Advanced Swing and Groove
The difference between stiff and groovy is in the swing. Learn how to dial in the perfect swing percentage and when to break the grid.
Video lesson coming soon
Introduction
You've learned the basics of swing in the previous lessons. Now it's time to go deeper. This lesson covers advanced groove techniques that separate amateur productions from professional ones.
The goal: Make your drums feel like they were played by a human, not a machine—while keeping them tight enough to mix and master cleanly.
MPC Swing vs DAW Swing: What's the Difference?
The legendary MPC swing has a specific character that simple percentage-based DAW swing can't replicate. Here's why:
MPC Swing Characteristics
- Shifts every other 16th note by a percentage
- Adds subtle velocity variations
- Has a specific "pocket" feel that's hard to describe
- Different MPC models have slightly different swing algorithms
DAW Swing Limitations
- Usually just shifts timing without velocity changes
- Can sound mechanical even with swing applied
- Need to combine with velocity variation manually
Swing Percentages Decoded
| Swing % | Character | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 50% | Dead straight | Techno, hard house |
| 52-54% | Subtle push | Modern UKG, 2-step |
| 56-58% | Classic bounce | Traditional UKG |
| 60-62% | Heavy shuffle | Old school garage, R&B |
| 66% | Full triplet | Hip-hop, jazz |
Creating Custom Groove Templates
The best approach is to extract grooves from classic records:
Step-by-Step Process
- Find a classic UKG track with a groove you love
- Import it into your DAW
- Use audio-to-MIDI conversion on the drums
- Extract the timing and velocity data
- Save as a groove template
- Apply to your own patterns
Manual Timing Adjustments
Sometimes the best grooves come from manually nudging individual hits. This is time-consuming but gives you complete control.
Guidelines for Manual Adjustment
- Hi-hats: Push slightly late (5-15ms) for laid-back feel
- Kicks: Keep on grid or slightly early for punch
- Snares: Dead on grid for tightness, or late for lazy feel
- Ghost notes: Random timing variation (±10ms)
The "Drunken Drummer" Technique
Record yourself playing the pattern on MIDI pads without quantization. Your natural timing imperfections often sound better than any algorithm.
- Turn off quantization completely
- Play your pattern to a metronome
- Don't try to be perfect—embrace the imperfection
- Use the timing data from your performance
- Tighten only the hits that are obviously wrong
Summary
- MPC swing has a unique character that DAW swing struggles to match
- Use 54-58% swing for most UKG productions
- Extract groove templates from classic records
- Manual timing adjustments give the most control
- Real human performance often beats algorithmic swing
Devil's Advocate
Advanced thinking for experienced producers
"Is obsessing over swing really worth it?"
Some argue that swing is overrated and that arrangement, sound selection, and mixing matter more. A perfectly swung beat with bad sounds will still sound bad.
Alternative Workflows to Try
- 1.Focus on sound selection before worrying about swing
- 2.Use loops from classic records that already have the groove
- 3.Apply swing at the mastering stage to the whole mix
Critical Thinking Traps
Trap: "More swing = more groove"
Reality: Too much swing sounds sloppy. Sometimes 52% is all you need.
Trap: "MPC swing is always better"
Reality: Many classic records were made without MPCs. The machine doesn't make the groove—the programmer does.
Trap: "Every element needs the same swing"
Reality: Try different swing amounts on different elements for interesting polyrhythmic effects.
Download Resources
Groove templates collection