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Jangle
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A Rickenbacker 360/12, one of the most common guitars used to produce "jangly" sounds in the 1960s

Jangle or jingle-jangle is a sound typically characterized by undistorted, treble-heavy electric guitars (particularly 12-strings) played in a droning chordal style (by strumming or arpeggiating). The sound is mainly associated with pop music[1] as well as 1960s guitar bands, folk rock, and 1980s indie music. It is sometimes classed as its own subgenre, jangle pop. Music critics use the term to suggest guitar pop that evokes a bright mood.[2]

Despite forerunners such as Jackie DeShannon, the Searchers and the Everly Brothers, the Beatles and the Byrds are more commonly credited with launching the popularity of jangle. The name derives from the lyric "in the jingle-jangle morning, I'll come following you" from the Byrds' 1965 rendition of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man". Although many subsequent jangle bands drew significantly from the Byrds, they were not necessarily folk rock as the Byrds were.

Since the 1960s, jangle has crossed numerous genres, including power pop, psychedelia, new wave, post-punk, and lo-fi. In the 1980s, the most prominent bands of early alternative and indie rock were jangle pop groups such as R.E.M. and the Smiths.[1]

Definition and origins

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Roger McGuinn of the Byrds playing his 12-string, 1972

"Jangle" is a noun-adjective that music critics often use in reference to guitar pop with a bright mood.[2] The verb "to jangle", of Germanic origin, means "to sound discordantly, harshly or unpleasantly".[3] The more modern usage of the term originated from the lyric "in the jingle-jangle morning, I'll come following you" from the Byrds' 1965 rendition of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man", which was underpinned by the chiming sound of an electric 12-string guitar.[2] According to academic/musician Matthew Bannister, the term "implies a more pop, mainstream approach" that is heavily connoted with "indie pure pop". He writes:

Jangle can be understood as a subspecies of drone: trebly, relatively clean (undistorted) guitar sound played in (often) a chordal style: either strummed or arpeggiated (sounding each string in a chord separately) but generally repeating notes (pedal) over the top of a chord sequence. Pedals are normally open strings that also resonate overtones ... This style was strongly identified with 1960s guitar bands, especially the Byrds [and has since] characterised the sound of acts like R.E.M. and The Smiths ...[1]

It is also deployed in the context of its own music subgenre, "jangle pop", which is characterized by trebly, ringing guitars (usually 12-string electrics) and 1960s-style pop melodies.[4] The Everly Brothers and the Searchers laid the foundations for jangle in the late 1950s to mid 1960s, with examples including "All I Have to Do Is Dream" (1958) and "Needles and Pins" (1964).[citation needed] John McNally of the Searchers speculated that the Byrds may have been influenced by the guitars in "Needles and Pins" and said that the sound of the song "was a total mistake, and it wasn't even done with 12-string guitars. We used two regular six-string guitars playing the same riff and added a little echo and reverb ... and everyone thought we were using 12-strings."[5]

Popularization

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Despite coming after the Everly Brothers and the Searchers, the Beatles and the Byrds are commonly credited with launching the popularity of jangle pop, in the mid-1960s, the Beatles inspired many artists to purchase Rickenbacker 12-string guitars through songs such as "A Hard Day's Night" (July 1964), "Words of Love" (October 1964), "What You're Doing" (December 1964), and "Ticket to Ride" (June 1965).[6] Rickenbacker guitars were expensive and rare, but could create a clear, ringing sound that could not be reproduced with the more "twangy" Telecaster or the "fatter, less sharp" sound of the Les Paul.[6] Lead guitarist George Harrison's use of the Rickenbacker helped to popularize the model,[7] and its jangly sound became so prominent that Melody Maker termed it the Beatles' "secret weapon".[8]

Harrison appeared playing his Rickenbacker in the Beatles' 1964 film A Hard Day's Night; upon seeing the film, Byrds guitarist Roger McGuinn immediately traded his 6-string acoustic for a 12-string Rickenbacker.[9] The Byrds modeled their sound on the Beatles and prominently featured a Rickenbacker electric 12-string guitar in many of their recordings.[6] What would become popularly known as the "jingle-jangle"[10] or "jangle" sound[11] was unveiled with the Byrds' debut record "Mr. Tambourine Man", released in April 1965.[12]

By June, the single had topped the national charts in the US and UK, helping to spark the folk-rock trend. AllMusic critic William Ruhlmann writes that, following the song's success, "it seemed half the recording acts in L.A. either raided the Dylan repertoire for material ... or wrote and recorded material that sounded like it".[12] Harrison himself copied McGuinn's playing style for the Beatles' song "If I Needed Someone", released on the December 1965 album Rubber Soul.[9]

