Swing Quavers
With
Ollie WestonOllie Weston shows how to feel jazz swing quavers using a triplet - saying 'sax-phone' to find that authentic rhythmic bounce.
What's in the course
51 lessons (2h 9m) · 1 free
01. Introduction + leaving town demonstration
Free lesson3:02
02. The Blues Scale
2:48
03. Swing Quavers
You are here1:42
04. Combing the Blues Scale and Swing Quavers
3:57
05. Playing through the Blues form using root notes
1:18
06. Writes Your Own Blues
0:59
07. Leaving Town Blues - Improvise
4:13
08. Improvisation recap
0:49
01. Introduction to Minor 7th Chords
3:32
02. Dorian Scale Workout
1:40
03. Minor 7th Chord Lick
2:22
04. Minor Pentatonic Patterns
3:51
05. Minor Pentatonic Workout
1:52
06. Pentatonic vs Blues Scale
1:59
07. So Far so Good - Introduction
1:09
08. So Far so Good - Head
1:37
09. Minor Chord Extensions
2:45
10. Rhythmic Ideas
2:13
11. So Far so Good - Performance with Solo
3:50
01. Introduction to Modes
6:09
02. Diatonic Modes Exercise
4:04
03. Modes with a Static Root
1:58
04. Modes with Static Root Exercise
1:06
05. Modes with Static Root Recap
0:34
06. Phrase Exercise for Modes
1:07
07. Phrase Exercise for Modes (Demonstration)
1:29
08. Song Examples
1:56
09. First Impresssions - Chords and Harmony
4:06
10. First Impresssions - Performance
4:06
11. First Impresssions - Introduction and Analysis
3:30
Lesson transcript
Introduction to Swing Quavers
In this lesson, I'm going to do a quick introduction to swing quavers, which will really help get an authentic rhythmic feel in your playing.
Understanding the Blues Scale
Having met the blues scale and got a good palette of six notes, we just need to establish a solid rhythmic feel as well.
Setting the Pulse
If I set up a pulse, we're used to quavers being even pairs of notes, dividing halfway between the beats to achieve nice, even balance quavers.
Finding Swing Quavers
To find swing quavers, I need to identify a triplet in here.
Using a Three-Syllable Word
I'm holding a saxophone, so I'm going to use that three-syllable word:
- Saxophone
- Saxophone
- Saxophone
To find a triplet rhythm, I'm going to miss out the middle syllable. So, I just want the "sax" and the "phone" sounds.
The Rhythm
Here's how it goes:
- Sax, phone
- Sax, phone
- Sax, phone
- Sax, phone
- Sax
And that is the basis of swing playing.
Demonstration
I'm just going to play a blues scale and just two notes on each to demonstrate a swing feel:
3, 4...
Whenever you see the word swing at the top of a tune, that's what it means. It's saying to play your quavers with that triplet-y feel in the background, underlying your playing.
By combining good note choices from your blues scale with this rhythmic feel, you'll enhance your musical expression significantly.
51 lessons
2h 9m of structured video lessons
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Meet your guru
Meet your guru
Since graduating from the Leeds College of Music (BA Hons) and the Guildhall School of Music (Post Graduate Diploma in Performance), Ollie has built a busy and varied career in music. As a saxophonist he has performed in live and studio settings with artists as diverse as Amy Winehouse, Tim Minchin, Bonobo, Frank Turner, the London Jazz Orchestra, the Hackney Colliery Band, the Ambient Jazz Ensemble and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. He is also the co-leader of the jazz quartet 'Time Is Of The Essence', and composes and arranges material for this and other ensembles.
Ollie is active in music education, currently as course leader for the jazz department at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (junior school), where he runs jazz ensembles, big band and theory classes. He has written a series of 'Exploring Jazz' books for Schott Music that are published worldwide and feature on exam syllabuses in the UK. Ollie has also run workshops for Oxford University, Pro Corda Strings and BABSWE, as well as the Guildhall School of Music summer schools.
In his Exploring Jazz Saxophone courses, Ollie takes you from getting started right through to soloing confidently over songs and chord sequences, building the improvising skills that put a real jazz player's vocabulary at your fingertips.
