Swing

How it is used

Used for jazz style, groove, and timing. Musicians talk about playing with swing, adding swing feel, or comparing straight and swung rhythms.

Example sentences

1. The producer asked the drummer to add more swing to the verse, because the straight hi-hat pattern felt too stiff for the song.

   Here, swing means a looser rhythmic feel, not a genre label; it changes how the beat is placed and how the groove moves.

2. During the jazz history lecture, we compared early swing recordings with later bebop tracks to hear differences in pulse and phrasing.

   In this example, swing refers to a jazz style and period, helping listeners identify characteristic rhythm and ensemble phrasing.

Common collocations

• swing feel
• swing rhythm
• play with swing

Related terms

• jazzA genre that developed in African American communities in New Orleans in the early 20th century, known for swing rhythm, rich harmony and improvisation.
• genreA category of music with shared features such as rhythm, instruments, harmony or history, for example jazz, rock, hip-hop or classical music.

More terms: Genres and Styles

• cover
• classical music
• folk music
• pop music
• hip-hop
• ballad
• recitative
• waltz