# no straight 8ths in baroque music!



## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

Ok hyperbole in the title, but am of the opinion that medium to slow tempo 8th notes (or what ever subdivision is half the beat) in simple meters should be swung, i.e. notes inegales. Of course there are always exceptions, but think inegales should be the norm


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

If you can get access to it you may find that Colin Booth's book _Did Bach really Mean That?_ is helpful. You used to be able to buy it from his website.


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

Mandryka said:


> If you can get access to it you may find that Colin Booth's book _Did Bach really Mean That?_ is helpful. You used to be able to buy it from his website.


Cool, a little pricy but notice there is a whole chapter titled 'swung rhythms'


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Bwv 1080 said:


> Cool, a little pricy but notice there is a whole chapter titled 'swung rhythms'


It's a good book for someone who wants to make sense of baroque scores.


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

Mandryka said:


> If you can get access to it you may find that Colin Booth's book _Did Bach really Mean That?_ is helpful. You used to be able to buy it from his website.


Yes, a thoroughly recommendable book.


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

I used to practice Bach by sort of swinging the notes (dotted 8th and 16th), as well as anti-swinging them (16th and dotted 8th) as well. Helped with evenness in playing.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

pianozach said:


> I used to practice Bach by sort of swinging the notes (dotted 8th and 16th), as well as anti-swinging them (16th and dotted 8th) as well. Helped with evenness in playing.


All woodwind players use that technique , it's basic technique...dotted eighth/ sixteenth and reversed...also various triplet combinations....8ths 16ths, etc -


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