Swing: How to Count, Play & Practice
Swing plays written eighth notes unevenly as long-short, based on a triplet feel, so the first note takes about two thirds of the beat.
Hear Swing: Count Along
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Swing Explained
Swing is a rhythmic feel in which pairs of eighth notes are played with an uneven, long-short pattern rather than as equal divisions of the beat. The first eighth note is elongated and the second is shortened, typically in a ratio between 2:1 and 3:1 depending on tempo and style. Swing feel is the defining characteristic of jazz and also appears in blues, big band, and swing-era pop music.
How to Count
Think of each beat as being divided into a triplet, then playing only the first and third notes of the triplet: 'du-u-da, du-u-da.' The first note ('du') gets roughly two-thirds of the beat and the second note ('da') gets one-third. At faster tempos, the swing ratio flattens toward straight eighth notes. Practice by first playing triplets, then dropping the middle note.
Swing in Real Music
Swing is a way of playing eighth notes rather than a rhythm you can fully notate, which is why jazz charts simply say swing at the top and leave the rest to the players. Duke Ellington made the point explicit in the title of It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing), and his band's recordings show what the words mean: the eighths are uneven, the ride cymbal rides a long-short pattern, and the accents fall on the offbeats. The Count Basie band demonstrates the other half of the equation, where a rhythm section playing very little produces enormous momentum because the placement of every note is agreed. Miles Davis's small-group recordings show how far the ratio can be stretched, since swing gets flatter and closer to even eighths as tempo rises and rounder and more triplet-like at slow tempos. Rockabilly borrowed the feel wholesale in the 1950s. The performer's note is that the ratio is not fixed and is not two to one at every tempo. Start by playing literal triplets and dropping the middle note, which gives a textbook swing, then let the feel loosen as you speed up. Just as important, the offbeat note is usually the accented one, so a swing that is merely uneven but accented on the beat still will not swing.
Common Mistakes
- Applying the same swing ratio at all tempos, faster swing should be subtler (closer to straight), while slower swing should be more pronounced.
- Swinging all rhythmic values, not just eighth notes, sixteenth notes in a swing context are usually straight.
- Making the swing feel stiff and mechanical instead of loose and flowing.
Practice Exercise
Set a metronome to 100 BPM. First, play straight eighth-note triplets ('1-trip-let, 2-trip-let...'). Then drop the middle note of each triplet, playing only the first and last: 'du...da, du...da.' This is swing feel. Practice scales and simple melodies with this feel. Record yourself and listen for a relaxed, bouncy groove.
Suggested metronome tempos: Slow: 60 BPM · Medium: 120 BPM · Fast: 200 BPM
Related Time Signatures
Related Rhythm Patterns
Common Genres
FAQ
What is swing feel in music?
Swing feel is an uneven treatment of eighth notes where the first is longer and the second is shorter, creating a bouncy, lilting rhythm. It is the signature groove of jazz and is indicated in sheet music by the word 'Swing' or a swing-eighth notation at the top of the score.
Is swing the same as triplet feel?
Swing is related to triplet feel but not identical. A strict triplet feel divides each beat into three equal parts. Swing typically falls somewhere between straight eighth notes and a full triplet feel, and the exact ratio varies by tempo, style, and personal interpretation.
How do you count swing eighth notes?
Count 1-trip-let, 2-trip-let and play only the first and third syllable of each group. That gives the long-short shape, with the long note taking about two thirds of the beat and the short note falling just before the next beat.
What is the difference between swing and syncopation?
Swing changes the duration of eighth notes, making them uneven, while the beats stay where they are. Syncopation changes where accents fall, placing emphasis off the main beats. A passage can be swung, syncopated, both, or neither.
How fast should I practice swing?
Start near 60 BPM, where the triplet basis is easy to hear and you can build the long-short ratio deliberately. Move to 120 BPM for a medium jazz feel, and 200 BPM once the eighths naturally flatten out.
Related References
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