Theory
Yesterday you laid the first two stairs with the root and the 5th. Today you add two more stairs on top and climb the R-5-6-b7 stairs with a bounce. This ascending move is the boogie walk — the very backbone of the shuffle blues. Today you memorize the whole hand shape that walks up one step at a time from the root.
The two new notes are the 6th and the b7. The 6th is C# (3rd string, 4th fret), and the b7 is D (3rd string, 5th fret). Your fingers climb one fret at a time right above the 5th B (3rd string, 2nd fret) you learned yesterday. Step on frets 2, 4, and 5 in order on the 3rd string and 5-6-b7 is done.
Your right hand alternates index and middle with two fingers just like yesterday. One note per beat, climbing steadily in the order R (open E) → 5 (B) → 6 (C#) → b7 (D). Rather than rolling the shuffle hard yet, focus first on the four notes connecting evenly like stairs. Once your fingers remember the order, the roll follows on its own.
The best thing about this R-5-6-b7 shape is that it stays the same in any chord. Today you learn it in the key of E, but move the root to A and the same shape works right there. So memorize it once and use it forever. On a 5-string the fingering is the same; only keep the low B deadened. Forget speed and burn in stepping the stairs cleanly first.
See it
Today has two parts. First see the whole boogie walk shape (R-5-6-b7) on the fretboard, then walk those four notes up one beat at a time as an ascent. Each example comes in both a 4-string and a 5-string version.
First, the boogie shape map. The three blues are the root, 5th, and 6th; the one uncolored is the b7 (D). It's a staircase running from the 4th string open to frets 2, 4, and 5 on the 3rd string.
▶ 4-string. Root E (4th string open) → 5th B (2nd fret) → 6th C# (4th fret) → b7 D (5th fret). Burn the spots your fingers step on into your eyes.
▶ 5-string. The spots are the same as the 4-string. Keep the low B deadened and focus only on the four stairs.
Now the boogie ascent. One note per beat, walking up the stairs from R to b7. Feel the flow of the four notes connecting without a gap.
▶ BPM 70, shuffle. R (E) → 5 (B) → 6 (C#) → b7 (D), one beat each, cleanly. Lay just a touch of long-short feel on it as you climb.
▶ 5-string. Same notes and spots as the 4-string. Keep the low B covered with the thumb so it doesn't leak through the ascent.
Today's practice
0–10 min · Warm-up Roll yesterday's R-5 shuffle on open E at BPM 60 to loosen up. Check the long-short is alive before you start.
10–20 min · Brain training Silently fret only the R-5-6-b7 shape, climbing very slowly. Check whether your fingers remember the order of frets 2, 4, and 5 even with your eyes closed.
20–40 min · Real play Repeat the boogie ascent at BPM 70. The goal is the four notes connecting evenly like stairs — don't rush faster. Learn it on the 4-string, then confirm the same shape on the 5-string.
40–50 min · Record/feedback Record 30 seconds and listen for whether the four notes climb clearly like stairs. Note the BPM you reached today.
Done when: you can climb the R-5-6-b7 boogie ascent at BPM 70 with the four notes connecting evenly, on both a 4-string and a 5-string.
- The 6th and b7 get confused. Frets 4 and 5 sit next to each other, so it's easy to miss the spot. Fret 2, 4, and 5 very slowly to lock the order.
- You speed up as you climb. It's easy to rush at the top of the stairs. Keep the spacing of the four notes the same.
- The notes break up. A finger arrives late and a gap opens between stairs. Prepare the next note early and step on connected.
- Neglecting low B (5-string). Keep B deadened with the thumb even as your hand gets busy up the 3rd string.