The Byrds' technique

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To create the Byrds' jangle, McGuinn drew from his prior experience as a banjoist and played a picking style of rising arpeggios.[13] According to him, the other crucial component was the heavy application of dynamic range compression to compensate for the Rickenbacker's lower amount of sustain.[11][14] He explained:

[Compression is] how I got my "jingle-jangle" tone. It's really squashed down, but it jumps out from the radio. With compression, I found I could hold a note for three or four seconds, and sound more like a wind instrument. Later, this led me to emulate John Coltrane's saxophone on "Eight Miles High". Without compression, I couldn't have sustained the riff's first note.[15]

In addition, McGuinn did not usually play solos, and instead played the 12-string continuously throughout the arrangement. Of other elements in the overall piece, vocals were sung in an impersonal, detached manner.[1] He also spoke of the Byrds' music as exploring "mechanical sounds" such as jet airplanes. Bannister acknowledges that the "continuity of sensation of drone/jangle combined with emotional detachment may give an affect that can perhaps best be compared to travel, a defining experience of modernity. ... The idea of continual movement connects to young men, associated in modern culture with fast cars, just as rock music and counterculture is associated with 'the road'."[1]

Legacy

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The jangle sound has since become regarded as emblematic of the 1960s[13] and of the decade's folk rock movement.[16] In 2018, Guitar World contributor Damian Fanelli cited McGuinn's "distinctive 12-string Rickenbacker jangle" as among the "most influential and imitated guitar sounds of the past 53 years."[9] Bannister writes that the sound became ideal for bands with one guitarist who wished to fill out their sound and affect a sense of continuity throughout their music.[1] However, few of the subsequent Byrds-influenced jangle bands were folk rock as the Byrds were.[17]

Since the 1960s, jangle pop crossed numerous genres, including power pop, new wave, post-punk, psychedelia and lo-fi, in the 1980s, the most prominent bands of early indie rock were "jangle pop" groups such as R.E.M. and the Smiths.[1] "New Sincerity" was also loosely used for a similar group of bands in the Austin, Texas music scene, led by the Reivers, Wild Seeds and True Believers.[18] Interest in the jangle sound came to be supplanted by a preference for pure drone, a device that became common to grunge. This type of drone was regarded as more "authentic" for rock music. It is exemplified mainly by the Pixies' technique of contrasting a song's minimalist verses with loud guitar drones in the chorus.[1]

In the early 2010s, the term "New Melbourne Jangle" was coined to describe a proliferation of indie pop bands in Melbourne, Australia, including Twerps and Dick Diver. These and other Australian groups were subsequently branded as "dolewave", jangly guitars being a defining characteristic.[19] In a similar way, the term "pop de guitarras" (guitar pop) was used to brand the indie scene of Santiago, Chile, during mid 2010s.[20]

See also

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Jangle is a term in referring to a bright, chiming guitar sound characterized by undistorted, treble-heavy electric tones, often produced by 12-string guitars played in arpeggiated or chordal patterns. The term "jangle" derives from the lyric "in the jingle-jangle morning" in ' cover of Bob Dylan's "" (1965). This sound emerged prominently in the 1960s through influences like ' use of 12-string guitars, evoking a jingly, resonant quality that contrasts with heavier rock distortions. The jangle sound originated in the folk-rock and pop scenes of the mid-1960s, pioneered by bands such as , who combined Bob Dylan-inspired songwriting with shimmering guitar arrangements on albums like . It drew from earlier rock 'n' roll figures like and ' rhythmic acoustic strumming, evolving into a hallmark of groups like in the 1970s. By the early 1980s, jangle experienced a revival as part of the and movements, particularly in the American underground, where it symbolized a return to melodic simplicity amid punk's aggression. Key characteristics of jangle include the use of single-coil pickups on guitars like the or models for clarity and brightness, paired with clean amplification, light reverb, and minimal effects to preserve the natural ring. Playing techniques emphasize open chords, arpeggios, and upbeat strumming to enhance resonance, often supported by harmonious vocals and concise song structures. Notable artists who popularized jangle include , whose debut album Murmur (1983) exemplified the style's raw, DIY ethos, as well as the , , and the scene featuring the . The sound peaked in influence during the mid-1980s but waned by the late decade due to market saturation, though it has seen revivals in by artists like .

