Honky Tonk: Nashville Shuffle

Nashville Shuffle in Music Lessons

If you remember, way back at the beginning of this course, we mentioned the Nashville Shuffle. This technique was used to some extent by the early old-time fiddlers and the early commercial fiddlers. However, it truly came into its own in Nashville during the Honky Tonk period.

The Role of the Nashville Shuffle

During this time, session fiddlers were asked to play on completely new songs and make them sound as though they had been around for a long time. The Nashville Shuffle became a very useful approach for:

• Intros
• Solos
• Backing

This is how it got its name, the Nashville Shuffle, because it was something that all the Nashville fiddlers did.

Technique Breakdown

In this context, we're going to introduce a slight modification:

• We are splitting the long note into two short notes while keeping the same bowing. This helps maintain a driving feel, unlike the alternative approach which can sound very mechanical.

• While the rhythm remains the same, the long note is divided into two short notes, creating a much more flowing sound.

Practical Application

Taking this concept to "the banks of the Ohio," we have this:

(Insert musical example here)

I noticed that I wasn't religiously sticking to the shuffle all the way through; I included a few fill notes and melodic notes to connect the different chords.

Flexibility of the Nashville Shuffle

The Nashville Shuffle is something you can dip in and out of. It's a versatile technique that Tommy Jackson certainly utilized a lot.

Assignment

For your assignment for this lesson, try doing exactly the same thing in different keys.

• For example: C, D, or A.

Happy practicing!