Explaining the Essentials of Jazz Rhythm: A Look into Swing
In the 1930s, the Swing genre took the music world by storm, and some of its key contributors were Count Basie, a renowned pianist and bandleader, known for his "Kansas City Swing" style that became a cornerstone of swing jazz. Simultaneously, in Berlin, Coco Schumann, a German jazz guitarist, was immersing himself in the world of jazz and swing music.
Swing is a unique way of interpreting rhythm, where eight notes are played like triplets to create a galloping sound. This rhythmic interpretation can vary among musicians, with drummers moving the emphasis and timing of the eighth notes around.
The impact of Swing extended beyond jazz, influencing electronic music genres like house, techno, and breakbeat. In house music, swung hi-hats and snares create a syncopated rhythm that complements the steady 4/4 kick drum. An example of this is Kerri Chandler's "Atmosphere," a classic example of swing's impact on house music.
Techno often applies swing to hi-hats, shakers, or other percussive elements to create an engaging sense of movement, as demonstrated in Jeff Mills' "The Bells." The Prodigy's "Break & Enter" showcases the power of swing in breakbeat.
Swing defies music theory and is an artistic choice. It emphasizes the backbeat, an accent falling on the two and four, and the term "playing in the cracks" refers to a swing feel played somewhere between a triplet and an eighth note.
Producers like J Dilla and modern drummers like Chris Dave and Karriem Riggins took inspiration from jazz drumming roots and re-invented the hip-hop feel. J Dilla was a master at putting hip-hop rhythms "in-the-cracks" to create a genre-pioneering style of hip-hop beat making.
Today's jazz drummers are spending time perfecting a new modern way of feeling swing and hip-hop grooves. Breakbeat heavily relies on sampled drum breaks from swinging funk tunes to give the genre its characteristic drum sound.
Incorporating swing into electronic productions can be achieved by experimenting with a DAW's swing or groove settings. The key to swing in electronic music is to strike a balance between mechanical precision and human-like imperfections.
Despite its roots in the past, swing continues to influence modern music, proving that its unique rhythmic interpretation is timeless and adaptable to various genres.
