I just did a crossword puzzle and one of the clues was; “Musical instrument, slang”.
The solution turned out to be “axe”. I’ve never heard of this, what instrument is called an axe?
Guitar, usually electric guitar, I believe.
I thought that might be it, but do you know why? Is it because of the way some exuberant rock “musicians” have used them to smash things during performances? I see only the vaguest of similarites in shape between a guitar and an axe.
The online etymology dictionary says:
It seems to make even less sense for a saxophone. Yet another term I’ve heard for years without stopping to think about the etymology. Perhaps, because it’s something you use to demonstrate your “chops”?
Just a guess here: “axe” from “sax”?
I know the term was popular long before Rock came to be, and I’m pretty sure its jazz slang origins are more nearly correct, but I have no cites to prove that, just my memory. In line with a more or less generic term for any instrument, which I believe “axe” to be, there was “stick” (short for licorice stick) for a clarinet, “box” for a piano, “skins” for drums, and probably still other terms for other instruments.
Duh. Should have noticed that. Probably it. Then when the electric guitar became the dominant instrument in rock bands, the usage just carried over.
Because I let the kids watch too many cartoons, warping their minds and my own, when I hear axe for guitar I now think of Valhallen, one of the Justice Friends appearing in Dexter’s Laboratory. Valhallen was a valley-speaking Viking god of rock, whose power came from his trusty axe [guitar].
Thanks, that fits. I’m familiar w/ the other slang terms you mention, I even played the “licorice stick” in H.S., but I’d never heard of “axe”, either for the sax, or the guitar.
That would be a good guess. I do know that “axe” was not limited to saxophones, and that even “box” had other implications than just piano, as in bass fiddle or guitar, mostly for the shape(s). The thing I can’t remember is what slang terms were around for the brass instruments like trumpets, cornets, trombones and such. Nor do I remember anything special for vibes, flutes, and other less common jazz instruments. “The ivories” for keyboard instruments probably goes back further than even Jazz (early 20th and late 19th centuries).
I always enjoyed the concept of “operator” for a player, as in “guitar operator.”
A slang for standup bass - “doghouse”.
That sounds more like an insult. As if you’re saying the person is a technician, rather than an artist.
In current usage, an axe is any instrument. As in “what’s your axe?” meaning “what instrument do you play?”
Well, I would reserve the use of the term for just such a person. There are a few of them, I contend. Being able to operate an instrument does not make one an artist, just as being able to type doesn’t make one a writer nor being able to hit a tennis ball with a racket make one an athlete.
As a direct response to the OP, check out Jazz Slang. There are a number of sites available from a Yahoo! search on “jazz slang box axe stick skins” and probably other criteria as well.
Zeldar Stated:
“I know the term was popular long before Rock came to be, and I’m pretty sure its jazz slang origins are more nearly correct, but I have no cites to prove that, just my memory. In line with a more or less generic term for any instrument, which I believe “axe” to be, there was “stick” (short for licorice stick) for a clarinet, “box” for a piano, “skins” for drums, and probably still other terms for other instruments.”
The clarinet is also known as the “Misery Stick” for its difficulty to play well.
The piano is also known as a “Keyboard”, and drums are also known as “Traps”.
You didn’t call a sax a “Sax” but said “Alto” “Tenor” or “Bari”
Trombones were, of course called “Bones”
They were all “Axes” to yourself and other musicians.
And I believe the Axe ™ Guitar brand is owned by Gene Simmons of KISS.