Jazz guitars were conceived in the early 1930s due to the need to use amplification in order to increase the volume of conventional acoustic guitars in a live setting so it can be heard more clearly. Very few instruments have had a greater influence on the evolution of music since the start of the 20th century. The earliest forms of jazz guitars were acoustic but by the 1940s, musicians were playing with either a hollow body acoustic or electric guitars along with a jazz guitar amp.
Jazz guitarists typically use an archtop guitar. The archtop is instantly recognisable with its broad sized hollow sound box, floating bridge, magnetic pickups and f shaped sound holes, much like a violin. These are collectively known as hollow body guitars and have been mass produced by many leading brands since the 50s.
Jazz guitar involved several playing styles, the most common being blowing, comping and soloing. Blowing refers to improvising over the top of a chord progression with phrases and ornaments. Comping is the playing of extended chords while another musician solos or plays a melody. Walking basslines often have walking basslines and improvisation will make use of modes, scales and arpeggios.
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.
These guitars have an instantly recognisable "warm" tone that is arguably best achieved with the archtop with its hollow body and magnetic pickups. However, the guitar's amp also plays an important role in creating a beautiful jazzy tone. Most jazz guitarists swear by tube amps to get that 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 for this style of music is the Roland J-120 Chorus Amp. Released in 1975 it was the first amp that came compete with effects built into into it, such as reverb, delay and distortion. George Benson, Larry Coryell and Pat Martino used the Roland J-20 Chorus Amp during live performances, making the amp a classic.
Fender also make very popular amps. These include the Hot Rod Deluxe, Fender King, Fender Jazzmaster Ultralight Speaker Cabinet with Amp Head, Fender Blues Junior, All of these amps are capable of producing that classic and instantly recognisable jazzy tone that is so sought after. Modelling hardware and software is also available that can produce the classic tone and can be used with any type of amp.
Jazz guitarists typically use an archtop guitar. The archtop is instantly recognisable with its broad sized hollow sound box, floating bridge, magnetic pickups and f shaped sound holes, much like a violin. These are collectively known as hollow body guitars and have been mass produced by many leading brands since the 50s.
Jazz guitar involved several playing styles, the most common being blowing, comping and soloing. Blowing refers to improvising over the top of a chord progression with phrases and ornaments. Comping is the playing of extended chords while another musician solos or plays a melody. Walking basslines often have walking basslines and improvisation will make use of modes, scales and arpeggios.
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.
These guitars have an instantly recognisable "warm" tone that is arguably best achieved with the archtop with its hollow body and magnetic pickups. However, the guitar's amp also plays an important role in creating a beautiful jazzy tone. Most jazz guitarists swear by tube amps to get that 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 for this style of music is the Roland J-120 Chorus Amp. Released in 1975 it was the first amp that came compete with effects built into into it, such as reverb, delay and distortion. George Benson, Larry Coryell and Pat Martino used the Roland J-20 Chorus Amp during live performances, making the amp a classic.
Fender also make very popular amps. These include the Hot Rod Deluxe, Fender King, Fender Jazzmaster Ultralight Speaker Cabinet with Amp Head, Fender Blues Junior, All of these amps are capable of producing that classic and instantly recognisable jazzy tone that is so sought after. Modelling hardware and software is also available that can produce the classic tone and can be used with any type of amp.
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