Surf Music

Evolving from late 1950s American instrumental rock, surf music is defined by its use of heavily reverberated electric guitars to evoke the sonic environment of Southern California's surf culture. The Fender Stratocaster and Jazzmaster guitars, processed through outboard spring reverb units, became the genre's central voice, producing a signature 'wet' and dripping tone. Instrumentation is typically spare, built around guitar, bass, and drums, with saxophone sometimes included. The genre's ethos is tied to the physical experience of surfing, with fast, driving rhythms and melodic lines that mimic the motion of waves. Its commercial peak in the early 1960s was brief, but its influence shaped elements of garage rock, punk, and film scores.