What is it about a shuffle?

Greg Simmons · Post by **Greg Simmons** » 21 May 2004 7:33 pm

Don't know 'bout you, but I could listen to stuff like this just about all night long

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Greg Simmons
Custodian of the Official Sho~Bud Pedal Steel Guitar Website

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 21 May 2004 8:13 pm

I love it. I guess you had to have been brought up with it.

They need a new internet radio station: All shuffles-All the time.

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 21 May 2004 9:43 pm

Great stuff! I like a 4/4 beat with a good ol' walkin' bass, whether it's Ray Price, Miles Davis or Eric Clapton. BTW, nice '65 Impala.

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Cal's Corral

Charles French · Post by **Charles French** » 23 May 2004 5:49 pm

Shuffle drummers are a dying breed. Kids now days don't have anything to draw upon unless they have someone to point them toward the great shuffle players of the past. I have had the pleasure of working with one of the all time great shuffle drummers, Mr.Sam Carr, formerly of the JellyRoll Kings, son of blues legend Robert Nitehawk. Along with Sam, I note the two greatest blues shuffle drummers of all time as being Fred Below & Elgin Elvins. [This message was edited by Charles French on 24 May 2004 at 05:20 AM.]

Dave Boothroyd · Post by **Dave Boothroyd** » 25 May 2004 12:21 am

We had a visit from a young professional drummer last month. To demonstrate the way he has to be a master of any style, he challenged the students to give him any style or any time signature and he would play it.
Someone suggested 5/4, and he immediately asked
"5/4 straight or 5/4 shuffle?"
Then he proceeded to play both.
It's only a lost art by those who never learned it!

Charles French · Post by **Charles French** » 25 May 2004 3:59 am

Yea, well most drummers want to think they can shuffle, but few can really. Many drummers tend to be uptight and restricted by the count. If you said 5/4 to Sam, he'd probably think you were talking about a socket wrench.

I happened to attend a drum clinic. I won't mention any names (but he plays with the Letterman Band) this guy didn't have a clue how to play a shuffle. His terminology was quite impressive, altho he still couldn't shuffle.

Someone suggested 5/4, and he immediately asked
"5/4 straight or 5/4 shuffle?"
Then he proceeded to play both.
It's only a lost art by those who never learned it!

2 out of a thousand ain't bad. What about the other 998 variations? Only problem is 99.99% have never learned it.

Shaan Shirazi · Post by **Shaan Shirazi** » 25 May 2004 5:19 am

I live in a town full of shuffle enthusiasts, both players and dancers alike. I had a theory that a shuffle around the 126-130 bpm range approximated the human heartbeat of a healthy and slightly excited person and that's why people liked to dance to them.

Shaan

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 25 May 2004 8:35 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>
I had a theory that a shuffle around the 126-130 bpm range approximated the human heartbeat of a healthy and slightly excited person and that's why people liked to dance to them. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That was the underlying principle of "disco".[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 25 May 2004 at 09:36 AM.]

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 25 May 2004 2:40 pm

Im with you Greg! Anyone who dont have a smile on thier face and thier toe a tappin'
when listening to shuffle songs had better check thier pulse.Great stuff and some of my all time favorite songs to play.Thanks for posting it!

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Sho-Bud ProII,Nash 400,
TC Electronics M300.
"Kindly keep it Country"

Alan Shank · Post by **Alan Shank** » 23 Jun 2004 12:21 pm

"Someone suggested 5/4, and he immediately asked
"5/4 straight or 5/4 shuffle?"
Then he proceeded to play both."

I guess the difference is between straight 8ths and 8th-note triplets. The music linked to by the original poster was in 8th-note triplets in a quarter-eighth pattern, which gives it more forward momentum, but also that swing feel.

dum dum dum dum dum dum (straight)
vs
dum da dum da dum da (shuffle)

On the first "Hot Tuna" album, on "Death Don't Have No Mercy," Jorma and Jack start the tune in triplet rhythm, shift to straight in the middle then transition back to triplet. Fantastic!

A lot of medium-tempo bluegrass music is played in triplet rhythm.

A "Beatles" songbook I have calls it "Barrelhouse" tempo in "Good Day, Sunshine," and shows<PRE>
3
---------
_ _ _ _ _
| | = | | |
o| o| o| o| o|</PRE>

(Those are supposed to be 8th notes).
Cheers,
Alan Shank[This message was edited by Alan Shank on 24 June 2004 at 12:14 PM.]

John Steele (deceased) · Post by **John Steele (deceased)** » 23 Jun 2004 1:45 pm

There's so much to know about them, and so many different kinds.

Last year I was setting up my rig to play with a blues band, while the bandleader (who is known to be very good at explaining what he wants to the band) briefed a new drummer before the show.
He had the guy play four bars a certain way, then he stopped him and said "Ok, now that's a Chicago North-Side shuffle.... this here is a Chicago South-side shuffle..." And he explained a different sequence to him.
My first reaction was to think it sounded like a bunch of baloney. I kept listening though, and sure enough, in a few minutes he'd lead him through a half-dozen distinct blues shuffle rhythms, all very different. It was fascinating.
Isn't it nice to have one of our own favourites immortalized with "The Ray Price Shuffle"... (not that there's only one).
-John

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www.ottawajazz.com [This message was edited by John Steele on 23 June 2004 at 02:52 PM.]

Bob Wood · Post by **Bob Wood** » 23 Jun 2004 2:20 pm

I love a shuffle beat too, but who is playing steel on that cut? Buddy maybe?

Bob

Bart Maloney · Post by **Bart Maloney** » 23 Jun 2004 2:34 pm

I have always loved Chris Laytons shuffle. But i guess it might be cause i am from Texas. Either ways I like his shuffle a whole lot.

Barbara Hennerman · Post by **Barbara Hennerman** » 23 Jun 2004 8:00 pm

*[This message was edited by Barbara Hennerman on 21 August 2006 at 01:31 AM.]