Guitar, eigths, triplets. (Decoding my music book)?

Question

The eighth note triplet. How do I play this on the guitar?
According to my blues books here it says

"The eigth note triplet divides a beat (one quarter note) into three equal parts. The shuffle rhythm uses the first and last notes of the triplet to create a smooth and relaxed feeling."

Say what?!?

So according to my newbie mind, I thinking is there a new stroke to play this beat? Quarter notes are played with down strokes and regular eigths are played with upstroke, so there a new type of stroke? 3 equal parts? Meaning I play two as actual strokes and one as a half stroke? If yes, how do I play this half stroke, or is it simply palm muted all the time? Or do I just simply ignore the middle triplet? Or just play like I'd play any other regular eigth (one and two and..)?

Before you tell me so,
NO I do not want lessons. Getting a teacher is exspensive, beyond my means and schedule, and answering to a teacher makes it feel like I HAVE TO DO IT and that sucks all the fun out of it in a hurry. If I have to do it, then I WON'T DO IT. It easier and more enjoyable when I can do it at my own pace and that what music is about, enjoyment.

Before you respond in how to count the triplets, allow me to respond that I DO know how to count rhythm without a guitar and on my harmonica is a no brainer to play. Just blow according to the rhythm. So any answers like this http://tinyurl.com/28mguq will be rejected and not considered. What I am asking is how to play the thing on the guitar. Regular
quarters note are down strokes. Regular eigths are played as up strokes. So triplets are played as _______ strokes?

So it be down (one) then silent (and) two?

Answer 1

Much simpler than you are making it....

You do not use a different stroke. The down-up pattern for eighth notes will work here for the triplet shuffle pattern.

Ignore the middle triplet and play the first and the last triplets only. What will happen is that you will be playing sort of "swung" eighth notes.

It will sound like a blues shuffle groove like:

CHUN-cha CHUN-cha CHUN-cha CHUN-cha, etc

Answer 2

Yea, you'll still just play two strums per beat- down ... up down.... up down. Like that. if you were counting it, you'd count 1 (2) 3 1 (2) 3 1
... like that.

I never took guitar lessons either, and I've always been happy about that. I'm a music teacher now, and studied far too much in college, and the guitar has always been nice as an instrument that you discover, and develop for yourself- not to have someone else constantly trying to make you 'better' on it.

Answer 3

Sometimes, you have to just "feel" the rythym.