Clapton-style Acoustic Blues - Page 5

by Jim Burger Move 4: Lots of Triplets

Clapton's fingers never seem to rest. He keeps racing around firing out little notes, generally at a rate of three to a beat. It's not real high-speed stuff (he saves that for the electric), but it has a nice continuity to it. Almost all of it is either from the blues scale or individual notes from A,E or B major or 7th chords. Each measure of this example has at least 2-3 beats where the triplets are utilized. You will see Clapton use these triplet runs both between verses during his 12-bar progression and within his acoustic solos. He often does take a couple of breaks to slow down or stick in a nice vibrato. Triplets work well both in a solo or as a filler between lyric lines in your 12-bar progression.

Note how we stick in Move #1 every now and then just for fun!