Jazz Swing drum pattern
A spang-a-lang ride pattern with hi-hat foot on 2 and 4 and a barely audible feathered kick. Press Play to hear it with a sampled drum kit at 140 BPM, change the tempo or swing, and follow every hit on the grid.
How to count the Jazz Swing
Count it as: 1 trip let 2 trip let 3 trip let 4 trip let. The pattern is one bar of 4/4 (eighth-note triplets).
The Jazz Swing pattern, hit by hit
Each character is one step of the grid and each group is one beat. X is an accented hit, x a normal hit, o a quiet or ghost note and - a rest.
| Voice | Pattern |
|---|---|
| Kick | o-- o-- o-- o-- |
| Ghost snare | --- --o --- -o- |
| Pedal hat | --- x-- --- x-- |
| Ride | x-- x-o x-- x-o |
Tempo and feel
The quarter-note ride pulse is primary; skip notes stay light and connected. The default tempo is 140 BPM. It plays with 67% swing by default; move the Swing control toward 50% to hear it straight. Slow it down until every hit is controlled, then raise the tempo a few BPM at a time.
How to practise the Jazz Swing
Sing the ride part first. Feather the kick below conversational volume. Make the hi-hat foot land clearly on 2 and 4.
Variations to try next
Add sparse snare comping. Omit the kick. Move the ride to closed hi-hat.
Where to hear this feel
Records in this family include Miles Davis - So What, John Coltrane - Impressions and Art Blakey - Moanin'. This is a style study written for practice, not a transcription of any one recording.