You’ve nailed the basic riff, added the shuffle, and mastered the bends. Now it’s time to break out of the box and take this riff higher up the neck using double stops – two-note intervals that add serious texture and depth to your blues playing.

This is lesson four in the Mannish Boy blues series. Before jumping in, make sure you’ve worked through lesson one (the basic riff), lesson two (shuffle rhythm), and lesson three (bends and muting). This lesson builds directly on that foundation.

What Are Blues Double Stops?

Double stops are simply two notes played together. In blues and rock, they’re everywhere – that’s the sound you hear in countless classic riffs. They’re more than just two random notes, though. You’re playing specific intervals that create the blues sound.

In this lesson, you’re using perfect fourths – two notes that are four scale degrees apart. These intervals have that raw, open sound that works perfectly for blues. Combined with open strings, they create a drone effect that’s been part of blues guitar since the beginning.

The High Position Pattern

The riff moves up to the seventh and fifth frets, using the fourth and third strings. Your fingers will fret both strings at once – seventh fret on the fourth string, fifth fret on the third string. That’s your first double stop.

But here’s the critical part: you’re only fretting those two strings. The rest need to stay quiet. Use a “sloppy bar” technique – lay your fingers across the strings in a way that mutes the ones you’re not playing. Your finger doesn’t need to press down on all the strings, just touch them enough to kill the sound.

This muting control is essential. Hit more than two strings and it sounds muddy. Get the muting right and you’ve got clarity and punch.

The Pattern Breakdown

The high position version follows the same rhythm as the original riff. You’re just playing it in a different location with different intervals.

Start with the open A string, just like always. That A is your anchor – it gives you time to position your fingers for the double stop.

Next, hit your double stop at the seventh and fifth frets (fourth and third strings). Then back to the open A. Then down to another double stop at the fifth and third frets. Then back to the A again.

For the final A in the pattern, instead of playing just the open string or a power chord, you’re playing an octave – the open A string plus the A at the seventh fret of the fourth string. It’s not technically a power chord, but it functions the same way, giving you that solid, full ending to the phrase.

Fingering the Double Stops

You could try to use individual fingers for each string, but most players find it easier to use one or two fingers and bar across. Use what works for you, but the sloppy bar technique – where you’re deliberately muting the strings you don’t want – tends to give you better control.

Your first finger handles most of the work. Bar across the fifth fret for the lower double stop, then shift up to the seventh fret for the higher one. Keep that muting pressure consistent so the unwanted strings stay quiet.

Switching Between Positions

Here’s where this lesson gets really useful: you can switch between the low position riff (from lessons one through three) and this high position version. That creates texture and variation, which is critical when you’re playing a one-riff song like Mannish Boy.

The trick to switching smoothly is using that open A string as your transition point. Play the low position riff, hit the open A, and while that A is ringing, move your hand up to the seventh fret position. The open string buys you time.

Same thing coming back down. Finish the high position riff, hit the open A, and use that moment to shift your hand back down to the lower frets.

Practice the switch slowly. One full cycle of the low riff, then switch to the high. Then back to the low. Don’t rush it – the timing should stay steady even as you’re moving your hand.

Creating Texture in a One-Riff Song

Mannish Boy is essentially one riff repeated for the entire song. That’s the beauty and the challenge. You need variations to keep it interesting, and switching between positions is one of the most effective ways to add color without changing the core groove.

The low position has that raw, driving feel. The high position adds brightness and opens up the sonic range. Alternating between them creates dynamics – you’re building and releasing tension just by changing where you play the same pattern.

In a band setting, this becomes even more powerful. You can use the position changes to respond to what the vocalist or other instruments are doing, adding energy when needed or laying back when the moment calls for it.

Common Double Stop Mistakes

Hitting too many strings. This is the most common issue. You need tight muting control, or you get a muddy sound. Focus on touching only the two strings you want to ring out, and mute everything else.

Losing the timing during the switch. The temptation is to slow down or pause when you move between positions. Don’t. That open A string is your buffer – use it. The timing should stay locked in even as your hand moves.

Playing the double stops too softly. These intervals need to punch through. Don’t be timid. Hit them with authority, just like you would the power chord in the low position.

Practice Strategy

Start by isolating just the high position pattern. Don’t worry about switching yet. Play through the high version slowly until your fingers can find the double stops without hesitation.

Once that’s comfortable, practice the switch. Play four repetitions of the low riff, then switch to four repetitions of the high riff, then back to four low. Focus on keeping the timing steady through the transitions.

Then work on making the switches more frequent. Two low, two high. One low, one high. Eventually, you’ll be able to switch whenever you want without disrupting the groove.

Applying It to Muddy Waters Versions

This high position double stop riff comes from one of the versions of Mannish Boy that Muddy Waters performed with different lineups over the years. It’s not in every recording, but it shows up often enough that it’s become part of the song’s vocabulary.

When you listen to different live versions of Mannish Boy, pay attention to where the guitar players add variations. Sometimes it’s this high position riff. Sometimes it’s different bends or slides. The core groove stays the same, but the details change.

That’s the lesson here: learn the variations, then use them where they fit. You’re not locked into playing the same exact thing every time. You’re building a toolkit of blues moves that you can pull out when the moment’s right.

What’s Next

You’re four lessons deep now, and this riff is starting to have real depth. Lesson five will add the finishing touches – hammer-ons, the A7 chord, and stylistic details that complete the picture.

But spend time with these blues double stops first. Get the position switching smooth. Practice moving between low and high until it feels natural. This technique isn’t just for Mannish Boy – it’s a fundamental blues guitar move you’ll use constantly.

Building Your Blues Foundation

Blues double stops are a core technique in blues and rock guitar. Combine this with the foundational work from beginner blues chords and the rhythm concepts in one finger blues and two finger blues shuffle.

For more riff work, check out easy blues guitar riff and cool blues riff.

For more beginner-friendly blues lessons, visit our Beginner Blues Guitar section.