Wes was able to play melody’s with block chords. His technique for this was to form chords underneath the melody note, which would usually be on the high E or B strings.  This is backwards from the common way of thinking of root note on a low E or A string and then forming a shape from that.

Wes would take a major scale and add an extra note (the Eb in this case). Example 1.

 

Ex.1

 

He would then then play up the scale alternating between major 6 shapes (G major 6th)and diminished shapes (Which would spell out a D7b9 chord). Example 2.

Ex. 2

Wes would harmonize melody’s using this technique.

 

 

West Coast Blues “Side-Slipping” example