Jazz guitars first appeared in the 1930s because musicians felt the need to amplify the guitar's sound so it can be heard more clearly during a live performance. These guitars has influenced music in the 20th century more than any other instrument. Early guitars were acoustic but lacked the volume necessary to compete with other instrumentation, but by the 40s guitarists began to play semi-acoustic, hollowbody electric guitars and solid body electric guitars combined with a jazz guitar amp.
Probably the most recognisable guitars used in this type of music is the archtop or hollowbody electric, It is instantly recognisable due to its large hollow body, f shaped sound holes like a violin, floating bridge and magnetic pickups. This type of guitar have been mass produced since the 1950s by leading guitar manufacturers.
There are several styles used in this kind of music, such as blowing and comping. Blowing involves improvising over a jazzy chord progression with ornaments and jazzy phrases. Comping involves the use of extended chords underneath a tune's melody or another musicians soloing. Comping often uses walking bass lines. When a guitarist improvises they will make good use of scales, modes and arpeggios within the song's chord progression.
It is possible to play this form of music on any type of guitar, whether it is a hollow body, solid body or acoustic. However, the archtop hollowbody guitars produces the famous jazzy tone. Epiphone, Gibson, D'Angelico and Stromberg are among the most well known manufactures of archtop guitars. Hollowbody archtops are usually made from one piece of wood that has been shaped into an arch to form the guitar's shape, with a spruce top and maple back. Hollowbody archtop guitars enjoyed renewed popularity during the 1990s with the jazz musicians, pop musicians and rock musicians of the time.
Archtops or hollowbody guitars may be responsible for the famous "warm" jazzy tone, but the amplifier also plays a major part. Tube amps are usually the most popular form of amp for guitarists and there are many amplifiers that are dedicated to helping create the classic jazzy tone.
Tube amps may have have a great tone and a far more musical overdriven sound compared to solid state amps, but they are very heavy and they are difficult to maintain. They also suffer from more noise than solid state amps and are more expensive.
One of the most popular amps that produce jazzy tones is the superb Roland JC120 Chorus. It was introduced in 1975 and has been used by legendary musicians, such as George Benson, Larry Coryell, Pat Matino and many others. This beautiful amp is the first to have special effects built into it, including delay, reverb and overdrive.
There are several excellent amps produced by Fender. These include: The Fender King, Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, Fender Blues JR and the very popular Fender Jazzmaster stack with amplifier head. Each one of these amps does a fantastic job of creating a beautiful and jazzy tone, especially when combined with a classic archtop or hollowbody.
Probably the most recognisable guitars used in this type of music is the archtop or hollowbody electric, It is instantly recognisable due to its large hollow body, f shaped sound holes like a violin, floating bridge and magnetic pickups. This type of guitar have been mass produced since the 1950s by leading guitar manufacturers.
There are several styles used in this kind of music, such as blowing and comping. Blowing involves improvising over a jazzy chord progression with ornaments and jazzy phrases. Comping involves the use of extended chords underneath a tune's melody or another musicians soloing. Comping often uses walking bass lines. When a guitarist improvises they will make good use of scales, modes and arpeggios within the song's chord progression.
It is possible to play this form of music on any type of guitar, whether it is a hollow body, solid body or acoustic. However, the archtop hollowbody guitars produces the famous jazzy tone. Epiphone, Gibson, D'Angelico and Stromberg are among the most well known manufactures of archtop guitars. Hollowbody archtops are usually made from one piece of wood that has been shaped into an arch to form the guitar's shape, with a spruce top and maple back. Hollowbody archtop guitars enjoyed renewed popularity during the 1990s with the jazz musicians, pop musicians and rock musicians of the time.
Archtops or hollowbody guitars may be responsible for the famous "warm" jazzy tone, but the amplifier also plays a major part. Tube amps are usually the most popular form of amp for guitarists and there are many amplifiers that are dedicated to helping create the classic jazzy tone.
Tube amps may have have a great tone and a far more musical overdriven sound compared to solid state amps, but they are very heavy and they are difficult to maintain. They also suffer from more noise than solid state amps and are more expensive.
One of the most popular amps that produce jazzy tones is the superb Roland JC120 Chorus. It was introduced in 1975 and has been used by legendary musicians, such as George Benson, Larry Coryell, Pat Matino and many others. This beautiful amp is the first to have special effects built into it, including delay, reverb and overdrive.
There are several excellent amps produced by Fender. These include: The Fender King, Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, Fender Blues JR and the very popular Fender Jazzmaster stack with amplifier head. Each one of these amps does a fantastic job of creating a beautiful and jazzy tone, especially when combined with a classic archtop or hollowbody.
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