Song Rig
Easy Like
Barney Kessel · Easy Like · 1953
Tone Overview
What Makes This Sound Unique
Barney Kessel's debut album and one of the earliest jazz guitar recordings to document his Django-and-Christian-influenced approach. The Gibson ES-350 through a clean studio amp produces the definitive 1950s jazz guitar tone: warm, woody, and precise, with the floating pickup's proximity to the neck providing maximum warmth.
Signal Chain
- 1Gibson ES-350 (floating single pickup)
- 2Small clean studio amp
Amp Settings
Warm and clean — the ES-350's floating pickup near the neck produces a round, full-bodied tone that the bebop era associated with 'mature' jazz guitar. No treble harshness, no amp character beyond basic warmth.
Technique
How to Play It
Chord-melody integration — Kessel's approach to standards involves simultaneously playing melody notes and accompanying chords, with the melody note always the highest pitch in each chord voicing. This creates a piano-like fullness from a single guitar.
Budget Alternative
Achievable With
Gibson ES-350, L-5, or any warm archtop → very clean amp → practice chord-melody: learn the tune's melody, then harmonise each melody note with an appropriate chord voicing below it. The melody is always the highest sounding note.
Your Gear
Adapt to My Amp
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