: Blues-Style Shuffle Fingerpicking Rhythms For this lesson, look at fingerpicking in the blues style on the ukulele. The blues has a lot to teach about adding feeling and soul to your fingerpicking rhythms. In this lesson, learn: How to swing the beat to fingerpick a toe-tappin shuffle rhythm To fingerpick the 12 bar blues form and its variation How to fingerpick and sing the famous blues song Frankie and Johnny Chords Used In This Lesson The following chords are used in this lesson: Part II: Pattern-based Fingerpicking To play a G major chord, place your ring finger on the 2nd fret of the bottom A- string, index finger on the 2nd fret of the C-string, and middle finger on the 3rd fret of the E-string. Let the top g-string ring open. 1
To play a G7 chord, place your ring finger on the 2nd fret of the bottom A- string, index finger on the 1st fret of the E-string, and middle finger on the 2nd fret of the C-string. Let the top g-string ring open. To play a D7 chord, use your index finger to barre the 2nd fret. This means you use your index finger to press and hold down all four strings at the 2nd fret. Then, place your middle finger on the 3rd fret of the bottom A-string. Alternatively, you might use your middle finger to barre the 2nd fret and use your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the bottom A-string (I prefer this way). To play a C major chord, place your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the bottom A- string. Let the top three strings ring open. 2
To play a C7 chord, place your index finger on the 1st fret of the bottom A- string. Let the top three strings ring open. To play an F major chord, place your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the top g- string and your index finger on the 1st fret of the E-string. Let the C-string and A-string ring open. How to Fingerpick a Shuffle Rhythm A shuffle rhythm describes a rhythm where the beat is played with swing feel. When you swing the beat, in an eighth note fingerpicking rhythm, the plucks that fall on the main beats (1, 2, 3, 4) are held twice as long as the plucks on the and of the beat. Depending on how much you re swinging the rhythm, this uneven duration varies. For example, take this regular eighth note insideout fingerpicking pattern: 3
In a shuffle rhythm, this same pattern can be written in a triplet rhythm like this: However, to keep things simple and the music easy to read, most of the time a piece of music that is played in a shuffle rhythm will be indicated with the word Swing Time or Shuffle Rhythm at the top left of the piece. All in all, a shuffle rhythm is better felt than heard. A beat that is swung should make you want to tap your foot or bob your head to the beat. Without 4
even realizing it, you might already be adding a certain degree of swing to your fingerpicking patterns at different times. Whenever I need to get myself ready to play a swung beat, I like to listen to old blues songs. These styles are marked by their use of swung rhythms. You will also hear swung rhythms in pop, jazz, R&B, and country styles as well. Practice the 12 Bar Blues The best way to practice fingerpicking a shuffle rhythm is to look at the 12 bar blues. The 12 bar blues is common chord progression spread out across twelve measures. Hundreds of songs have been written based around the 12 bar blues and it s variations (see Frankie and Johnny at the end of this lesson). The 12 bar blues comes in different variations. The most common form is shown in the first example in the key of G using an outside-in fingerpicking pattern. Don t forget to swing the beat a little. Take a look at the music on the next page. One of the most defining characteristics of the 12 bar blues is the switch to the V chord (five chord; the D7) in the 9th measure. However, you can make some variations with the frequency in which you change back and forth between chords as shown in the following 12 bar blues variation on the page following the standard 12 bar blues form. 5
6 Part II: Pattern-based Fingerpicking
7 Part II: Pattern-based Fingerpicking
Play Frankie and Johnny Entire songs have been written based on the 12 bar blues form and structure. This classic blues song Frankie and Johnny is one of them. Famous music artists like Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley have done their own renditions of this song. You might search for recordings of their versions online to get some inspiration! Take a look at Frankie and Johnny on the next page. 8
9 Part II: Pattern-based Fingerpicking
10 Part II: Pattern-based Fingerpicking
Practice Objectives Between the 12 bar blues and the murder ballad Frankie and Johnny, this has been a fun lesson! Focus on the following points before moving to the next lesson: 1. Go on YouTube and search for blues songs to listen to; be sure to listen to Memphis Blues, Crazy Blues and Forty Four Blues 2. Using an inside-out fingerpicking pattern switch between a regular straight rhythm and shuffle rhythm 3. Practice fingerpicking the 12 bar blues in key of G 4. Look back at fingerpicking patterns for previous lessons and turn them into swung fingerpicking patterns 5. Fingerpick and sing Frankie and Johnny Knowing how to swing the beat is a really great way to unlock some great feels and fingerpicking rhythms. In the next lesson, make fingerpicking patterns sound even more interesting by combining shuffle rhythms and other forms of syncopation. 11