carol kaye speaks...

 

GUITAR SOUNDS for STANDARDS/JAZZ:

One common thing I've noticed tho' and this is critical, is the real jazz sounds most need to get a handle on. Too many are using fusion sounds (a treble edge) thinking that's the "real jazz sound", it's not. Real jazz requires very bassy thick sounds almost like a deep organ sound for good improv on guitar.

What sounds almost like a deep organ sound is the sound you want for good improv on guitar. It helps to have the thick sounds, almost like an organ sound, for guitar. Most come for lessons and they don't have the strings (usually too light-weight gauge, fine for rock and blues, not good enough for jazz), as well as not-good-enough pickups. Doesn't matter the guitar, whether it's a slab-bodied elec. guitar or an acoustic-elec. guitar...you've got to have excellent strings, excellent pickups, and of course a rosewood fingerboard and decent amp.

Remember also to pick close to end of the neck (never near bridges) with a fairly hard pick (soft picks you have to work 2-3x as hard for great sounds), jazz sounds are an opposite to rock and fusion sounds. Using a hard pick gets deeper sounds also. Next about the amp:

I use my GK small-amps in teaching, so I get a very clear picture of their sounds. And it's a pleasure always to steer everyone the right way, and also with the correct right-hand technique non-whacking but soft-touch picking etc. (and proper LH fingerings too) so they get that warm yet powerful thick jazz sound and feel.

It was great to work with the best in the late 1950s in LA jazz....even some organ players. There was a lady organist I played with, for a whole week in a So. LA jazz club who was "famous" but I forget who it was....it could have been Shirley Scott, but somehow maybe not...she was from NYC I do know that. As well as some choice gigs on guitar with other Jazz groups, especially with Teddy Edwards, Red Mitchell, Jack Sheldon, others.

Worked a few nice gigs at places like the Santa Barbara Club (which was on Santa Barbara Blvd. now called Martin Luther King Blvd.) with Jimmy Smith late 50s, early 60s)...you really enjoy working with organists who play their own bass lines, with drums...it's an exciting fun gig. But of course I loved it best with bass players like (mainly) Red Mitchell, Curtis Counce, LeRoy Vinnegar, Cliff Hils, Joe Comfort, Chuck Hamilton, etc. Having the right sound is important.

People ask me what I have on top for the gauge, and I use a 12 (George Benson Elec. Flatwound Strings the only gtr strings I use and endorse) - see shop at: https://shop.carolkaye.com , but it's the same as an 11 or 10 in real gauges...you can bend a note a little but with the great Thomastik George Benson elec. flats I constantly use, they last a lot of years too, as well as get the powerful attack and full rich sounds I love, especially with the Seymour Duncan humbucker Alnico Pro II neck pickup, only pickup I use.... makes the inexpensive Ibanez RG321 sound better than any $5,000 acoustic-elec. Gibson.

The used Ibanez I fixed up was an older slab guitar I had modified. Fretboard tho' a little too flat, for standards/jazz you need a curve in that fretboard for best easier playing.

People agree with my choices as soon as they start using the pickup and strings, they can't believe the fat rich sounds they easily get. It's important to have the right thick sounds for jazz. A fusion sound is terrible, it's not an authentic jazz sound. Listen to George Benson, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, Barney Kessel, Howard Roberts, Bruce Forman, Mark Whitfield.......that sound is what you want.

When you have the right sounds, it makes you play better too. Remember, play lightly for good efficiency, sounds and speed, don't "whack" it....it affects the sound when you bear down too hard, let the amp do the work. Love your fretboard, never "beat it to death like in rock n roll".....and you'll be playing much better too!

w/the fine Bobby Gibbons, kibbitzing on the record date.