Definition and Origins

Core Definition

Jangle refers to a distinctive sonic quality in music characterized by a bright, chime-like, and treble-heavy tone that evokes a "jingling" or "jangling" sensation through its resonant, shimmering clarity. The term 'jangle' derives from the onomatopoeic description of the sound, notably popularized in Bob Dylan's '' (1965), with its 'jingle jangle morning' lyric, as rendered by ' chiming guitar. This sound is primarily achieved via rhythmic chordal or arpeggiated patterns played on clean, undistorted guitars, creating a layered texture that emphasizes high-frequency harmonics over warmth or low-end punch. The technique is closely associated with 12-string electric guitars, which amplify the jangle effect through their doubled strings and uneven vibrations, producing a cascading, resonant quality ideal for pop, , and indie music genres. Single-coil pickups and bright, trebly amplifiers further enhance this clean profile, minimizing to preserve the sound's crisp articulation. Unlike broader clean rock tones, which may incorporate warmer overtones or subtle effects, or distortion-heavy riffs that prioritize aggression and sustain, jangle maintains a purely undistorted, effects-free essence focused on melodic shimmer and rhythmic drive. This quality gained prominence in the as a foundational element in rock subgenres.

Early Influences

The roots of the jangle sound can be traced to the acoustic strumming styles and banjo roll patterns prominent in 1950s folk and , where bright, rhythmic picking created a lively, rolling texture that later informed electric guitar techniques in rock. Guitarists in the genre adapted banjo rolls—sequences of alternating thumb and finger picks—to imitate the instrument's rapid, chime-like drive on guitar strings, providing a foundational rhythmic complexity that emphasized treble tones and arpeggiated patterns. This folk- heritage, particularly through the banjo-inspired picking learned in institutions like Chicago's Old Town School of , influenced key figures in the emerging rock scene, setting the stage for electric adaptations that amplified these acoustic elements. In the late 1950s, ' recordings exemplified harmonic guitar work that bridged traditional folk and country to the brighter, more electric-oriented jangle of the following decade, with clean, ringing acoustic tones and close vocal harmonies creating an airy, melodic lift. Tracks like "All I Have to Do Is Dream" showcased their use of bright strumming and layered guitars, which produced a proto-jangly resonance that resonated with emerging rock musicians seeking to electrify folk influences. Their style, rooted in country traditions but polished for pop appeal, helped transition acoustic chime into a more amplified, harmonious framework. British Invasion precursors further highlighted early chime-like tones in rock, as heard in The Searchers' 1964 recording of "Needles and Pins," where two 6-string guitars played in unison with reverb created a distinctive, chime-like jangle that prefigured the genre's mainstream form. This track combined Everly Brothers-inspired harmonies with trebly, arpeggiated riffs, establishing a template for the bright guitar pop that would define mid-1960s innovations.

Popularization

1960s Breakthrough

In the mid-, jangle emerged as a defining element of , rising in tandem with the genre's popularity and serving as an American musical counterpoint to the led by bands like and . This sound blended the acoustic clarity and lyrical introspection of folk traditions with the rhythmic drive and electric amplification of rock, creating a fresh hybrid that captured widespread attention. Pioneered by the Byrds, jangle's characteristic chiming guitar tones—often produced by 12-string instruments—symbolized this fusion, offering a bright, optimistic energy that resonated amid the era's shifting musical landscape. Bob Dylan's transition to electric instrumentation in 1965 played a pivotal role in amplifying jangle's appeal, inspiring folk-rock hybrids that electrified traditional folk structures. At the in July 1965, Dylan's performance of "Maggie's Farm" with a rock band marked a controversial shift, drawing boos from purists but signaling the viability of blending folk songwriting with rock arrangements. This move, influenced in part by ' earlier success with their folk-rock rendition of Dylan's "" (released in April 1965 and topping the in June 1965), encouraged broader adoption of jangly, electric folk sounds among artists seeking to expand folk's reach. Jangle aligned closely with the 1960s counterculture's sense of optimism and youthful rebellion, providing radio-friendly hits that bridged folk's niche audiences with mainstream pop listeners. Tracks like ' "" exemplified this by combining poetic, socially conscious lyrics with upbeat, accessible melodies and instrumentation, helping to propel into the Top 40 and fostering a sense of communal hope during a time of social upheaval. This accessibility facilitated jangle's role in soundtracks for the era's protests and gatherings, embodying the counterculture's blend of and musical without alienating broader pop consumers.

