The Shuffle

The shuffle is a triplet based rhythm technique which involves playing a power chord and switching back and forth between the 5th and the major 6th.   You play the power chord with your first finger on the root and your second or third finger on the 5th, and reach with your pinkie or third finger to grab the 6th.  Try both and do whichever is comfortable.  

This can be done with roots on the 6th, 5th, and 4th string. 

Download the PDF for the Diagrams. 

As stated above, the shuffle groove is a triplet feel. For those unfamiliar, triplets are 3 notes of equal value that fit inside of one beat.  The shuffle is when you remove the middle of the 3 beats or combine the first two, resulting in the staggered, train like sound of two beats in one pulse.  Here’s how it looks written out:  

When practicing these,  you should try and memorize the  I  IV  V movements with these three root placements, as most shuffle tunes will be the standard blues progression. 

Quick recall goals:

• 6th String Root
  • • IV chord root is same fret on 5th string
    • V chord root is two frets above on 5th string (move IV chord shape up two frets)
• 5th String Root
  • • IV chord root is same fret on 4th string
    • V chord root is two frets above on 4th string (move IV chord shape up two frets)

OR

• 5th String Root
  • • IV chord root is two frets below root fret but on 6th string
    • V chord root is same fret as root but on 6th string
• 4th String root
  • • IV chord root is two frets below root fret but on 5th string
    • V chord root is same fret as root but on 5th string

Try them and have some fun with the shuffle!