Swung note

A Swung note is a rhythmic device, also known as a shuffle note; it is an augmentation of the initial note in a pair and diminution of the second. The style of playing music with these notes is known as swing or shuffle. (See "swing" article for other uses of the term.)

Related Topics:
Rhythm - Augmentation - Note - Diminution - Swing

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Notes which are not swung are straight notes (no shuffle). A swing rhythm can be thought of as composed of swung notes.

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Mostly common this is done with eighth notes and ranges anywhere from treating the initial eighth as a triplet quarter note to a dotted eighth (hard shuffle).

Related Topics:
Eighth - Triplet - Quarter note - Dotted eighth

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When the initial and final eighth note form a ratio of:

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• 1:1 = eighth note + eighth note, straight eighths or no shuffle
• 2:1 = triplet quarter note + triplet eighth, triple meter.
• 2.5:1 = long eighth + short eighth, Swing
• 3:1 = dotted eighth note + sixteenth note, hard swing or hard shuffle

Since a swung note is actually not a note of the named length (a swung eighth note is not an eighth note), some musicians consider this term a misnomer.

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Swing is commonly used in blues, country, jazz, Swing (genre), and often in many other styles.

Related Topics:
Blues - Country - Jazz - Swing (genre)

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See also: notes inégales.

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Swung note: Further reading ►