Iconic Recordings

The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night," released in July 1964 as the title track from their third studio album and the to their debut film, stands as an early exemplar of the jangle sound, propelled by George Harrison's prominent use of a . The instrument's bright, chiming tone provided a distinctive rhythmic drive, particularly in the song's iconic opening chord—a layered F-major with added notes that set a propulsive pace for the track's upbeat energy. This jangly texture, achieved through the 12-string's resonant overtones, influenced subsequent rock guitarists and helped the single reach number one on the for two weeks, selling over a million copies in the United States alone. The Byrds' "Mr. Tambourine Man," a cover of Bob Dylan's 1965 composition released as their debut single in April 1965, emerged as a defining folk-rock jangle hit, largely due to Roger McGuinn's (then Jim McGuinn) solo performance on a 12-string guitar during the recording session. Producer employed session musicians for the rhythm section and harmonies, while McGuinn's arpeggiated riff delivered the song's signature chiming, folk-inflected jangle that bridged Dylan's acoustic roots with electric rock energy. The track's innovative production, including double-tracked vocals and a restrained , propelled it to number one on the for one week in June 1965, marking the Byrds' breakthrough and solidifying jangle as a cornerstone of the emerging folk-rock genre. Other notable 1960s recordings further illustrated jangle's melodic allure, such as ' "," released in July 1965 from their album Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!). Carl Wilson's electric 12-string guitar in the song's orchestral prelude created a soaring, jangly foundation that intertwined with and strings, enhancing the track's irresistible melodic hooks and evoking a sunny, harmonious West Coast vibe. This layered guitar approach contributed to the song's summery catchiness, helping it peak at number three on the in August 1965.

Techniques and Equipment

Playing Techniques

Jangle guitar playing relies on arpeggiated strumming patterns, where individual notes of a chord are picked in rather than strummed simultaneously, allowing each string to resonate clearly and produce a shimmering, layered texture. This technique, often employing —combining a flatpick for lower strings with fingerpicks on the middle and ring fingers—creates continuous chord voicings that maintain a droning, sustained effect throughout a , evoking a sense of propulsion and continuity. Heavy compression plays a crucial role in refining the jangle tone by enhancing sustain and evening out the of the arpeggiated notes, resulting in a consistent that mimics a wind-like chime or bell-toned quality. In studio recordings, this effect is achieved by applying multiple compressors in series, which squash transients while preserving the high-end sparkle, ensuring the guitar cuts through mixes without harsh peaks. A seminal adaptation in jangle techniques comes from of , who translated traditional five-string rolls—rapid, rolling fingerpicking patterns derived from folk and bluegrass styles—into electric riffs, providing rhythmic drive and a distinctive twang. 's method involves using thumb and index finger alongside metal fingerpicks to execute these rolls on higher strings, blending fluidity with rock chord progressions for an energetic, propulsive feel. These player-centric approaches are further enhanced by effects equipment that boosts their inherent clarity and resonance.

Key Instruments

The and 370/12 models stand as the archetypal 12-string electric guitars synonymous with the jangle sound, prized for their bright, shimmering tone that defined rock recordings. Introduced in 1964, the 360/12 features a semi-hollow body that enhances and sustain while reducing feedback, paired with a distinctive 6-saddle bridge design that promotes precise intonation across all 12 strings and contributes to the instrument's signature chimey articulation. The 370/12 variant, developed shortly after, adds a third Hi-Gain pickup for greater tonal versatility, maintaining the same semi-hollow construction and bridge setup that amplify the high-end sparkle essential to jangle. These guitars' semi-acoustic bodies and bridge configuration allow the octave strings to ring sympathetically, creating the layered, bell-like quality central to the genre. Amplifiers like the played a pivotal role in capturing the clean, high-treble output required for jangle without introducing , providing the crystalline clarity that complements 12-string guitars. Debuting in 1958, the AC30 delivers 30 watts through two 12-inch Celestion speakers, emphasizing treble frequencies for a jangly response that became a staple in British music. Its EF86 preamp tubes and power tubes produce a headroom-limited but articulate clean tone, ideal for the undistorted, sparkling sound of jangle ensembles. Accessories such as light-gauge strings and specific tunings further enhance the and chime of these instruments. Rickenbacker recommends sets like .010-.046 nickel-plated steel for 12-strings, which reduce tension for easier playability while preserving the bright attack and harmonic overtones vital to jangle. Standard 12-string tuning employs pairs on the lower four strings (low E, A, D, G), with the thinner string tuned an octave higher, and pairs on the upper B and high E, fostering the sympathetic that amplifies the genre's resonant .

