Responsiveness

How quickly and easily an instrument turns a light touch into sound, which players feel as an instrument reacting under the fingers.

A responsive guitar speaks with a small amount of energy, so quiet playing still sounds full and detailed, and small variations in touch produce audible changes. Light bracing, low mass and a lively top generally increase it, at the cost of some headroom when playing hard. It is closely tied to the player's style: an instrument that feels wonderfully responsive to a gentle fingerpicker can feel thin and lacking in body under a flatpick.

Example: a lightly braced small-bodied guitar responds to a fingertip, where a heavily built one only wakes up when strummed hard.

Responsiveness

See also