Kenny Wayne Shepherd - Blue on Black - Guitar Lesson

Trouble Is...

1997 5:34

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About Blue on Black

Few Blues Rock songs pull off a slow, brooding groove as effectively as "Blue on Black," and getting that feel right on guitar is the real challenge here. Kenny Wayne Shepherd builds the song around a repeating minor-key riff that sits low and deliberate at 95 BPM, meaning every note has room to breathe and any rushing will kill the mood instantly. Playing in A minor in E Standard tuning, the riff calls for clean string muting between hits so the spaces stay quiet and controlled. The bending and vibrato on the lead lines demand attention too: the bends need to be accurate in pitch and the vibrato slow and wide, not fast and nervous. If the lead phrasing feels slippery, use the Practice Toolbar to loop just that passage slowed down until the muscle memory settles in. Getting comfortable with that laid-back, behind-the-beat placement is what separates a convincing run through this song from one that just hits the right notes.

• The main riff sits in A minor in E Standard tuning, making it a good entry point for players learning to phrase in a minor pentatonic context.
• At 95 BPM the song moves slowly enough that timing discipline and note sustain matter more than speed or technical complexity.
• Controlled string muting between riff hits is essential to preserving the dark, brooding tone the song depends on.