How do I learn to swing?

[MarkRhodes]

This is geared for pianists rather than guitarists but it won't do us any harm. ;o)

[Stevebol]

I wouldn't recommend what I did. When I was around 16 came across the Charlie Christian cuts from Minton's, ignored the chord changes and started blasting away all day playing along. I wanted to get the rhythm in me.
Nowadays? grab a loop or get started learning a DAW. They all have 'Swing' functions. get a groove going. There's no sense in trying to learn a song if you can't jam to one chord.

I don't keep up with all the sub-divisions of modern dance music but a lot of it swings.



DAW's aren't for everyone so just find a drum loop somewhere and play along. The good thing about a DAW is you can control the % of swing and tempo. You don't have to look for loop.
BIAB should have all this too. Turn off all the sounds except the drums.

[Stevebol]

Jam along to this;

[fasstrack]

A very very broad question I know but I just feel like my playing isn't swinging yet. Right now I'm not too sure where to start with it, perhaps some Freddie Green transcriptions? I'd appreciate being pointed in the right direction

Get a Count Basie record---ANY Count Basie record. Turn the volume up LOUD. Listen MANY times. Then play along...

[Robertkoa]

IMO it's all about the upbeats. You can be behind as anything on the beat, but your upbeats have to pop.

But really a Drummer can't get away with this now- can he ?

Again - you have a lot of knowledge and experience
But here you are talking about stylistic things here where my Post was really about the actual Rhythm which comprises 'Swing' - it is a range of timing from People like Benson very forward in Time as I said and some others like Metheny who's in the Middle and some who lag but still make it sound good.

Metheny used to lag somewhat but over the Years sounds like he really improved his picking even after already being a Star-

I saw a Video of Metheny playing 7or 8 minutes straight of creative long note Patterns - outlining changes with really really solid Time and endurance- he said he could do that for much longer- the endurance alone for picking hand is amazing .

Too far forward ( rushed ) it won't swing too far back
( lagged ) it won't swing.

Now - I am a Novice about Jazz but NOT a Novice with Timing or with a Pick so if I solo over simple stuff like Afro Blue on Ireal I can Swing very close to Benson or relax more like Martino or probably imitate some of the way behind the Beat guys-

There are Midi Sequencer Programs that make someone's Midi Parts like Hihats actually swing - not as good as a good Jazz Musician but they swing and you can move them ...push the Beat....lag the Beat etc. And you can do it with the Guitar..

Some people don't hear swing too well or they hear it but can't do it I guess...like me playing in some weird Indian Rhythm maybe alternate 13/8 5/8..that I can't get...

If I can record the Ireal Stuff on my Android I can show you what I mean...

Also - even though the Rhythms are not fine enough for REAL - It would be very interesting to have some
Threads with Ireal Stuff where different People create Modulating Bridges - outside Harmonies etc.
It's pretty Decent for that- experimenting with Basic Chords , plugging in new sections etc.

Apologies for going way off Topic here...

Here's a wayyy behind the beat Sax Solo with a great Fusion Group called Traffic ...lol.

It's a very cool Sax Solo wayyy behind the Beat but it still swings to my ears....the kind of cool Solo speedy Guitar Players like me would never be cool enough to do ....I should be though...

This must drive you guys crazy cause it's two chords...even me now I have to listen to the percussion and Groove to avoid monotony.


Best two chord song ever ?

[Richard Luther]

Hal Galper wrote a masterpiece on swinging. Read the intro when you have time.

Forward Motion - Hal Galper - Google Books

Or watch an abridged explanation.

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[Richard Luther]

And of course BH...

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[Robertkoa]

I have mentioned before that there was a Thread where someone from this Forum was teaching the great John Williams some Jazz- one of the greatest Classical Guitarists of all time- amazing Guitarist and a brilliant Person..

And apparently Williams could not easily or fully 'swing'- according to the Post.

So apparently it's not for everyone- and I am not an Educator- but one would think someone of William's
skill set would easily be able to imitate/ incorporate 'swinging' Phrases.


But maybe there is no way to accurately 'Notate' the actual Rhythm so it can be counted or grouped together - if there was- advanced Classical Guitarists/ Violinists/ Pianists etc. would be able to Play 'Swing' Rhythm whether they felt it or not-

Apparently - there is no way to really ' Notate ' Rhythms that 'Swing.'?

'Swinging' is part of the Mystery and Magic of Jazz apparently .....

Wild guess- just listening to that guy in the above Video when he Scats - that when he Plays Piano he swings but in a relaxed way not like Mark Levine..Bud Powell..Oscar Peterson who Swing more aggressively ( forward in the Beat ). Just hearing him ' verbally' Swing I would guess that he's a ' relaxed' Swinger type.
I Could be wrong....happens a lot ...haha.

' Robert - what the heck makes YOU an Authority on 'Swinging' - especially since you don't know or Play Standards ?'

Good question- not saying I am an ' authority' on ANYTHING Jazz - but an astute Observer- and for some reason I did pick up the 'Swinging ' thing in my phrasing and 'swing' sounds great over Latin and R&B Rhythms of all types.

About one minute into the Video - Moreno says 'take pitch out of it ..like a drummer.

I instinctively did this and just practiced swinging 8th
notes for a few hundred hours over a few months and it worked...