In this video
Learn how to play a blues shuffle using a triplet rhythm and get started playing authentic acoustic blues!
A blues shuffle palm mutes the '&' of a triplet rhythm to create a pause. This creates the familiar bounce rhythm used in blues songs such as ‘Before You Accuse Me’ and ‘Sweet Home Chicago’. Pop songs such as ‘Sit Down’ by James use this too but tend to just muss the & strum rather than muting to stop it sounding bluesy!
NEW interactive TAB!
Set tempo to 70bpm (start slower if you need to), hit 'Loop', and jam along!
On mobile, double tap TAB to loop and click the 'cog' icon to set bpm.
Pro tip!
For and Rock/ Blues sound- pick only the thicker 2 strings out of the chord and use Palm Muting with your strumming hand! Without this, the overall sound is still similar to what you have played before. Adding the palm muting makes it sound a bit darker and less jangly. It’s best to practice adding palm muting in verses and then playing the chorus of a song without any muting to make the chorus louder and more prominent in a song!
12 Bar Blues in E
Play this chord sequence around 4 times with the strumming pattern above to create an authentic old school 12 bar blues similar to the song ‘Before You Accuse Me’ by Eric Clapton, which is taught in full on the website.
Set Tempo to 70bpm, hit 'Loop', and jam along!
Recommended songs to try!
Course Outline
Strumming Course