Swing

[Sellars]

Hi all!

Lately I have been really into Swing:

Gypsy Swing
the Duke Ellington kinds of Swing
Western Swing


But what IS Swing, or what makes Swing Swing? And what types of Swing are there, or would you differentiate?

I'm looking specifically for rsemblances between these styles in terms of chord types, rhythms etc. so the more music theory kind of approach, but anything is welcome!

So, all you classic Jazz fans, Western Hillbillies, Manouche, come in here and debate!

[Dolamon]

Good question - one of the more comprehensive overview is Listed in Swing Music. This is a good place to start / wander / get lost in regarding the open ended genre of "Swing Music".

As for the peculiarities and off shoots, it seems to depend on where you are and what your interest is. For the structure of the music per se ... perhaps the early Nick Lucas or Don Santos books from the late twenties and early thirties will supply an overview of the basic progression and passing chords which define this early extension of "Trad Jazz".

Neat stuff to listen to and fun and challenging to play. The rhythm HAS to be involved in the melody for it to work. For some early recordings - get a copy of the Eddie Lang / Joe Venutti retrospective from 1925 to 1933 (4 CD boxed set available from Elderly), get some of the Hot Club of Cowtown, listen to the Pompe of any of the Gypsy players from before 1949 and be prepared to be submerged in some very hip, fun tunes. (Get a sheet of Avalon and work out some of the possiblities ...)

This is just a start.

[Seth Rosen]

Often a word gets thrown around and people mean different things by so this really is a good question. #Here are the definitions that I would use, in order of importance (to me )

1. Swing is a rhythm, specifically a "swing 8 feel", think of a the drum patterm on the ride cybal or hi-hat

2. Swing is a dance (Lindy Hop), that defined a musical genre.

3. Swing is a repetoire of popular music played in the 30s and 40s, often by big bands.

I put the 'swing 8 feel' first since that is what means that guitarists playing gypsy melodies or fiddle players swinging fiddle tunes are playing swing....even though the former is probably too fast to dance to and the latter may be danced to as a two-step rather than Lindy. #

The last definition "repetoire of the era" allows a tune like "The Mooche" to be considered "swing" even though it doesn't "swing"