What is a swung quaver?

In music, a swung quaver refers to a rhythm where a quaver beat (eighth note) is divided unevenly, with a longer duration on the first half of the beat and a shorter duration on the second half. It creates a relaxed, syncopated feel and is commonly used in jazz and blues music, giving a sense of rhythmic displacement.

Here's how the swung quaver rhythm is played:

1. Think of a steady underlying pulse that represents a quarter note (also known as a "tick").

2. Divide each quarter note into two equal halves, counting "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and".

3. When playing a swung quaver, emphasize the "1 and" and de-emphasize the "2 and". This means slightly delaying the division on "2 and", making it shorter.

4. The swing feel creates a subtle push and pull of the beats, giving it a fluid and groovy character.

Some common swung rhythms in notation can be represented as follows:

- A swung eighth note (quaver): "." (dot placed to the right side of a quaver note).

- A swung eighth-note triplet (quaver triplet): ">>" (double greater-than sign).

It's important to note that the swung rhythm can vary slightly depending on the tempo, personal interpretation, and musical style, but the general principle remains the same: an uneven division of the beat, with an emphasized and delayed second half.