where B.B. King-style playing lives. It sits higher up the neck than the usual box 1 and mixes major and minor pentatonic notes around one root.
Key: A. The root is A on the B string at fret 10. Around it:
- B string: A (10), B (12), C (13)
- high E string: D (10), E (12)
- G string: F# (11)
Place your index finger on fret 10 of the B and high E strings, middle on the 11th fret of the G string, and ring on fret 12. The whole box fits under one hand position, which is why it's so vocal: no shifting, just bends and vibrato.
The key bend is B up a whole step to C#, the major third, with your ring finger. It sounds sweet and resolved. Land on the root A afterwards with a little vibrato.
Tone
Clean or barely breaking up, with a semi-hollow or neck pickup. Warm, round, not too much gain.
The most common mistake is playing the box like a scale, up and down. Pick two or three notes and make a short phrase instead. The second is a flat bend to C#; check it against the C# at fret 14.
How to practice
- Play the box notes and say their names.
- Loop the box lick until the bend sings.