Guitars used to play jazz have some special characteristics. They produce a certain type of sound that has been developed over the years. Due to the specialization, not just any guitar is appropriate for an acoustic jazz guitar. Learning about the characteristics of acoustic jazz guitars, and how to make them the most unique, will help you in your quest to purchase the perfect instrument to learn and perform with.
The Body Style
Certain types of instruments have become commonly accepted as essential acoustic jazz guitars. These include arch-top guitars, a physical feature that both early pioneers, modern day legends, and the stars of tomorrow are relying on for practice, performance, and recording purposes. The arch-top originally appeared in jazz because its unique shape tended to amplify the sounds of the guitar greatly, allowing it to soar over screaming horn lines and drums in larger jazz orchestras. Today, with the advent of advanced electronics, most mid to high end arch-top guitars feature built in plugs for amplifications. For these types of jazz guitars, this is an important feature because it allows you to practice or participate in a jam session easily without hauling an amp around, but you also have the option to plug in and play loud when you need to. The arch-top, despite the prevalence of electronics, still plays an important role in creating that signature jazz sound.
Another unique characteristic of typical acoustic guitars used in jazz is that they often feature unique sound holes, sometimes in the shape of the letter D or F. They often resemble classical instruments like violins, and the purpose of the sound hole design is to achieve maximum tone production.
The Sound
Every jazz guitarist wants to avoid feedback and distortion when they plug in. Acoustic guitars used for jazz are generally fortified against feedback, and other troublesome excess sounds. They are designed with clarity and distinction in mind, and this is something you will also want to listen for when you are looking for a good jazz guitar. These guitars are not intended to be played with effects pedals, and this is an instrument that will be valued for the trueness and forwardness of its tone. Jazz guitarists also try to avoid a great deal of sustain when they play, they want their instrument to produce a tone that is crisp and clear, but it does not need to ring in the back of the hall moments after it has been played. To new listeners, the sound can be “choppy” or “muted”, but to a certain extent, that is what the instrument should sound like.
The Playability
Acoustic jazz guitars should be extremely playable, all over the neck of the instrument. Melodic lines and funky solo licks need creative freedom, and a good guitar will feature a smooth, manageable, and playable neck from top to bottom. This does not mean that the instrument should have a thin neck, but it does mean that it should feature smooth frets and a reasonable action in order to maintain playability in the higher frets.
Now that you understand why and how jazz guitarists get their sound, you can experiment on your own.
By: David Smithe
Jazz is an American form of music that has come from an interesting background and evolved into a worldwide genre. It roots are in blues and other African-American styles of music combined with the classical European musical system, and it largely started in the southern United States. While the term jazz may refer to many different things in the beginning it eventually evolved into a style comprised of improvisation, syncopation, swing, and blue notes. This base of jazz has constantly evolved over time to where we find it today.
Jazz improvisation originally started out as slight modifications and embellishments to the melodies of standard tunes. This changed into a harmonically based improvisation style where the soloist uses notes based on the harmony of the tune to construct a sometimes completely new solo line. With this development, jazz improvisation started on a course towards some of the most technically proficient and impressive improvisation of all time in the bebop era, characterized by lightning fast runs of notes over highly complex and frequent chord changes. Once this style had reached its zenith, the jazz world reacted by moving in a new direction; minimal chord changes and slower tempos of the modal jazz era, started by Miles Davis.
From here, jazz has evolved more in instrumentation and overall style rather than in improvisational philosophy. Miles Davis also helped bring about new forms of fusion and experimental jazz. In the 70s and 80s, bands got started mixing jazz with the funk and popular music of the time. All of these developments have spread jazz to new listeners and new places.
Today you find too many different types of jazz to mention. There are neo-traditionalists, modern players who use traditional arrangement but play with new harmonic and structural elements, a huge number of different types of fusion, and finally, the widespread addition of electronic music elements to jazz. Electronic jazz represents a new direction and ability for jazz to appeal to different music lovers and increase the ability to jazz musicians to arrange and compose their music. A new era of jazz should be provided by the addition of electronic music and modern recording technology. Look for this new style of electronic jazz to have an impact soon.
There are already many jazz musicians who have redefined themselves with electronic jazz, which enables them to make use of more types of sounds in their recordings and enables them to craft more precise compositions.
By: Randal Stevens