Legacy and Influence

Revivals and Subgenres

In the 1980s, jangle experienced a significant revival within the scene, particularly through American and British bands that fused its signature chiming guitar tones with sensibilities. 's debut single "Radio Free Europe," released in 1981, is widely credited with igniting this resurgence, featuring Peter Buck's arpeggiated riffs that evoked 1960s influences while aligning with the raw energy of . Similarly, , formed in in 1982, blended jangle's melodic guitar work—exemplified by Johnny Marr's intricate, Byrds-inspired playing—with post-punk's angular rhythms and introspective lyrics, as heard in tracks like "" from 1983. This integration helped propel jangle into the indie mainstream, influencing a wave of bands that prioritized emotional depth over punk's aggression. The revival coalesced into the distinct subgenre of jangle pop during the mid-1980s, defined by its emphasis on catchy, hook-driven melodies, bright guitar textures, and a DIY ethos rooted in independent labels and home recordings. Emerging primarily in the U.S. post-punk landscape, jangle pop rejected polished production for an amateurish charm, often featuring cryptic or elliptical lyrics that contrasted with its upbeat instrumentation. Bands like R.E.M. and their contemporaries, including Let's Active and the Feelies, exemplified this approach, achieving peak popularity between 1984 and 1987 before oversaturation led to a decline by the early 1990s. In the UK, The Smiths further shaped the subgenre's aesthetics, combining jangle's pop accessibility with post-punk's cultural critique, which resonated through indie circuits and inspired a generation of DIY musicians. By the 2010s, jangle saw renewed interest in , particularly through the "New Melbourne Jangle" scene, a loose of indie bands incorporating lo-fi production and wry, observational lyrics into the genre's core sound. Groups like Twerps and Dick Diver led this movement, with Twerps' 2011 self-titled album showcasing clean, jangly guitars and minimalist arrangements that echoed indie while adding a hazy, bedroom-recorded intimacy. This evolution crystallized in the subgenre known as , a term coined around 2013 to describe 's indie output, characterized by lo-fi elements, conversational vocals, and themes of urban ennui amid economic stagnation. Dick Diver's 2013 album Calendar Days, for instance, blended jangle's melodic hooks with subdued, tape-recorded aesthetics, capturing the scene's blend of nostalgia and contemporary malaise.

Modern Applications

In the indie and alternative music scenes of the post-2020 era, jangle has experienced a resurgence through artists who incorporate its bright, chiming guitar tones into contemporary songwriting. Canadian band , for instance, exemplifies this trend on their 2022 album , where tracks like "After the Earthquake" feature layered jangly riffs alongside introspective lyrics and reverb-drenched production, earning critical acclaim for revitalizing the style within modern . Similarly, New Zealand's have woven jangle-inspired elements into their power pop framework, as heard in their 2022 release and 2025 album Straight Line Was a Lie, using crisp, hook-driven guitar work to blend nostalgic shimmer with energetic rhythms. These examples highlight how jangle serves as a foundational texture in today's indie landscape, often amplified by digital recording tools to achieve a polished yet organic feel. Jangle's adaptability has led to its integration with modern genres like and , creating electronic hybrids that fuse its acoustic-like brightness with synthetic atmospheres. In , artists such as extend jangle's influence by pairing it with ethereal vocals and ambient effects, as on , where the genre's jangly core enhances dreamy, introspective soundscapes without overpowering the haze. For hybrids, producers in the 2020s have adapted jangle's chime through retro-futuristic lenses, incorporating it into tracks that layer guitar emulation over analog synths and arpeggiators, evoking 1980s nostalgia with a digital twist—evident in collaborative works blending edges with electronic pulses. This cross-pollination allows jangle to evolve beyond traditional rock, contributing melodic sparkle to genre-blending productions that appeal to streaming-era audiences. Advancements in music production have democratized jangle's creation via software emulations, reducing reliance on rare vintage hardware. Digital audio workstations (DAWs) now feature amp simulators like Neural DSP's Archetype series and Line 6 Helix Native, which model clean, treble-forward tones essential for jangle—such as those mimicking Rickenbacker-style pickups—using convolution impulses and algorithmic processing for low-latency, high-fidelity results. These tools enable precise emulation of chorus, reverb, and compression effects in plugins, allowing home producers to replicate the style without physical amps. Complementing this, sustainable gear alternatives to vintage Rickenbackers have emerged, with brands like Breedlove and Taylor employing eco-friendly materials such as reclaimed urban woods and myrtle for semi-hollowbody designs that deliver comparable jangly resonance while minimizing environmental impact through certified sustainable sourcing. This shift toward green manufacturing and virtual instrumentation supports jangle's ongoing relevance in ethical, accessible production contexts as of 2025.

References

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