Ska guitar
You recognise ska from the first bar: the guitar hits a short chord between the beats, the bass walks in quarter notes, everything is fast and cheerful. Below are the chords, scale, techniques and an accompaniment you can hear and slow down.
1950s130–180 BPMC–Am–F–Goffbeat
What is ska
Ska was born in Jamaica in the late 1950s, before reggae. Musicians took American rhythm and blues and moved the accent to the offbeats. Later the style came back in England in the late 70s (2 Tone) and again in the 90s in a punk version.
The guitar in ska hardly ever solos: its job is to hold the offbeat. A short upstroke chord on every "and", a gap, another chord. The horns usually carry the melody, and the guitar may play it in the breaks.
Signature chords
C, Am, F, G (I, vi, IV, V) came into ska from 50s dance songs. In the accompaniment the chords are played as small triads on the three top strings: the hit is shorter and brighter and stays out of the bass’s way.
Scale for soloing
The plain major scale suits ska melodies: here it is C major. The melody on this page is played near the nut in short notes, like a horn part.
Techniques
Hitting the offbeat
Count "one-and-two-and" and hit only on "and". The stroke goes up; on the beat the hand simply drops down past the strings. Listen to the accompaniment below: the drums hold the beat, the guitar is always between them.
The short chop
Right after the hit, ease the pressure of your fretting hand a little: the strings stay under your fingers but stop ringing. You get a dry "chop". If the chord rings on, ska turns into ordinary pop.
Three-string triads
A full six-string F is too heavy for ska. Take only the three top strings: for F that is C, F, A around the 5th fret. Tap F to compare it with the full shape.
Accompaniment in the ska style
Four bars, one chord per bar. The guitar hits a triad on every "and" and mutes it at once, the bass walks through the chord tones. Start at 60%: in ska the rhythm matters more than the speed.
Ska-style melody
A melody in the spirit of a trumpet part: short notes in pairs and a long note at the end of each phrase. Play the first two notes of each pair detached and hold the long notes to the end.
The riff opens as a draft: change notes, tempo and tracks however you like.
Open in RiffonicWhat to listen to
Listen to these songs and pay attention to what is described next to each one.
- The Skatalites - “Guns of Navarone”. Classic Jamaican ska: guitar and piano hit the offbeats together, the bass walks in quarter notes.
- The Specials - “A Message to You Rudy”. English 2 Tone ska: a slower tempo, the guitar holds the offbeat, the horns carry the melody.
- No Doubt - “Spiderwebs”. Ska from the 90s: in the verse the guitar plays offbeat upstrokes, in the chorus it switches to full rock.
Every riff and solo on this page is an original exercise in the style of the genre, not the notes of someone else’s song.
FAQ
What is the difference between ska and reggae?
Ska is faster and hits every "and", with the bass walking in quarter notes. Reggae is slower, the guitar plays on beats two and four, the bass is freer. Reggae grew out of ska.
Upstrokes or downstrokes in ska?
Usually upstrokes: the hand goes down past the strings on the beat and catches them on the way back. Some players use downstrokes; what matters is a short hit right on the "and".
What tempo is ska?
Usually 130 to 180 beats per minute. Start slower, around 100, and keep the hits even and short.