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<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Editing Swing Notation |
  
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<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Editing Swing Notation |
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A swing rhythm, when literally written out as two unequal members of a triplet, looks like this:
(1) 
In a jazz or "big band" music style, swing rhythms are typically not written out using triplets, such as in the above example. Instead, to simplify the notation, the swing rhythm is notated as though the notes are evenly played, with equal durations. The above as-performed notes are usually notated like this:
(2) 
You can prepare a "swing score" that will be heard with a triplet swing, but displayed with paired notes of equal durations.
If you are importing a MIDI file for a jazz or "big band" piece with a swing rhythm, then choose the "Swing Rhythm" transcription option. Composer will automatically notate the swing rhythms as illustrated in the above second example. Similarly, if you are recording swing rhythms at your music keyboard, then choose the "Swing Rhythm" transcription option.
There are multiple manipulations you can perform with "swing" notation and performance depending on your needs.
•Easily enter notes as "straight" notes and then convert the performance to "swing" (and have the notation read like "swing score"):
Please note that for this method you should do the note entry and conversion before doing annotations or other such edits to the score as this method involves a re-transcription step which will lose annotations.
1. In the Note palette, select the duration of the "straight" version of the note. The most frequently used is probably the 8th note".
2. Enter the notes on the score, such as 
.
If you now click the "Play" button you will hear these 8th notes played "straight", that is, with equal durations.
3. Click-drag across the notes to select them 
4. In the Note palette click the "Convert to swing" button to convert the straight notes to "swing" durations.
Now if you play the song file, these notes will properly sound with "swing" rhythms.
5. To convert the notation only (but NOT the playback) see the last sub-topic below.
•To "write out" a swing rhythm, as in the first of the above two examples:
| 1. | In the Note Duration Palette, select the "round" value of the first member of the swing rhythm by clicking, in this example, the quarter note  button. |
| 2. | In the Note Duration Palette, click the triplet swing  button. |
-- OR --
Type "3s" for triplet swing.
| 3. | Click the mouse cursor where you want to add the first member of the swing. |
| 4. | In the Note Duration Palette, select the "round" value for the second member of the swing rhythm by clicking, in this example the eighth note  button. |
| 5. | Click the triplet  button. |
-- OR --
Type "33" for triplet.
| 6. | Click the mouse cursor where you want to add the second member of the swing. |
•To add a swing rhythm that will be performed with the swing, but which will be displayed as a pair of equal duration notes:
| 1. | Add the swing notes using the procedure described above. |
2. Now click "Format / Retranscribe". You will be re-transcribing the swing notes to look straight, but sound like "swing".
| 3. Select which Staff/Staves you want to retranscribe. |
4. Select "Swing" for the Style then click "Ok".
5. The notation will now "read" as the cleaner swing-style (looks like "straight" but musicians understand to "swing" it) and will sound like "swing" when you play it back.