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80 Part II: Setting Up to Play the Blues TEAM LinG
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Figure 5-7:
A chart
of dots,
ties,
rests and
common
syncopation
figures.
whole rest, 4 beats
half rest, 2 beats
quarter rest, 1 beat
eighth rest, 1/2 beat
16th rest, 1/4 beat
In both Figures 5-8 and 5-9, pay close attention to the downstroke ( 2) and
upstroke (4) indications. Figure 5-8 is a straight-eighth-note feel, in the key of
A. The use of dots and ties signals a syncopated rhythm. If the tied figures
present a problem, practice the figure by first ignoring the ties (in other
words, play the tied note).
Figure 5-9 is in a shuffle feel in the key of A. A shuffle rhythm divides the quarter
note into two eighth notes, but the first eighth note is held longer than the
second, producing a swinging, lilting feel. The same syncopation scheme
appears here as it did in Figure 5-8, but the shuffle feel makes it fall in a
slightly different place in the beat.