The swing script

The swing script provides additional functions allowing for regular durations to be played with an unequal rhythm. The most obvious example is ‘swing’ interpretation commonly found in jazz music where binary eighth notes should be played in a ternary fashion; however additional interpretations are also supported.

This script has to be \include-d at the beginning of the input file:

\include "swing.ly"

Three commands are provided:

• \tripletFeel creates a triplet-feel swing. It takes two arguments: the durations that should be affected by it (typically 8 for eighth notes), and then the music expression to which it should be applied.
• \applySwing takes an additional argument prior to the music expression: a ‘weight list’ of n number ratios expressing the way regular notes should be played: for example, #'(2 1) indicates that every other note should be played twice as long as the following note (in fact, \tripletFeel duration {music} is actually a shortcut for \applySwing duration #'(2 1) {music}). Smoother swung eighths may be obtained with a weight list of #'(3 2), or other values depending on taste.

  That list may include more than two values, which allows for longer and more sophisticated groove patterns; for example, a samba feel for sixteenth notes may be obtained as follows:

  \score {
    \applySwing 16 #'(3 2 2 3) {
      … music …
    }
    \midi { }
  }
  

• \applySwingWithOffset adds yet another argument between the ‘weight list’ and the music expression: an offset length. This command should be used when the music expression has to start off-beat, with a partial swing cycle.

Additional help and information is included in the script file: see ly/swing.ly.

See also

Learning Manual: Other sources of information.

Notation Reference: Rhythms.

Installed Files: ly/swing.ly.

Known issues and warnings

• \repeat constructs in music (even \repeat unfold) are not taken into consideration when determining note timing. This will lead to problems unless the durations of all repeated parts are integer multiples of the swing cycle duration.
• These functions are oblivious to time signatures and measures. That is why offsets need to be supplied by using \applySwingWithOffset if music starts off-beat.
• Grace notes are ignored and simply left unaffected; so are tuplets.