Blues Bass Playing: A Beginner's Guide To Blues Shuffles
Hey there, bass players!
Whenever someone asks me “what’s your favorite thing to play on the bass?” I’m happy to say that it’s a blues shuffle. It’s one of the first things that I learned on the instrument and something that I’ve spent most of my life trying to understand, improve, and perfect. If you’re looking to expand your knowledge of blues playing or have any intention of going to a blues jam, here are some bass lines that you definitely want to have under your fingers.
Going From The Beginner Blues Shuffle in G to Playing with Robben Ford
Before we begin, here’s a bit of personal background regarding my shuffle experience. The first day I bought a bass, I watched an instructional video that accompanied my Fender Squier Bass Pack. It ended with the timeless classic “Beginner Blues Shuffle in G.” From that moment on, I was hooked. Fast forward a few years and I found myself hosting blues jams and playing shuffles around the Philadelphia area. After a move to Nashville, many more gigs, and fortuitous phone calls, I discovered myself shuffling on stage with the legendary blues guitar master, Robben Ford.
Okay, enough about me, let’s learn how to shuffle!
Types of Blues Shuffles
There are so many different types of blues—and therefore, many different types of blues shuffles. They stem from the players on records, the tempo and feel of the song, and the region they hail from. They range stylistically in the sense of geographically-inspired feels, like the Chicago Shuffle, the Texas Shuffle, or the Memphis shuffle. Plus, we have shuffles named after particular artists, such as the T-Bone shuffle (by T-Bone Walker) and the Cannonball Shuffle (named after Freddie King, the “Texas Cannonball.”)
Walking Blues Bass Line
Many of these shuffles pull from a walking bass pattern. They outline the arpeggio of a dominant chord and often add the sixth scale degree. Think of this as “1-3-5-6-b7” or G-B-D-E-F in the key of G. Similar to a walking bass line in jazz, the goal is to clearly define the chord while using voice leading to guide the other players and listeners through the chord progression. One huge difference between blues and jazz bass playing is the fact that in a blues walking shuffle, you typically want to stick closer to a specific pattern. Most of the time, this pattern is played ascending, then descending. Sometimes we omit a note, such as the b7, and play the octave instead. Fun fact: this approach is also used in a slow blues! That’s a whole can of worms that we’ll open sometime soon.
If you’d like to get more info on these blues feels, including backing tracks, tab/notation, and insider tips, check out my “12 Bar Blues Survival Pack.” For now, let’s focus on a few easy bass lines featuring my favorite players and regions!
Blues Bass Lesson #1: Sweet Home Chicago and The Seventh Son by Willie Dixon
Let’s start by visiting sweet home Chicago. We often think about the Chicago shuffle in relation to the players and blues artists affiliated with Chess Records, specifically Willie Dixon. Dixon wrote a huge portion of the blues catalog and his bass lines show up on records by Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, and his personal releases. In fact, you can learn more about him in my book, Bass Players To Know: Learning From The Greats.
One particular shuffle style that he’s known for is the “box pattern.” This uses the root, fifth, flat seventh, and octave to create a popular shuffle groove. Check out this video lesson where I walk you through the classic Willie Dixon bass line on “The Seventh Son.”
Blues Bass Lesson #2: Use “The Bump” To Get Your Shuffle Rhythm down!
Another common shuffle groove is something I call “the blues bump.” Common on blues recordings from all different regions, this shuffle pops up everywhere from B.B. King to ZZ Top. It can have more of a down-home blues groove when played at a slower tempo or it can add grit and attitude to an up-tempo Texas shuffle or boogie blues. For this shuffle feel, stick to the root note of the chord and “bump” the one. This is a great way to practice the shuffle rhythm, note duration, and the twelve-bar blues form. Enjoy the video lesson!
Blues Bass Lesson #3: Duck Dunn, The Blues Brothers, and the Memphis Shuffle
Now, let’s take a trip down to Memphis where Duck Dunn shuffles alongside Albert King and as a member of the Blues Brothers Band. This video lesson features an alternative to the walking bass shuffle pattern and favors the root, fifth, and sixth. We sporadically play the third, choosing to use it more as a leading tone than as part of the bass pattern. Listen to The Blues Brothers’ version of Sweet Home Chicago and you’ll hear Duck Dunn dig into this classic 12-bar blues.
Blues Bass Lesson #4: B.B. King’s “Medium Shuffle”
And we can’t talk about shuffles without B.B. King, so let’s reference the song “Paying The Cost To Be The Boss” and learn how to play another version of a walking shuffle. This feel features the standard arpeggio but we double-back to the fifth scale degree. This pattern is also used quite often when playing a medium tempo shuffle or a slow blues.
Take An Online Bass Lesson!
These are just a few cool bass lines to get you started, so please check out the videos and get these grooves under your fingers. If you want to learn how to play bass at a blues jam, stay tuned for more blogs and videos, or feel free to reach out for a private bass lesson!
And remember, shuffles come in all shapes and sizes, so the more options you’re familiar with, the easier it will be to jump into a song. Happy practicing!