I have absolutely no interest in playing blues and I really don’t like blues. Is it ok to skip practicing stuff from this blues module? I mean still I’ll watch all the lessons from it, just to be aware of that style, but I don’t want to practice that stuff. (I’m not really a beginner, if that is relevant for the answer in any way)
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Ah, I just found the answer in the last lecture of the blues module:
“BUT… The Blues is not to everyone’s taste - and this module is a taste of it. If it’s not your thing - learn the chords, explore the shuffle strumming, and then move on!”
Sorry!
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I found it easier to get the shuffle rhythm with the shuffle riff than when playing the shuffle rhythm strumming with the 12BB progression. When I recorded myself I realized that my rhythm was too even. I found it useful to listen to a few songs with the shuffle rhythm and play along. I played SRV’s Pride and Joy (from my CD) in Transcribe and played back at 75 % speed. (I just saw that it is listed on the Blues Songs for Beginners list). It is technically Texas shuffle, but it still works. You could also use the YouTube audio Pride and Joy played at 75% speed.
For those who think that shuffle rhythm is just used in the Blues take a listen to a great classic rock track with the great guitarist Joe Walsh. Rocky Mountain Way from 1973 on YouTube. The entire song is one long shuffle rhythm. I will admit that it is blues based but it does rock. I saw that this had 14 M views (or listens) so some people must like it (including me.). BTW, this song was the first rock song to use the high powered talk box with electric guitar.
Perhaps an even better example is one of my all time favorites Reelin in the Years -Steely Dan also from 1973. Listen at 75% speed as you can hear the 12BB shuffle behaid the solo. BTW - from Wikipedia: “ It has reportedly been rated by Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page as his favorite solo of all time.”