Smooth jazz

History and character

Smooth jazz is the soft, melodic, radio-friendly version of electric jazz, born in the United States in the 1970s from the more singable side of fusion and from crossover with R&B, funk, and pop, and which became a hugely successful radio format in the 1980s and 1990s (the name "smooth jazz" came out of an industry focus group in the late 1980s; many stations dropped the format around 2009). The pioneering recordings: Hugh Masekela "Grazing in the Grass" (1968), Bob James "Nautilus" (1974), Grover Washington Jr. "Mister Magic" (1975), George Benson "Breezin'" (1976), Chuck Mangione "Feels So Good" (1977), Spyro Gyra "Morning Dance" (1979), Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers "Just the Two of Us" (1981).

Main figures: the saxophonists Kenny G, David Sanborn, Najee, Dave Koz, Boney James, Gerald Albright, Kirk Whalum, Candy Dulfer; the guitarists George Benson, Earl Klugh, Lee Ritenour, Norman Brown, Chuck Loeb; the keyboardists Bob James, Joe Sample, David Benoit, Brian Culbertson; the groups Fourplay, Spyro Gyra, The Rippingtons, Yellowjackets (the more fusion side), Acoustic Alchemy, Hiroshima; bassists such as Marcus Miller and Nathan East.

Defining traits: medium-slow tempo (90–105 BPM), a melodic instrument up front (soprano or tenor sax, later guitar), a soft R&B and funk groove that is often programmed, pads and electric keyboards, simplified jazz harmony (ninth and major seventh chords, IV/V), song form with short, controlled solos: it favors melody and atmosphere over the improvisational "risk" of fusion. Today it survives at festivals, in "chill" playlists, and in "yacht rock", and is cited (sometimes ironically) by vaporwave and nu jazz.

Scales and keys

Ionian with extensions

• Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 — T T S T T T S. On C: C D E F G A B.
• Characteristic note: the 9 (D) and the major 7th (B) used as target notes in the melody: the "smooth sound".
• Chords: Cmaj9 (I), Dm9 (ii), Em7 (iii), Fmaj9 (IV), G13sus (V), Am9 (vi).
• Use: sax themes that lean on the 9 and 13; ballads.
• Example: Kenny G — Songbird.

Major and minor pentatonic

• Major pentatonic on C: C D E G A. Minor on A: A C D E G (same notes).
• Use: most of the themes and solos, because it "sits well" over all the chords of the loop.
• Example: George Benson — Breezin' (pentatonic phrasing in octaves).
• Common mistakes: staying only on the pentatonic and losing the 7th and 9th colors of the harmony.

Dorian

• On D: D E F G A B C. Characteristic note: major 6th (B). Chords: Dm9–G13 (i–IV).
• Use: minor R&B grooves (Just the Two of Us has a minor loop with secondary dominants, see progressions).

Blues and pentatonic with b3

• Major blues on C: C D Eb E G A. Characteristic note: Eb → E. Use: the "R&B phrases" of Sanborn and Grover Washington Jr.

Lydian

• On F: F G A B C D E. Characteristic note: #4 (B) over Fmaj7: the "air" of ballads and intros.

Mixolydian sus

• On G: G A B C D E F. Chord: G13sus4 = F/G: the genre's soft dominant.

How to choose

Harmony

Harmonic function

Simplified and "polished" jazz harmony: loops of 2–4 chords with sevenths and ninths, soft cadences (IV/V instead of V7, ii9–V13sus–Imaj9), few alterations, a one-step modulation in the final chorus. The goal is color, not tension.

Typical elements

• IVmaj7–iii7–ii7–V13sus4 (a descending "sunset" loop).
• IV/V (F/G in C) and bVII/I.
• Dorian i9–IV13 in minor grooves.
• Secondary dominants and simple substitutions (Just the Two of Us).
• 6/9 and maj9#11 chords in the endings.

Voicings

Rhodes and piano with wide voicings (1–5–9 in the left hand, 3–7–9 or 7–3–5 in the right), wide synth pads, clean guitar with chorus on ninth chords. Avoid the third in the low register.

Harmonic rhythm

One chord per bar or two per bar; verse and chorus often over similar loops.

