Shuffle Strum Guitar Lesson
Hi there, in this video I�m gonna teach you a basic version of a shuffle strum. Great
to use for the blues or anything that uses a shuffle rhythm.
Hi there I�m Tomas Michaud of Real Guitar Success. The shuffle strum is based on a triplet
pattern and sometimes you�ll hear it called a triplet strum. It�s a triplet where you
combine the first two beats so a triplet is like this 1, 2, 3 � 1, 2, 3 finally doing
a triplet strum I�m just gonna make a sound feel like that. (0:50) learn to strum you
just mute the strings and you have to deal with the chord that�s a triplet and I�ll
make it a shuffle. We�re gonna combine those first two strums into ones 1, 2, 3 � 1,
2, 3 - 1, 2, 3 � 1, 2 see if combine 1 and 2 1, 2, 3 � 1, 2, 3 with the chords it sounds
like this. I�m doing all down for now. Okay so practice that with me. Put your left hand
over the strings so we just want a sound and were gonna strum with the right hand so count
1, 2, 3 � 1, 2, 3 just to get that feel for you, ready go.. 1, 2, 3 � 1, 2, 3 1,
2, 3 � 1, 2, 3. Now were gonna combine beats 1 and 2 and turn into a shuffle so here we
go 1, 2, 3 � 1, 2, 3 1, 2, 3 � 1, 2, 3. Do that with me, here we go 1, 2, 3 � 1,
ready play down, down, down 1, 2, 3 � 1, 2, 3 1, 2, 3 � 1, 2, 31, 2, 3 � 1, 2,
3 1, 2, 3 � 1, 2, 3 1, 2, 3 � 1, 2, 3 1, 2, 3 � 1, 2, 3. Now to make it a little
easier to play, very slow that works but if you go on a little bit faster you wanna go
up and down. All this down is very strenous actually instead of going faster. So lets
try this now, same rhythm. We�re gonna go down and on the 3 we go up so its 1, 2, 3
� 1, 2, 3 - 1, 2, 3 � 1, 2, 3. Try it with me now.
1, 2, 3 � 1 ready play 1, 2, 3 � 1, 2, 3. Its not easy but at least less strenous
on your arms. You dont have to count. You could actually just go da, da, da - da, da,
da - da, da, da. A little faster now da, da, da
Here we go - 1, 2, 3 � 1 ready play da, da, da - da, da, da - da, da, da. Lets do
it with the chord now, okay. The E chord, here we go - 1, 2, 3 � 1 ready play (strumming).
How�s that going? Sounding better?
Let�s try alternating from E to E7, that�s what we did in the extended version of the
blues in part 1 of this series so let�s try that together. Were gonna do four beats
of E and then four beats of E7. I�ll call it out, okay. Here we go 1, 2, ready and play
it E 1, 2, 3 � that�s four beats now E7 back to E and E7.
Now in progression we will go to A, ready go A and A7 right and back to A and then we
will go to bar B7. Now one more B, A go back to E, and end with B7. B7 ones then go back
to the beginning so you can start over.
Okay you�ll now A7 now and then I skip the last up at the end of a measure that makes
it easir to change chords when you�re not strumming up. You can alternate or do whatever
you feel like it. Now let�s go ahead and apply this all the way through the extended
blues pattern that�s just 12 bars of E, E7, A going to A7, E, E7.
You can download the sheet that if you are on YouTube, head over to my blog and there�s
a sheet you can download so you can see the progression and you can follow along. Otherwise
you are welcome to just follow along with me. Here we go, I�ll count off four and
then we will start - 1, 2, ready hit it E, E7, and E its the fourth bar E7 going to A,
A7 and skip back to E , E7 going to B7 now and to A its bar 10 and bar 11 E and the B7
bar 12, go to E to start over.
Okay, you start to get the feel of that? Practice that struma. In part 3, I�ll show you a
cool lick that you could add to this whole thing. If you�re on YouTube again head over
to my blog. There�s should be a link down there in the description and I have some download
sheet for you. And you should also get a play along track that you can try this along with,
that is a lot of fun. And if you�re on my blog just look down belowa and you will find
it. Thanks for joining me. I�ll see you again soon.