Swing Rhythm Explained - Music Theory
TLDRThe video explains the difference between straight eighth notes and swing eighth notes in jazz music. It provides instructions for interpreting written music that directs musicians to 'swing' pairs of eighth notes. Swung eighth notes are played as triplets to create a looser, syncopated rhythm compared to straight eighth notes. The speaker demonstrates both straight and swung playing to highlight the contrast. He stresses that swing rhythm should feel relaxed, not severe like dotted rhythms. The goal is to help musicians understand how to read and perform written swing rhythms correctly.
Takeaways
- 😀 The script explains how to interpret the swing rhythm instruction commonly found in jazz music scores
- 😊 Swing rhythm involves playing pairs of 8th notes (quavers) as triplets grouped into a long-short pattern
- 🎵 Straight 8th notes sound too 'square'. Swing 8ths create a more gentle, lilting rhythm
- 🎶 The script shows how to calculate swing 8ths - divide into triplets but with a long-short feel
- 🎼 Swing rhythm is often notated as straight 8ths with an instruction to 'swing' at the beginning
- 🎹 Don't confuse swing rhythm with dotted rhythms - swing is more relaxed and gentle
- 🎷 Swing rhythm creates a subtle 'triplet' feel while keeping the overall tempo
- 🥁 Many people incorrectly refer to it as a 'swung' rhythm when the proper term is 'swing' rhythm
- 🎺 If you see an instruction to swing straight 8ths, play them as long-short triplets
- 🎤 Have fun exploring swing rhythm in jazz!
Q & A
What causes confusion for some people when dealing with swing rhythm?
-Some pieces of music are written with straight 8th notes (quavers) but have an instruction to play them with a swing rhythm. This confuses people who then play the notes as straight 8th notes instead of swinging them.
What does the instruction at the beginning of the music mean when it shows a pair of 8th notes equals a dotted quarter note and 8th note?
-This instruction indicates that each pair of 8th notes should be played not as straight 8th notes but as a swing rhythm - with the first note longer and second note shorter in a triplet feel.
What is the difference between playing the rhythm with straight 8th notes versus swing 8th notes?
-Straight 8th notes are played with equal length - 'one and two and.' Swing 8th notes are played with a long-short feel, almost like a triplet - 'one la li, two la li'.
What is the counting for swing 8th notes?
-Swing 8th notes are counted in triplet divisions - 'one la li, two la li' to achieve their characteristic unequal long-short feel.
Is swing rhythm the same as dotted rhythm?
-No, swing and dotted rhythms are different. Dotted rhythms are very pronounced long-short notes. Swing rhythms have a more gentle, lilting long-short feel.
Why is 'swung rhythm' not the right term to use?
-'Swung rhythm' is incorrect - the proper term is 'swing rhythm' to refer to this style of playing 8th note pairs.
If you see an instruction at the beginning to play the written 8th notes as swing, how should you play them?
-If there is an instruction indicating to swing the 8th notes, each pair should be played not as straight 8th notes but in a swing/triplet rhythm with the first note of each pair longer.
What should you do if faced with a piece written with straight 8th notes but is supposed to be played with swing rhythm?
-Follow the instruction to swing the 8th notes - play each pair not as straight 8ths but as swing 8ths, with the first note of each pair longer in a triplet feel.
Is it acceptable to play swing rhythm pieces with straight 8th notes?
-You can play swing pieces with straight 8th notes but it changes the character and feel - it will sound more staccato and less lilting. Best to follow swing markings.
What is the best way to get comfortable with swing rhythm?
-The best way is through experience - listening to jazz music with swing rhythms and practicing playing pieces marked with swing markings until the long-short feel becomes natural.
Outlines
😀 Explaining swing rhythm notation
The paragraph explains how to interpret the notation used for indicating swing rhythm in sheet music. It starts by noting that jazz musicians will be familiar with swing rhythm. The key thing to understand is that when there is an instruction to play pairs of quavers equal to a crotchet and a quaver with a triplet sign, it means to play the quavers with a swing rhythm. This is demonstrated by playing the music first with straight quavers and then with a swing rhythm. The paragraph emphasizes that swing rhythm is a gentle triplet feel, not the same as a dotted rhythm.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡swing rhythm
💡straight quavers
💡triplet feel
💡dotted rhythm
💡jazz
💡beat
💡interpretation
💡syncopation
💡tie
💡notation
Highlights
Explains how to interpret the instruction to play pairs of quavers as swing rhythm using triplets
Demonstrates playing the music example with straight quavers, which sounds a bit jazzy but not swung
The instruction means to play each pair of quavers as a triplet to achieve swing rhythm
Plays the music example again with swing rhythm by changing the quaver pairs into triplets
Swing rhythm is more gentle than dotted rhythm
Dotted rhythm would be too severe for swing style
Swing uses a triple subdivision, not straight 4 beats
The correct term is "swing" rhythm, not "swung" rhythm
When you see straight quavers with a swing direction, change pairs into triplets
Swing rhythm is different than dotted rhythm
Shows the music example played with straight quavers
Plays the example again with swing rhythm using triplet feel
Explains the difference in sound between dotted notes and swing triplets
Summarizes how to interpret swing vs straight quavers
Clarifies that "swing" not "swung" is the correct term
Transcripts
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