Typical progressions

Rhythm and groove

Feel

Soft R&B/funk groove at 90–105 BPM, sixteenths with a light swing (52–58%), a light but steady backbeat, plenty of space. Often programmed or hybrid drums (drum machine + live percussion). There are also Latin tunes (bossa, samba-pop) and ballads in 12/8.

Accents

Backbeat on 2 and 4 (snare or rim), a light, syncopated kick, delicate sixteenth-note hi-hat, shaker. The bass is "round" and syncopated.

Microtiming

Everything very precise ("glossy"), with a bit of swing on the sixteenth notes and the soloist breathing freely on top.

Drums

Principle

Smooth jazz drumming is a discreet carpet: low-dynamic R&B grooves, clean, short sounds, no intrusive fills. Often programmed (Linn, MPC, samples) or played by session players with great control (Harvey Mason, Ricky Lawson, John Robinson).

Kick

Beat 1, the "and" of 2 or the "a" of 2, the "and" of 3 (pos. 1, 7/8, 11); a soft, short sound, little sub.

Snare

Backbeat on 2 and 4, often cross-stick/rim in the verses and a full snare in the choruses; very light ghost notes.

Hi-hat

Light sixteenth notes with accents on the eighths; discreet opening on the "and" of 4; ride in the choruses.

Percussion

Shaker, tambourine, light congas, bells/chimes in transitions.

Dynamics

Low and steady; minimal crescendo in the choruses. Velocity: rim 70–90, snare 90–105, hat 40–70.

Interaction

The bass (often light slap or fingerstyle) plays the main line with the kick; the drums leave space for the sax.

Sections

Verse: rim and hat; chorus: full snare and cymbals; solo: a bit more energy; outro: fade.

Fills

Short and light (high toms, soft sixteenth-note snare), often just a cymbal.

Sounds

High-tuned, short snare, damped kick, thin, bright hi-hats; clean plate reverbs.

Typical mistakes

Rock drumming that is too loud, intrusive cymbals, constant fills, a groove too full that covers the melody.

Bass

Sound

Electric bass (5-string, often active) clean and round, light slap (Marcus Miller), fingerstyle (Nathan East), sometimes synth bass.

Notes

Root, fifth, octave, chromatic approach notes, small fills in the gaps of the melody.

Relationship with the kick

R&B interlocking: bass on the one with the kick, syncopations on the rests.

Rhythm

Syncopated eighths and sixteenths, very tidy.

Harmonic instruments

• Rhodes and electric pianos (Bob James, Joe Sample), later the DX7 E.Piano in the 1980s.
• Bright acoustic piano on ballads.
• Wide, soft synth pads.
• Clean guitar with chorus (ninth chords, octaves in the style of Wes Montgomery/George Benson).
• Strings on ballads (real or sampled).

Melody and vocals

Solo instrument

Soprano sax (Kenny G, Grover Washington Jr.) or tenor/alto (Sanborn, Dave Koz) with a bright, very "vocal" sound: long notes with vibrato, glissandi, R&B phrases; guitar in octaves or with scat (George Benson sings in unison with the guitar).

Melodies

Singable themes of 8–16 bars, repeated with variations, appoggiaturas on the 9 and 13, short, melodic solos.

Vocals

R&B vocal tracks (Al Jarreau, Bill Withers, Michael McDonald), soft backing vocals, "ooh" voices on the pads.

Effects

Long plate or hall reverb (2–2.5 s) on the soloist, dotted-eighth delay, chorus on the guitar.

Instruments

• Soprano, alto, and tenor sax
• Jazz electric guitar or nylon-string acoustic
• Rhodes, piano, synth, DX7
• Electric bass (also 5-string)
• Drums (often programmed), light percussion
• Strings (ballads)
• Voice (vocal tracks)

Drum patterns

Synths and sounds

• Stage-73 V — Rhodes: maj9 and m9 chords with soft stereo tremolo and chorus: the harmonic heart of the genre.
• DX7 V — FM e-piano: The 1980s sound of Bob James and the "Wave": E.Piano 1 with chorus and a little reverb.
• Jup-8 V — Pad: Soft pads with two detuned oscillators, attack 300–600 ms, long release; filter half closed.
• Piano V — Piano: Bright grand piano for ballads and intros.
• Augmented Strings — Strings: Pads and countermelodies on ballads.
• Prophet-5 V — Pad and soft lead: A "flute" lead or warm pad for modern reinterpretations.

