Chords for How to Play "The Thrill is Gone" - Blues Guitar Lesson

[Bm] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [D] _ [Bm] _ _
[E] _ [Bm] _ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _
[F#] _ _ _ [Bm] _ _ _ The thrill is gone.
A [G#] great blues tune, B.B. King.
And this one here, you know, if you're
heading out to the jams, it's a song that's called so often at jam sessions.
Usually in
the key of B minor, but sometimes it'll get called in another key.
But the good news is
that once you know the pattern, it's pretty easy to move it around.
_ Now, what I'm going
to do is I'm going to roll once through the track and play rhythm, and then once again
over the track, progression, and play lead.
Then afterwards, I'll discuss what I was doing
and hopefully _ help you to be able to spice up your version of the thrill is gone.
So
I'm going to zoom the camera _ so you get a little better view of my fretboard. _ _ _
_ _ And here
we go.
_ _ _ _ [Bm] _ _ _ _
_ _ [E] _ [D] _ _ [Bm] _ [C#m] _ [Bm] _
_ _ [A] _ _ [Bm] _ _ _ [Em] _
_ _ _ [Bm] _ _ [G] _ _ _
[A#m] _ [Bm] _ _ [A] _ [Bm] _ _ _ [G] _
_ _ _ _ [F#m] _ _ _ _
[Bm] _ _ _ _ [F#] _ _ _ [D] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [Bm] _ _ _ _
[Em] _ _ [Bm] _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
[Bm] _ _ _ [F#m] _ [Bm] _ _ _ _
_ [G] _ _ _ _ [F#] _ _ _
_ [D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ So let's talk a little bit about what I was doing there.
First off, with the [Bm] rhythm, _ _ _ I
was using a B minor 7, _ [F#] _ _ [D] and I was doing double stops with it on the second and third string.
And what I'm doing is _ neighboring chord double [C#m] stops.
_ [Bm] _
_ [A] _ _ [Bm] _ [C#m] _ [D] _ _ [A#] _
Over _ _ _ _ the four chord, the E minor, I
was [E] playing an E [G] minor 7. _ _
_ _ _ Now you can do hammer-on pull-offs _ to spice it up, _ _ [Em] _ _
_ or you might use
a different colored E9 chord, perhaps _ an E minor 9. _
Now, _ _ an E minor 9 is basically
if you play a D chord and then just move your first finger from the second fret, third string,
to the second fret, fourth string.
[E] _
There's your [G] E.
_ It's a really pretty chord. _
_ _ _ The next
chord is a G, and I'm using a [A#] G9.
_ And if you want to spice up there, you can do a little
double stop.
I'm on the first and third string.
_ _ _ _ [G] _ _
_ _ _ And then the fourth chord _ is a G flat 7 sharp
[F#] _ [F#m]
9.
And [F#] _ _ _ _ _ [Bm]
then it goes back to the one chord, the B minor.
And some versions will tag the 5 at the
end of the progression.
And when this happens, I'll usually play a _ G flat 7 using a C7 chord
[F#] shape, _ _ but play it at the ninth fret.
_ _ _ _ _ [B] Now you could just strum the chords, or you could mix
chords with the double stops like I was doing.
Now as far as the lead goes, _ I'm playing in B
minor pentatonic.
And for the most part, I'll stay there.
I may add a few passing tones,
but the core of my solo is going to be in the B minor pentatonic, sixth string root position,
[E] _ [Bm] _ _ _ [G] _
_ and second string root [Bm] position. _ _ _
_ [E] _ [D] _ _ Again, _ [G#m] _
_ I'll add chord tones, _ _ target notes.
_ _ _ _ When I'm following
the changes, I will aim for target notes. _
I'll use passing tones.
_ _ But some of the key stuff for
this is going to be your bends _ and _ your vibratos. _ _
So, _ _ _ [Bm] _ _ _
you know, some real cool bending can happen
right here in this second string root, just in those first two strings. _ _
[B] _ _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
_ _ _ [Bm] But _ [E] _ _
[B] _ _ _ _ _ for the most part,
like I say, my solo is all based out of the B minor pentatonic, sixth string root, and second
string root.
So I'm playing right there for the most part.
_ In an extended solo, of course, I'm
going to roam around more.
But that's where a lot of the real sweet notes that BB King played reside.
_ _ Well, I hope this helps you to spice up your version of The Thrill Is Gone,
and I hope you look forward to more songs coming from me.