How to play Walking Blues lick, shuffled version.

Walking Blues lick... played w/ shuffle, not strait time the way Clapton played it.A very long post about how to play a short lick, but I think well worth it.
 

 

The attached sound file has a couple measures of Bob Bozzman playing the lick the way it should sound, followed by my very poor rendition as tabbed below, first in GBd tuning, then in GDg. Bozzman's slide DVDs are great, btw!
 

 

Tab of lick here, followed by how to build up to it in case that helps. 

(play 1st line, then 2nd, then repeat 2nd)


d|-----------------------3-|-----------5~~~~~~~~~~~3-|

B|-------------------------|-------------------------|

G|-----------------------0-|-0--/3-0---0-0-----0---0-|  

   1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a   1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a                                    

                                   >     >         >  

d|-----------5~~~~~~~~~~~3-|-----------5~~~~~~~~~~~3-|

B|-------------------------|-------------------------|

G|-0--/3-0---0-0-----0---0-|-0--/3-0---0-0-----0---0-|

   1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a   1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a  

         >     >         >         >     >         >  
 

Closer to original feeling in GDg tuning though I can't play it as well (pls ignore my rotten vibrato on 12th fret): 
(play 1st line, then 2nd, then repeat 2nd)

 

g|-------------------------|----/3-0---12~~~~~~~~~~~-|

D|-----------------------3-|-0---------------------3-|

G|-----------------------3-|-0---0-0---0-0-----0---3-|

   1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a   1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a

                                   >     >           

 

g|----/3-0---12~~~~~~~~~~~-|----/3-0---12~~~~~~~~~~~-|

D|-0---------------------3-|-0---------------------3-|

G|-0---0-0---0-0-----0---3-|-0---0-0---0-0-----0---3-|

   1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a   1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a  

         >     >                   >     >                 


(In the 2 tabs the ">" shows where a partial chord was played in the original, helps to use as accent to get feeling. Elsewhere in this I use ">" just to indicate an accent.)
Played with shuffle feeling, so try counting the 1 & a 2 & a etc. out loud. The second note falls on downbeat of the first measure. Try
To get the feel, start by counting out the "one and a two and a..." outloud while tapping your foot on the accents shown by ">"
 

 

 >     >     >     >     >     >     >     >      

|1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a|1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a|

 

Next add an accent on the final note of each measure (tap or clap on it too):
 >     >     >     >   > >     >     >     >   >     

|1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a|1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a|
 

That will be how you come in. 
The general shuffle feeling is:
 

 

 >   > >   > >   > >   > >   > >   > >   > >   >

|1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a|1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a|
 

 

There is more accent on the second of each pair, or on the 1, 2, 3, 4, than on the "a"... dum DUM ___ dum DUM ___ dum DUM ___ dum DUM
 

 

Now mute the G string with your left hand and play just the rhythm played by the thumb on the G string while tapping out the 1, 2, 3, 4 with your foot (play 1st line, then 2nd, then repeat 2nd):
 

 

|1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a|1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a|

thumb:                 > >   > >   > >     >   > 
 

|1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a|1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a|

> >   > >   > >     >   > >   > >   > >     >   >

 

 

Next mute all the strings w/ left hand and do the same thing, but add in the index finger's rhythm:
index (play 1st line, then 2nd, then repeat 2nd):

                                   >           >  

|1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a|1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a|

                       > >   > >   > >     >   > 

 

           >           >           >           > 

|1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a|1 & a 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a|

 >   > >   > >     >   > >   > >   > >     >   > 




After this, refer to tab at top and add notes :)

I'll post more of this if people find it useful. 

sample.mp3

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Replies

  • Just started Keni Lee's 4 string video, he covers a version of this with different timing that sounds great as part of the first song in the disk. It is such a common lick, useful to know.
  • Cool, I must try this later. The sound bite really helps. Thanks

     

  • Thanks. I find including a count (as I did here) or a music staff that shows rhythm helps... just not enough. Tab alone seldom works for me.

    I'll post a longer example shortly that shows the changes to the IV and V chords, just have to get it down clean (enough) myself if I don't know the piece.

  • I found the combination of tab and audio example to be valuable.

    My thanks for the efforts, hope to see more.

    Paul H.

  • Sounds nice! Very bluesy feel. I'm going to print this page out and practice it right now.

  • Like it, I will work on it and see if I can get it. Thanks!!

  • Oops, left off the GDg measure in the audio track. Here it is, in all its awfulness :)

    sample2.mp3

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