Swing
Delaying every other step so a beat grooves instead of ticks.
Lesson 7 of 9
Play a beat with perfectly even steps and it can sound mechanical. Many styles swing instead: every second sixteenth (the off-beat steps) comes slightly late, so the steps alternate long and short.
The hi-hats in this grid play every step, so you can hear the effect clearly. Start it straight, then raise the swing while it plays.
From straight to swung
Listen around 20 to 30%: the hats start to lope. At 60% the pattern turns into a shuffle.
| Kick | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snare | ||||||||||||||||
| Closed hat |
A little swing goes a long way. Around 10 to 20% loosens a beat without sounding swung; 25 to 35% is the lazy bounce of boom bap and UK garage; much more turns into a shuffle.
Swing is about timing, not about sounds, so it works on any part. In the full editor you can apply a groove to a whole clip, bass and chords included.