The shuffle
One of the most common rhythms in Blues is called a shuffle. The term shuffle describes the type of thythm. The shffle rhythm is based on eighth note triplets (three notes per beat).
Remember that there is a different sound for each part of the triplet: one-trip-let, this is because there could be a rest on any part of the triplet, and you need to know where you are exactly.
Here is a bar of eighth note triplets.
In a shuffle, the middle note of the triplet is not played byt is tied to the first ntoe. This is also called swinging the 8th notes. Notice that the "trip" is not played. The term "shuffle" means a continuous stream of swing 8th notes.
It is also possible to write a shuffle in ordinary 8th notes and indicate that they are to be interpreted as a shuffle by writing "swing 8ths" or "shuffle" or the symbol shown below at the start of example 42. In this example, the all notes are swung.
