BB King Chains And Things Guitar Lesson

Today I want to share with you a soulful and heart-wrenching song from the king of the blues B.B. King.

It’s a minor blues progression and only uses 3 chords.

You’ll discover how to play those chords, a fun fingerstyle groove, and even how to solo over the progression like B.B. King.

So grab your guitar and let’s get started!

Who wrote Chains And Things?

"Chains And Things" was written by B.B. King and Dave Clark and appeared on the 1970 album Indianola Mississippi Seeds. The song was produced by Bill Szymczyk and featured notable contributions by Carole King on piano, Bryan Garofalo on bass guitar, and Russ Kunkel on drums. 

It peaked at No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 on the R&B chart, earning praise for its haunting piano riff and dramatic string arrangement. 

The lyrics have a bluesy melancholy vibe to them. Singing of despair, longing, and hope, with B.B. King's emotional vocals and guitar solo capturing the essence of the song. 

BB King Chains And Things Chords

To play “Chains And Things” you’ll only need to know 3 chords Am, Dm, and Em. Let’s take a look at some basic ways to play these chords on guitar.

Am can be played from the 5th string down like this:

For Dm, we’ll play from the 4th string down like this:

And finally, the Em chord can be played using all 6 strings like this:

These 3 chords make up what we call the i, iv, and v in the key of Am.

Am (i):

• Root note: A
• Function: Tonic. This is the root chord of the key and provides a sense of stability and resolution.
• Scale degree: 1

Dm (iv):

• Root note: D
• Function: Subdominant. This chord adds color and tension to the progression, leading towards the tonic (Am) or dominant (E).
• Scale degree: 4

Em (v):

• Root note: E
• Function: Dominant. This chord creates a strong pull towards the tonic (Am), providing a sense of resolution and closure.
• Scale degree: 5

Notice how all the chords are minor. This is a key difference between a minor blues and a major blues. In the major blues, these chords would often be dominant seven chords like A7, D7, and E7. 

Now, the use of seventh chords can be used in this song as well. So Am7, Dm7, and Em7, can added for a more complex and sophisticated sound.

The chord progression for “Chains And Things” follows a typical 12-bar blues. 

Here's a basic representation:

| Am | Am | Am | Am |

| Dm | Dm | Am | Am |

| Em | Dm | Am | Am  |

Each vertical bar represents one measure, and each chord would typically last for one measure. This progression follows the i-iv-v pattern:

• The first four bars are on the A minor chord (the i chord).
• Bars five and six usually feature the D minor chord (the iv chord) for two measures.
• Bars seven and eight go back to the A minor chord (the i chord) for two measures.
• Bars nine and ten introduce the E minor chord (the v chord) for one measure, followed by one measure of D minor (the iv chord).
• Finally, bars eleven and twelve conclude with two more measures of A minor (the I chord).

But instead of just playing the chords for accompaniment on this song.

What I would do is play the haunting piano riff played by Carol King.

To do this I would not use a pick…

So let’s talk about that next…

Carol King’s Haunting Piano Riff

Most guitar players think fingerstyle is only for acoustic guitar.

This is unfortunate.

Why?

Well…

Did you know some of the most impactful and legendary guitarists of all time actually played electric guitar without a pick?

Doing this helped them unleash some of the most epic sounds ever put down on records…

It also is a great way to make your guitar sound more like a piano.

Let’s break this piano riff down into two parts. The first part is the top line which begins by sliding into the 5th fret on the second string. We’ll use a series of notes from the A minor blues scale and end down in the first position like this:

The second part we’ll play against this is the bass line. Here we’ll match the bass part to the chord progression. Start by just playing 4 bars of the open A string as whole notes: 

e|----------------------------------------------------------|

B|----------------------------------------------------------|

G|----------------------------------------------------------|

D|----------------------------------------------------------|

A|--------0------------------------------------------------|

E|----------------------------------------------------------| 

Then we’ll play the open 4th string for the Dm chord:

e|----------------------------------------------------------|

B|----------------------------------------------------------|

G|----------------------------------------------------------|

D|--------0-------------------------------------------------|

A|----------------------------------------------------------|

E|----------------------------------------------------------| 

And finally, for the Em, we’ll play the open 6th string:

e|----------------------------------------------------------|

B|----------------------------------------------------------|

G|----------------------------------------------------------|

D|-----------------------------------------------------------|

A|-----------------------------------------------------------|

E|------0----------------------------------------------------|

Once these parts are feeling comfortable independently. Try playing them together like this:

BB King Chains And Things Guitar Solo

The primary scale B.B. King uses to solo with in “Chains And Things” is the A minor blues scale. The A minor blues scale is similar to the A minor pentatonic scale. It just adss one extra chromatic note, often referred to as the "blue note." 

It's a popular scale in blues, rock, and jazz music due to its emotive and expressive sound.

The notes for the A minor blues scale are: A - C - D - Eb - E - G

Here is a great way of playing this scale on the fretboard:

This fretboard diagram represents one of the many positions to play the A minor blues scale on the guitar. 

You can start experimenting with this shape and gradually explore other positions and patterns across the fretboard to expand your range and dexterity when playing the scale.

When it comes to soloing like B.B. King. Here are three specific blues guitar techniques to keep in mind and experiment with when soloing… 

1. String Bending: Bending strings is fundamental to blues playing. It adds expressiveness and creates that characteristic "bluesy" sound. Learn to bend notes accurately and smoothly, targeting specific pitches within the scale. Experiment with different types of bends: whole step, half step, pre-bends, and releases.
2. Vibrato: Vibrato adds depth and character to sustained notes. Practice subtle and fast vibratos to create different emotional tones. Use vibrato to express different emotions you want in the context of the solo.
3. Slides: Slides are another essential technique for creating smooth transitions between notes. Practice slide techniques like slide-up, slide-down, and string skipping for fluidity. Use slides to emphasize chord changes and add melodic interest.

Conclusion:

"Chains And Things" is a powerful and soulful blues ballad that showcases B.B. King's mastery of the genre. 

By learning the simple three-chord progression, Carol King's haunting piano riff, and the A minor blues scale, you can start to capture the essence of this iconic song. 

Remember to experiment with blues guitar techniques like bending, vibrato, and slides to add your own unique voice and personality to your playing. Keep practicing and for more fun blues guitar lessons check out this Thrill Is Gone guitar lesson or Stormy Monday guitar lesson next!