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Swing Ratios and Ensemble Timing in Jazz Performance: Evidence for a Common Rhythmic Pattern — Music Perception

Revision 5f018253-3198-40da-afe8-f7df5ebc6d14 · 11/1/2026, 9:19:36 AM UTC
Key
friberg2002-swing-ratios
Authors
Friberg, Anders; Sundström, Andreas
Issued
2002
Type
article-journal
Container
Music Perception
Volume
19
Issue
3
Pages
333-349
Raw CSL JSON
{
  "DOI": "10.1525/mp.2002.19.3.333",
  "page": "333-349",
  "type": "article-journal",
  "issue": "3",
  "title": "Swing Ratios and Ensemble Timing in Jazz Performance: Evidence for a Common Rhythmic Pattern",
  "author": [
    {
      "given": "Anders",
      "family": "Friberg"
    },
    {
      "given": "Andreas",
      "family": "Sundström"
    }
  ],
  "issued": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2002
      ]
    ]
  },
  "volume": "19",
  "container-title": "Music Perception"
}

Claims

  1. Jazz drummers' ride-cymbal swing ratio varies with tempo, from about 3.5:1 at slow tempi to 1:1 at fast tempi; 2:1 occurs only at a certain tempo; the short note lasts about 100 ms at medium to fast tempi; at slow tempi soloists play downbeats after the cymbal but synchronize at off-beats.
    "At slow tempi, the swing ratio was as high as 3.5:1, whereas at fast tempi it reached 1:1. The often-mentioned "triple-feel," that is, a ratio of 2:1, was present only at a certain tempo. The absolute duration of the short note in the long-short pattern was constant at about 100 ms for medium to fast tempi [...] In slow tempi, the soloists were mostly playing their downbeats after the cymbal but were synchronized with the cymbal at the off-beats."
    Locator: section: Abstract · Quote language: en
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