Swing
also called “shuffle”also called “swung eighths”
The short version
Delaying every other note so the rhythm limps in a good way.
Straight eighths are evenly spaced: ta-ta-ta-ta. Swung eighths are long-short, long-short: taaa-ka, taaa-ka. Most drum machines have a swing knob measured in percent.
Straight vs swung
Listen to the hi-hats — the second one limps.
Why you'd careA little swing (about 8–20%) makes programmed drums sound played by a human instead of a grid.
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