this is especially annoying when composers say 'swung feel', predominantly use dotted eighth sixteenth patterns, but then also include regular eighth notes and also triplets.
related, the goldenberg xylo book is jank in some spots and idk why it's still used instead of newer exercise/etude books
well, AKSHUALLY
(i'm a theory nerd but in a non-academic setting who gives a shit)
This is pretty much exactly what David Bruce goes over in this video discussing swing feel. I'd also like to add that in my school band experience, the composers who really knew their stuff generally only used the dotted eighth sixteenth pattern as a swing feel when writing tunes that called for a shuffle style. It was mostly in either beginner charts or those meant to be played outside of a jazz ensemble like marching band or orchestra where I saw the dotted eighth sixteenth pattern equal swung eighth notes.
Speaking as both a pianist and a percussionist, those differences in swing and feel between different parts of the ensemble is so true. I'm remembering a clinic I watched of a rhythm section where the pianist talked about having to almost play ahead of the beat in order to recreate the style of Count Basie's playing. As an orchestral percussionist, you almost have to intentionally drag in order to stay in time with the slow attack of the strings.
Also, I love me some unusual swing feels. Not to get all jazz-circlejerky, but the shit Jacob Collier does with septuplet swing/dilla feel is SO good. I probably should seek out more jazz with unorthodox feels.
I'm a general percussionist, so I can do pretty much everything except drumset. I started out on piano so for jazz stuff I play that instead of set
the motor on the vibes? pretty cool
don't worry about not playing any instruments - one of my fav composers, john mackey, can't play any either lmao
Haha notating swing rhythms can be complex. It is mostly about learning conventions to get the sound you want out of musicians who already read in the style. Example: a jazz musician reading a dance band chart will always play a quarter note short if it is followed by a rest, unless otherwise notated. Why? My theory is that it was physically easier for copyists and arrangers to write. Also jazz is traditionally written with twice a many bars as pop music or classical music. I've heard that somebody at some point was getting paid by the measure for arrangements and found an easy way to double their fee, but that may just be a joke. Everything has a nickname too: fermatas are birdseyes, caesuras are train tracks, etc. There is a somewhat standardized system for marking up charts as well, but I never learned it. I do remember that circling a bar or group of bars means skip the circled section entirely. That sort of thing. It makes sense to have a standard way to do it, so that any musician can pick up the same chart with the same pencil revisions and play it the same way. If neither the musicians nor the arranger are familiar with the conventions of swing notation the experience will likely be frustrating. Good luck!
