Rhythm
Swing
Swing is a way of playing eighth notes unevenly, the first long and the second short, based on a triplet feel, typical of jazz, blues and rock and roll.
What is swing in music?
With straight eighth notes, each beat splits into two equal halves: 1 and 2 and. With swing, you think of the beat as a triplet, three equal parts, and only play the first and the third. The first eighth note takes two thirds of the beat, the second takes one third: long, short, long, short.
The score still shows ordinary eighth notes, with the word swing or a symbol showing two eighths equal to a quarter-eighth triplet. The word also names a style, the big-band jazz of the 1930s and 1940s, but in practice it mostly refers to this rhythmic feel.
How do you count and feel swing?
Count the triplet out loud, 1 trip-let 2 trip-let, then play only on 1 and let. A jazz trick: sing doo-ba doo-ba with a slight lean on the ba, which is the offbeat.
The long-short ratio is not fixed. It changes with the tempo: around 80 to 160 BPM it sits close to the triplet (2 to 1); above about 250 BPM the eighths become almost straight; in a slow shuffle the contrast gets stronger. That is why swing is learned by ear more than by rule.
How do you play a shuffle on guitar?
The shuffle is the blues and rock version of swing, played with more weight. Over a 12-bar blues in A, at 70 BPM:
- Open A string + D string, 2nd fret (A5) on the long part.
- Open A string + D string, 4th fret (A6) on the short part.
- Two downstrokes per beat, palm resting lightly on the strings.
The same rhythm can be written in 12/8, four beats of three eighth notes: a different time signature for the same feel. The first two eighths of each group make the long part, the third makes the short part.
How do you make a solo swing?
Take the A blues scale at the 5th fret: A (low E, 5th fret), C (8th fret), D (A string, 5th fret), Eb (6th fret), E (7th fret), G (D string, 5th fret). Run it up and down in long-short eighth notes at 90 BPM.
Then add the two details that make it sound like jazz or blues: lean slightly on the offbeats, and slur the short note into the next one (hammer-on or legato) instead of picking everything. Set the metronome in the guitar toolbox to click only on beats 2 and 4, like a jazz drummer's hi-hat. Combined with syncopation, this placement brings a phrase to life straight away.
Key takeaways
- Swing plays eighth notes long-short, based on a triplet.
- The exact ratio depends on tempo: the faster, the straighter.
- The shuffle is the heavier blues swing, also written in 12/8.
- Lean on the offbeats and set the click on 2 and 4.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between swing and shuffle?
Both rest on the same triplet subdivision. The shuffle is heavier and more even, often played as chords on the low strings in blues and rock. Jazz swing is looser, with a long-short ratio that varies with the tempo and the player.
How can you tell if a song is swung or straight?
Listen to the ride cymbal or hi-hat: with swing you hear a bouncing ding, ding-a-ding; with straight eighths you hear even ticks like a clock. Tap 1 and 2 and: if the and seems to arrive late, the song swings.
Is swing exactly a triplet?
Not always. The 2-to-1 triplet is the teaching reference, but measurements of jazz recordings show ratios ranging from nearly straight to more than 3 to 1 depending on tempo. Start with the triplet, then copy the records.
Related terms
Practise in the workshop
Take it from theory to the fretboard
Open the workshop tools and see this idea across the whole neck. Free account, no card needed.