Most strumming patterns divide the beat evenly – two eighth notes per beat, four sixteenth notes per beat. Triplets divide each beat into three, creating that swing or shuffle feel you hear in blues, jazz, and countless rock songs.
Counting Triplets
Count triplets as “1-trip-let, 2-trip-let, 3-trip-let, 4-trip-let.” Each beat has three syllables, three subdivisions. The trick is keeping all three notes equal length – beginners often rush the “let” or stretch the “trip.”
Practice counting triplets without your guitar first. Tap your foot on the numbers while saying the triplets. Get that rhythm in your body before adding strumming.
The Basic Triplet Strum
The simplest triplet pattern is: Down-Down-Up, Down-Down-Up. That’s two triplet groups. Notice how the upstroke falls on “let” – it creates a lilting, bouncing feel that straight eighth notes can’t match.
Start slowly. Triplets feel awkward at first because your hand is used to the even down-up motion of straight time. Let your wrist find the new groove.
Where to Use It
Any song with a shuffle or swing feel uses triplets: “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Pride and Joy,” most 12-bar blues, “Brown Eyed Girl” (in certain versions). If you’re tapping your foot and the beat feels like it’s bouncing rather than marching, chances are you’re hearing triplets.
Adding triplet patterns to your vocabulary opens up entire genres that straight-time strumming can’t touch.