2 handed shuffles

[Noel Wood]

Hi all.
Having played Indie/Rock/Pop grooves all my life I now find myself in a blues band. It's a 3 piece with Guitar/vocal, keys ( playing bass with his left hand and soloing with his right), and me.
I was just wondering if anyone had any handy tips for improving my 2 handed shuffles.

[Duris Maxwell]

The deepest grooves I've ever heard re "2 handed shuffles" tend to come from older cats. That's not to diss any brilliant younger players who can dig in, but it 's just a situation that I've seen again and again in my 62 years on the planet...and 50 years of playing drums professionally.

If there is anything "magical" about what many older players have re shuffles (of all types) it's that they grew up on Jazz...or at least got a lot of it on them as developing young players. My view is that the drive train of a serious shuffle is a swing feel. Of the possible thirty two 8th notes in 4 bars of 4/4, TWENTY FOUR of those represent a swing feel! Point? I've never seen a drum student yet (forget the age) who was having trouble with really connecting with a solid shuffle, who could play a swing feel worth a darn. All you have to do is add EIGHT 8th notes in the right places and your swing feel turns into a shuffle. So learn to swing first; then develop your shuffle feel.

So I have drum students who are shuffle-challenged go back to many of the greatest Jazz recordings with brilliant players like Kenny Clarke and James Cobb. Once the student realized how huge the swing feel is to providing the foundation of a shuffle, things start to inprove in a hurry.

Also, check out Caleb Winfried (BB King) and other monster Blues drummers. It all helps, believe me.

Your technique may require a bit of "tightening" too. It's really tough to play smooth shuffles with a "loose" or "open" style hand action.

Good Luck!