This post is one of a 2-part series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here. Please feel welcome to make a comment or ask a question.
What Is Swing?
Swing refers to a particular rhythmic character which features prominently in many popular genres including blues, rock and jazz: that of “uneven halves”; pairs of quavers with the first quaver lengthened and the second one shortened.
In compound time we would write this as a crotchet plus a quaver; 2+1.
In some genres, compound time isn’t very popular as a form of music notation. For musicians with a firm upbringing in simple time, having to interpret a dotted crotchet as one beat goes against the grain.
We could write the same rhythm in x/4 as a triplet group, as discussed in the previous lesson, B10. Note Values 3: Triplets, but it makes the music look cluttered.
With Swing
Instead, we can use a shortcut.
We can write it in x/4 as pairs of quavers, with the term “swing”, “with swing” or “swung eighths” written at the start of the piece, next to the tempo or character marking.
The term ”swing” is equally used in text notation such as chord charts.
Note: Quavers are often beamed in groups of 4. These are played the same as if they’re beamed in pairs. Every odd quaver is lengthened and every even quaver shortened.
Swing notation only works when the beat is predominantly divided into the swing pattern. Occasional variations based on thirds of a beat can be written as triplet groups.
Alternatively, the score can be written in compound time.
Degrees Of Swing
I don’t mean a PHD in swing…
Swing, or lopsidedness, can be applied in varying degrees, from hardly any to a lot. There is no formal way to notate this: it depends on what’s authentic to a particular genre and on the player’s personal interpretation.
The default interpretation is as described, 2/3 of a beat for the first “quaver” of the pair and 1/3 of a beat for the second.
Extreme swing, typically 3/4 of a beat + 1/4 of a beat, is usually notated formally in simple time as a dotted quaver + a semiquaver.
Try These…
- Re-write the following melodies with swing in compound time, using the appropriate time signature (hint: check how many beats are in a bar).
- Tap, clap or play the rhythm of the melodies as you have written them.
- Once you feel the rhythm, try reading the version with swing as you play/tap.
For example,
Answers at the end of this post.
Swing And Compound Time
Although it’s seldom written on the score, the concept of swing can also be applied to compound time.
The typical way of giving a group of 3 quavers swing is to lengthen the first and shorten the 2nd, just as in simple time. The remaining quaver is generally left as a normal quaver.
This can also be notated formally as follows:
As with swing in simple time, the degree of swing applied when not notated formally is subject to interpretation and can vary from subtle to blatant.
A subtle degree of this type of swing is often used in traditional folk tunes such as jigs.
For a refresher on compound time, please visit B8. Time Signatures 2: Compound Time.
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NEXT LESSON: B12. Bar Numbers And Pickup Bars
PART 2 CONTENTS: Basic Music Theory Course Contents
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