A swing rhythm can be created by playing or singing only the first and third notes of a triplet. There are several ways of writing swing rhythms. First, using the syllable ba. Sing this example which contains eighth note triplets.
In this variation has the first and second notes of the triplet group are tied. This creates a swing feel.
The two eighth notes tied together in the previous example can be replaced by a quarter note.
To simplify notation, it is common to replace the z with 6, and to write at the start of the piece 6 = z
The previous three examples sound exactly the same. They are simply different ways of notating the same melody.
This song was made famous by Louis Armstrong. It is played and sung with a swing feel. This means that all the eighth notes in the song are swung. Many songs in various styles have a swing feel. They are particularly common in Blues and Jazz as well as Gospel, Rock and Country music.
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