Improve Jazz Guitar Groove (Right Hand Swing/Triplet Etude)

While there’s tons of different ways to convey feel and groove, I believe jazz guitarists can really imbue their playing with an extra-dollop of right-hand feel & technique.

Since classic jazz swings, and the roots of that rolling, 6/8 feel come from Africa and the waltz (imho) via New Orleans and the Caribbean, I believe feeling comfortable with triplets, 6/8 and waltzes really can help almost every jazz guitarists playing!

So here’s the etude – it’s got about 120+ variations.

Table of Contents

Questions? Comments? Ideas!

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How to Practice the Right-Hand Triplet Groove Etude

Use a Metronome

Use the metronome
Practice slow and relaxed

Practice Slow and Relaxed
Use a metronome for the quarter note and also sometimes the triplet

Mute the strings – strum or single-line

Focus on your strumming/single-note hand.

You can mute the strings with your fretting hand. Or you can play something simple, like a chord or a few notes.

I would recommend muting the strings to start.

I would also start by strumming, but you can also practice with single-line picking, too!

Short Etude for 6/8, Shuffle, Swing Right Groove

This is basically a summary of the longer 2nd etude (Happy Lion Etude). For a more progressive approach check out the 2nd etude.

If you want to dive in, here’s the summary etude:

Like in line 2, play just the accents (in the case of line 2 the accents are quarter note) AND play the the triplet feel with the accents.
For example, in Line 3, you play all triplets but accent the quarter notes.
In line 4, you play the 6/8 short bell pattern, then in line 5, you play the triplets with the 6/8 short bell pattern as accents.
Do this for the rest of the patterns! (As well as just playing the pattern).
The down and up picks are suggested, but not set in stone.

PDF of Short Etude

Short_Etude_6_8_Shuffle_Swing_Feel Download

The Happy Lion Caprice/Etude

Page One – Laying the Framework

Line	What to Focus on?	Why?
1	Sinking the 1	The downbeat is important! It sets the stage for the all the other syncopations. Remember simple doesn’t always mean easy.
2	Quarter notes	Besides the 1, quarter notes really are fundamental pulse to a lot music, including jazz. Remember simple doesn’t always mean easy. Also, playing both up and down picking helps get a more consistent tone and groove.
3 & 4	Backbeat	Creating a good feeling and sounding back beat is a huge part of the groove in tons of styles of music, include classic jazz sounds! Focus on both picking patterns and really locking in the feel and timing.
4	Triplets	After focusing on the quarter notes, let’s start looking at triplets. You still want to sink the down beats. The phrasing on the triplets (with the rests) allow your mind and hands time to prepare for the next section. Keep the downbeats lined up with the metronome and play slow and relaxed! Important note: The picking pattern matches the picking pattern from the previous backbeat exercise.
5	Quarter Notes (Alternate Picking)	The quarter note reappears! Again sinking the quarter note (as a musician and as a jazz guitarist) is a huge first step in solidifying your groove (imho) Notice the up and down picking. This allows you to accent the backbeat – a very important part of creating good jazz groove!
5	Triplets	Just like the triplet groove above, but a slightly different picking pattern. Just like the quarter note exercise above – accent the back beat! Important note: The picking pattern matches the picking pattern from the previous backbeat exercise.
6	Quarter note, pause, triplets	This gets you transitioning between quarters and triplets. Also, there’s a pause after the triplet – you don’t play the downbeat after the triplet. The pause gives you space to rest, but also is a little more tough than it seems.
7	Quarter note to triplets	Like line 6, but no pauses. Focus on sinking the quarter notes while making the triplets smooth and feeling good. You can accent the backbeat if you want!
8	Triplets to quarters	Like 7 but reversing the phrasing.
9	Quarter notes, 2 pickings	Refreshing the quarter notes, two picking styles. Play both with backbeat!
10	Upbeats	Like you’re playing a ska beat. Or the backbeat of a double time. The reason for switching feels is to contrast between quarter notes, triplets and even 8ths. Feeling the even 8ths and the quarter notes helps to really make the triplets contrast and feel good.