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Lesson 1 of 4

The 12/8 feel

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Slow blues is counted in four, but every beat is split into three: "ONE-and-a, TWO-and-a". That gives twelve pulses per bar, which is why it's called 12/8. The feel is heavy and patient, like a slow walk.

This lesson is in A. You use the same two-string shapes as the shuffle: open A with the D string at fret 2 (fifth) and fret 4 (sixth), open D with the G string at frets 2 and 4, open low E with the A string at frets 2 and 4. The difference is that every note of the triplet is played, three strokes per beat, all equal.

Picking

  • Downstrokes only. At these tempos you have time, and the sound is fuller.
  • Palm-mute lightly. Lift the palm a little on beat one of each bar for a touch of accent, marked > in the tab.
  • Index on fret 2, ring on fret 4.

It should sound like a slow, rolling wave: one-two-three, one-two-three, never rushing.

The most common mistake is turning the triplets into a shuffle (long-short) or speeding up. Every triplet is the same length. Tap your foot on the beat and say "one-and-a" out loud.

How to practice

Start at 45 bpm. Stay on the first exercise until the pulse is completely even, then add the changes.

Exercises

Three to a beat on A

45 → 70 bpm
  1. Bar 1
    1. A string, open + D string, fret 2, accented
    2. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    3. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    4. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    5. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    6. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    7. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    8. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    9. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    10. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    11. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    12. A string, open + D string, fret 4
  2. Bar 2
    1. A string, open + D string, fret 2, accented
    2. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    3. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    4. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    5. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    6. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    7. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    8. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    9. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    10. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    11. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    12. A string, open + D string, fret 4

Clean 3 times in a row? Raise the tempo by 5 bpm.

A, D, A, E in 12/8

45 → 70 bpm
  1. Bar 1
    1. A string, open + D string, fret 2, accented
    2. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    3. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    4. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    5. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    6. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    7. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    8. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    9. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    10. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    11. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    12. A string, open + D string, fret 4
  2. Bar 2
    1. D string, open + G string, fret 2, accented
    2. D string, open + G string, fret 2
    3. D string, open + G string, fret 2
    4. D string, open + G string, fret 4
    5. D string, open + G string, fret 4
    6. D string, open + G string, fret 4
    7. D string, open + G string, fret 2
    8. D string, open + G string, fret 2
    9. D string, open + G string, fret 2
    10. D string, open + G string, fret 4
    11. D string, open + G string, fret 4
    12. D string, open + G string, fret 4
  3. Bar 3
    1. A string, open + D string, fret 2, accented
    2. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    3. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    4. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    5. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    6. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    7. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    8. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    9. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    10. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    11. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    12. A string, open + D string, fret 4
  4. Bar 4
    1. low E string, open + A string, fret 2, accented
    2. low E string, open + A string, fret 2
    3. low E string, open + A string, fret 2
    4. low E string, open + A string, fret 4
    5. low E string, open + A string, fret 4
    6. low E string, open + A string, fret 4
    7. low E string, open + A string, fret 2
    8. low E string, open + A string, fret 2
    9. low E string, open + A string, fret 2
    10. low E string, open + A string, fret 4
    11. low E string, open + A string, fret 4
    12. low E string, open + A string, fret 4

Clean 3 times in a row? Raise the tempo by 5 bpm.

Slow shuffle with the flat seven

45 → 70 bpm
  1. Bar 1
    1. A string, open + D string, fret 2, accented
    2. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    3. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    4. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    5. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    6. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    7. A string, open + D string, fret 5
    8. A string, open + D string, fret 5
    9. A string, open + D string, fret 5
    10. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    11. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    12. A string, open + D string, fret 4
  2. Bar 2
    1. A string, open + D string, fret 2, accented
    2. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    3. A string, open + D string, fret 2
    4. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    5. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    6. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    7. A string, open + D string, fret 5
    8. A string, open + D string, fret 5
    9. A string, open + D string, fret 5
    10. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    11. A string, open + D string, fret 4
    12. A string, open + D string, fret 4

Clean 3 times in a row? Raise the tempo by 5 bpm.

Checkpoint

Move on when you can do all of these.

  • Every triplet even and the same volume at 70 bpm for 2 minutes
  • Changes on beat one with no gap, 4 loops at 70 bpm
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