Song structure

Form

• Intro (4–8): pad and Rhodes, or groove.
• Theme A (16) – Theme B / "chorus" (8–16).
• Theme A – B.
• Solo (16–32), often by the lead soloist or the guitar.
• Final B ×2 (with modulation) – Outro with improvisation and fade.
• Length 4:00–5:30 (radio format).

Arrangement

Verse: groove + Rhodes + soloist. Chorus: pad, strings or backing vocals, full snare. Solo: band a bit more present. Fade-out with the soloist's phrases.

Mixing and mastering

Sonic goal

A glossy, soft, wide sound: the soloist in the center and up front with an aura of reverb, a clean groove underneath, wide pads, no harshness. References: George Benson — Breezin', Grover Washington Jr. — Winelight, Fourplay — Bali Run, Dave Koz — 2000s productions. Loudness: −14/−11 LUFS (1970s–80s), −11/−9 (1990s–2000s radio).

Kick

HP 35 Hz; 60–80 Hz +2 dB; 300 Hz −3 dB; 2–3 kHz +1 dB; compression 2–3 dB. Soft, center.

Snare and rim

HP 100 Hz; 200 Hz +1 dB; 4–6 kHz +2 dB; compression 3 dB; plate 1.5–2 s pre-delay 20 ms (a "pretty", audible reverb). Rim: HP 300 Hz, 1–2 kHz presence.

Hi-hat and percussion

HP 400 Hz; 10–12 kHz +2 dB; shaker panned opposite; everything delicate.

Bass

HP 30 Hz; 60–100 Hz +2 dB; 250 Hz −2 dB; 800 Hz +1 dB; compression 4:1 4–5 dB (very steady). Center.

Rhodes, piano, pad, guitar

• Rhodes: HP 80 Hz; −2 dB at 300 Hz; chorus; wide 70–100%.
• Pad: HP 200 Hz; wide; well below the soloist.
• Rhythm guitar: HP 120 Hz; chorus; pan 40–60%.
• Strings: HP 200 Hz; hall 2.5 s; wide.

Solo sax

• EQ: HP 100 Hz (soprano 150 Hz); −2 dB at 400–600 Hz (nasal); presence 2–3 kHz +2 dB; air 10 kHz +2 dB; de-esser on the keys and the breath at 5–8 kHz.
• Compression: opto 4–6 dB (very smooth) + light limiter.
• Space: hall or plate 2–2.5 s pre-delay 40–60 ms; dotted-eighth delay 15–25% filtered.
• Automation: phrase-by-phrase volume, more reverb on long notes.

Solo guitar

HP 100 Hz; 1.5–3 kHz presence; compression 3–4 dB; stereo delay; hall.

Vocals (vocal tracks)

HP 90 Hz; 300 Hz −2 dB; 3 kHz +2 dB; 12 kHz +2 dB; compression 5–6 dB; plate 1.8 s.

FX

Long, bright hall, tempo-synced delay, chorus on guitar and Rhodes.

Buses and groups

Rhythm bus (2 dB), keyboard bus (1–2 dB), mix bus (1–2 dB glue).

Sidechain

Dynamic ducking of pad and Rhodes from the soloist (1–2 dB at 1–3 kHz) to leave room for the melody.

Master

Chain: EQ (HP 25 Hz, +1 dB shelving at 12 kHz) – compressor 2:1 2 dB – limiter. Target −12/−10 LUFS integrated, true peak −1 dBTP.

Common mistakes

Sax harsh at 3–5 kHz, excessive reverb that pushes the soloist "away", a groove too loud, a flat mix with no depth.

Reference tracks for mixing

George Benson — Breezin'; Grover Washington Jr. — Winelight; Fourplay — Bali Run; David Sanborn — Chicago Song; Boney James — 2000s productions.

Reference listening

• Bob James — Nautilus (1974)
• Grover Washington Jr. — Mister Magic (1975)
• George Benson — Breezin' (1976)
• Chuck Mangione — Feels So Good (1977)
• Spyro Gyra — Morning Dance (1979)
• Grover Washington Jr. — Winelight (1980)
• Grover Washington Jr. feat. Bill Withers — Just the Two of Us (1981)
• David Sanborn — Chicago Song (1987)
• Kenny G — Songbird (1986)
• Fourplay — Bali Run (1991)