Is Swing Just a Shuffle? No — Here’s How to Feel Two Against Three
Swing is not the dotted-triplet shuffle written in most method books. Swing is two and three felt at the same time. Learn the clap exercise that builds it and the records to listen to.
Do You Have to Count Every Beat in Jazz? No — Target the ‘Head of the Beat’
You don't count every beat when you play jazz guitar. You aim at targets — the places where melody and harmony line up, especially beat one of each bar, the 'head of the beat.' Everything in between is free.
What Does ‘Swing’ Actually Mean in Jazz Guitar?
Swing isn't a shuffle. It's the feeling of two and three happening at the same time — a triplet pulse with the middle note pulling the beat. Here's how to hear it and practice it with a metronome.
Swing Rhythm Guitar: How to Practice With a Metronome on Beats 2 and 4
To practice swing on jazz guitar, set your metronome to click on beats 2 and 4 instead of all four beats. The click becomes the drummer's hi-hat, and your job is to make it disappear by locking your time to it.