Swung 16th hats
Swung 16th hats are a hi-hat on every sixteenth note where every second hat is played late and quieter, so the line goes long-short instead of even. Around 55–65% swing, it is the relaxed hat sound of lo-fi, neo-soul and R&B.
Also called swung hi-hats, shuffled sixteenths, swing hats.
Play it
Faded lanes are a guide: they are there so the pattern has something to sit against. Tap any box to change it.
Try this
Try this · change one box
Tap the quiet hat on step 14 to take it out. A tiny gap before the snare makes the snare land harder.
Hear it without the grid
A short recording of the loop above at 86 BPM, made with Swung’s own sounds.
How it works
Swing moves only the in-between hats, the “e” and the “a” of each beat. The hats on the beat and the “and” stay where they are, which is why a swung beat still feels in time.
Swing is a range, not one number. At 50% nothing moves; at about 66% the late hats sit on a triplet and the beat turns into a shuffle. Most lo-fi sits in between.
The pattern in words
- Hats: steps 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15; quiet on 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 of 16.
| Part | Steps, 1 to 16 | Plays on |
|---|---|---|
| Hats | xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo | steps 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15; quiet on 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 of 16 |
x a hit, o a quiet hit, 2 or 3 a quick roll inside one step, – a note held on, · nothing.
Variations
Straight, for comparison
Swing at 50%: every hat evenly spaced.
Heavy swing
Swing at 68%, past a triplet: a shuffle.
Eighths only
Take out the in-between hats and swing has nothing left to move.
Where it’s used
Also common in Neo-soul, R&B and Jazz-hop.
Learn this pattern step by step
It’s in Unit 1 of the course, which is free. Sign up with Google and go straight to the lesson; it plays in your browser, like this page.
Pick up where you left off
Carry on with Unit 1.