Shuffle Ryhthms

[andrewp7]

Hello,

I am learning how to play Waterloo from the ABBA Gold Piano Solo Book which shows that I need to substitute 2 beamed eight notes with a triplet beamed quarter note and eighth note to give a shuffle rhythm.

Do i still need to substitute these notes even if the first or second eighth note is tied?
I am trying to transcribe the bass clef of the chorus in Noteworthy Composer but it doesn't sound right.

Hope someone can help.

--
Andrew

[nystul]

In a shuffle, the eighth note (or rest) on the beat is always longer, and the eighth note off the beat is always shorter.  Even if they are tied, this persistent groove should remain the same.  If there are any triplet eighth notes you just play them normally as they already fit into the groove.

I wouldn't bother with trying to translate it out into notation software.  You could listen to the actual ABBA song to get a general feel of the groove if you need to.

[sucom]

Waterloo is quite difficult to count so as nystul suggested, listening to this song is likely to be the most helpful way to pick up that rhythm.  You have to keep the shuffle rhythm across the tied notes.  If you are keeping a solid beat with your left hand, this will help you to maintain the shuffle rhythm across the tied notes.  Difficult to explain; much easier to listen to and copy!

[gregh]

Is shuffle the same as swing?

[sucom]

I believe that swing and shuffle are essentially the same thing.  Swing is when instead of playing two straight quavers as 1 &, you play them as if they are notes 1 and 3 of a triplet, as '1 e &'.  The 1st note of the triplet '1' is tied (held over) the 'e'. So it would sound '1 (e) &'

[sondheimfan]

Sucom is correct that they are essentially the same thing. In the jazz idiom, a shuffle is played as a Dotted eighth and a 16th as opposed to a quarter note triplet and an eighth note triplet when 2 eighth notes are written.

It is a very minor difference, and the terms are often used interchangeably - in this case, I would agree with the advice to listen to the recording and see which was used on it.

[gregh]

So shuffle, at least in jazz, is kind of extreme swing? When swung, I believe the up-beat is played lighter as well as shorter; is that true when shuffling?

Seems like it gets into the murky territory of interpretation--how do YOU think your swing should sound?

[sucom]

I found this very basic introductory tutorial on the swing rhythm on youtube.  It is a very basic tutorial but he does describe the essence of the rhythm for beginners.

[anima55]

Pianist magazine also have a youtube video on swing style

[pianoplunker]

Hello,

I am learning how to play Waterloo from the ABBA Gold Piano Solo Book which shows that I need to substitute 2 beamed eight notes with a triplet beamed quarter note and eighth note to give a shuffle rhythm.

Do i still need to substitute these notes even if the first or second eighth note is tied?
I am trying to transcribe the bass clef of the chorus in Noteworthy Composer but it doesn't sound right.

Hope someone can help.

--
Andrew

Noteworthy composer is not very accurate about tied notes. I have seen tied eighth notes within a bar, which is actually just a quarter note. Anyhow, to answer your question. You break down the count into counting in triplets . 1,2,3-2,2,3. Like a waltz. Speed it up and you have the shuffle required for that song.