Before You Accuse Me

When wrath mentioned the time signature, another question cressed my mind. The lesson says triplets, but does it really have to be exactly that. I mean I guess most count this one out 1 a 2 a 3 a 4 a, but with a shorter timing between a and 2 etc. To get perfect triplets, one would really have to count this one as 1 ta ti 2 ta ti etc. (or whatever you want to use in between) and leave out the strumming on the "ta".

But I feel that anything between one eight and one sixtenth between the a and 2 sounds blues to me. Its the uneaven beat that makes it sound like and old freigh train down the track. I also imagin that the old bluesers had no concept of triplets.

Dont know if I have managed to make anys sence, but should it be exact triplets or not in blues?

/zc

My gut feeling is that they don't have to be perfect triplets.  If it sounds right to you then it is right.  If it's got that bluesy feel, you're doing it.  
Hope that helps.

If it sounds right to you then it is right.

I was sort of expecting that answer  ;) but still would like more input to what is common practice. Anybody else in the blues?

This is also a kind of pat answer, but I find that rhythm is always kind of "imperfect", but that that's what gives it that swing and groove.  I can still remember when rhythm started to kick in on my playing -- it happened when I finally felt comfortable enough with chords and transitions that I started to loosen up and relax while playing.  The rhythm is what carries a lot of the feel of the piece -- the heartbeat.  So I think rhythm notations like triplets just orient you.  I know sometimes when playing a blues piece I'll vamp on some chords in the turnaround and stuff.  And that's clearly me goofing around -- it's not noted down -- but it sounds good.  But, to reiterate again my extremely vague and inarticulate opinion, rhythm's got a lot to do with the feel of a tune and if you do it too perfectly, it sounds too machine like --- too much like a music box.  Don't let the concept of triplet or whatever interfere with getting the groove of the piece.  
Hope that made sense.  David's been on some well earned R & R but he's back now.  If he drops by this thread he might  give us some words of wisdom and clear it up a bit .
Tim

Thanks Muse for the elaboartion. You really are putting an effort into this. You are the only one I know who obviously can type and play at the same time. My guess is that you type with your feet;-)

Shifting chords in a relaxed state, cant wait til it happens to me:

/zc

Concerning triplets in a blues shuffle:

You're actually only playing the first and third of the triplets, not the middle one. So if you count out the triplets like this:

one and a two and a three and a four and a

You play it like this (in boldface):

one and a two and a three and a four and a

In notation, this (understandably) drives the person writing it out nuts, so it's usually either written out as a "dotted triplet" (only two notes in the triplet and the first is dotted) or there will be some notation at the start of the song that looks like an equation saying that two connected eighth notes equals a dotted triplet.

Hope I'm not confusing matters further...

Peace

At least for me, David, that was pretty clear from the beginning.

I was more interested if ppl really plays it exactly like that, or if
blues is generally played in what feels best, so in reallity it is
a feel good value between 1/8 and 1/16, and not exactly 1/12
(that is between a and two).

Or to put it less formal, do you count 1 a 2 a 3 a 4 a in an uneaven
tempo that feels good, or 1 and a 2 and a 3 and a 4 and a to get it exact.

/zc

Sorry 'bout that...

"Anticipation," that's the playing slightly ahead of the beat, is something that some people have a natural feel for and others need to work at.

I think that, starting out, you'll want to try to do it as straight as possible. If you're playing with others it will certainly help keep things in tempo.

On your own, or with your group as you get better, you will find yourself falling into a groove. I know you're probably going to hate hearing this, but you've pretty much got to let it happen of its own accord. That's part of what will become your style.

Hope this helps.

Peace

Thanx David! By the way, I already go a style of my own, its the lousy beginner style  ;D

/zc

Thanx David! By the way, I already go a style of my own, its the lousy beginner style  ;D

/zc

me too.  Maybe you and I should start a band!

me too.  Maybe you and I should start a band!

Sure! I will start jaming on the Beethoven lesson to night, feel free to join. Chips on me!

I'm going to unpin this now.  Just thought I should let you know.  

I'm bumping this for now.  If anyone thinks it would be helpful to pin it to the top again for a while, just let me know.

Looks like a lot of you folks covered this lesson before... but I am new to this so a basic question with the blues shuffles:

How do you avoid playing all the other strings?  Are you muting them with your fingers or is your picking very precise and you can avoid striking them?

LarryS.

As you can see, I just covered the lesson my self, but I would say both are quite possible. In the long run you should be able pick only the correct strings, but you could mute a bit until you get there. And I would guess eaven an experienced player might consider muting just to avoid that once in a million mistake.

But I guess someone more experienced will soon tumble down this hallway and share their wast knowledge.

By the way, welcome to the class. You may have to do some detention for comming this late, but you will have fun doing it ;D

On these shuffles, try to play only the indicated strings.  That's easier when you're playing a power chord with a sixth string root.  When you're playing the chords with the fifth string root, let your finger touch the sixth string just enough to mute it in case you do strike it while strumming the chord.  I think that's a pretty typical strategy.
Hope that helps.