The LJS Podcast is the podcast where you get weekly jazz tips, interviews, stories and advice for becoming a better jazz musician! Hosting the show is the jazz musician behind learnjazzstandards.com, author, and entrepreneur Brent Vaartstra, who’s one goal is to answer any question about playing jazz music you may have. Jazz can be a challenging music to learn and play, but it doesn’t have to be so hard. Each episode features a specific musical challenge that jazz students may come across, where it is discussed and answered. Special jazz guests frequent the show, sharing their expertise on an array of different musical subject matter. Listeners are invited to call in with their jazz questions to the podcast hotline, where it could get answered on a future LJS Podcast episode. Join thousands of other listeners getting free jazz education every week!
https://www.learnjazzstandards.com/podcast
Gesamtlänge aller Episoden: 10 days 5 hours 34 minutes
Quick Win: How to Learn Softly, As In a Morning Sunrise (Jazz Tutorial)
Today, we're talking about the classic minor jazz standard, "Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise". We'll take a look at the chords to figure out the most efficient way to learn it as well as some harmonic secrets within the tune that will help us improvise over it.in this episode:1. Short demo2. The best way to learn the melody3. Identifying the key - The first A section4. Things you can do with a minor ii-V-I progression5. A tritone substitution6. Chord substitution options7. Associating the mel...
Quick Win: Pro Jazz Musician Reacts to His Playing From 10 Years Ago
What's up, guys? It's Brent here. So I was just surfing the Internet and I found a video of me playing a gig from 10 years ago.Today, I'm gonna watch that video, give you my reaction to it, and let's see how messy it gets. In this episode:1. Intro2. The melody3. Pro Tip4. The organ solo (by Camden Hughes) - my impression5. My impression of my comping6. Pro Tip7. When I hit it pretty good8. How I rate my solo9. How I failed on trading 4s10....
40 Jazz Standards to Know (Broken Down by Category)
Today, on the podcast, I'm talking about 40 jazz standards that you should know and I'm gonna break them down by categories so that you can see which categories you need to fill in some more jazz standards on.In this episode:1. Start-Up Standards2. Advanced Essentials3. Ballads4. Bossa Novas 5. Bebop6. Blues7. Brent's top 6Important Links:Free Guide to learning standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart WayLJS Inner Circle MembershipLearn Jazz Standards Inner Circle: Get 50% off your fi...
The 6 Lies of Jazz Success
Today, we're talking about the 6 lies of jazz success. Things that you've probably heard before are good things, but it turns out they actually aren't and could be holding you back from reaching your goals in your jazz playing, and becoming the musician that you want to be.So, let's get ready to do this. Pay attention and grab your notebook.In this episode: The 6 lies about jazz success and the alternative ways to turn it aroundLie #1: Everything you practice mattersLie #2: Practi...
From The Vault: How to Prepare to Play at Jazz Jam Sessions
I hear from a lot of you that a big goal is to play at a public jazz jam session. But there may be some barriers, either in your mind or your actual playing ability that is stopping you from actually doing that.So, how do you prepare to play at jazz jam sessions and with other musicians in general? That's why we're going to go back into the vault of the LJS podcast, pull out an episode where I get two of my good friends and professional jazz musicians, Wallace Stelzer and Diego Baldonado, and...
How to Play Jazz By Instrument (Guitar, Piano, Sax, Trumpet, Bass)
If you play guitar, saxophone, trumpet, bass, and piano, this episode is for you.On this podcast, we talk about jazz improvisation and things that literally all harmonic and melodic instruments need to be doing to improve at playing jazz. But, inevitably, there are certain technical elements of each one of these instruments that do need to be addressed that will help you actually play jazz better.So, on today's episode, we're going through each one of these instruments. We're also going to ta...
episode 1: 4 Habits For Better Practicing
Welcome to our very first episode of the LJS Podcast, where today we are talking about 4 Habits For Better Practicing. As jazz musicians, practicing is one of the most important things we can talk about. Listen in as NYC-based jazz guitarist and LJS blogger Brent Vaartstra walks us through these important practicing habits.Important Links:LJS Inner Circle MembershipFree Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart WayLearn Jazz Standards Inner Circle: Get 50% off your first...
episode 2: How to Properly Learn a Jazz Standard
Welcome to episode 2 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to properly learn a jazz standard.In this episode, we talk about why learning jazz standards is so important and 5 great steps to learning a jazz standard so you can really own it. Find out how!Important Links:LJS Inner Circle MembershipFree Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart WayLearn Jazz Standards Inner Circle: Get 50% off your first month! Want to get your jazz question answered on the...
episode 3: How to Overcome Low Self-Esteem as a Musician
Welcome to episode 3 of the LJS Podcast where today we are talking about how to overcome low self-esteem as a musician. In this episode we talk about how musicians (especially jazz musicians) can suffer from low self-esteem by being hard on themselves and unhappy with their playing.We walk through 4 different things to consider to help overcome low self-esteem as a musician. Listen in!Important Links:LJS Inner Circle MembershipFree Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Sma...
episode 4: 3 Things Every Jazz Musician Should Practice
Welcome to episode 4 of the LJS Podcast where today we will be talking about 3 Things Every Jazz Musician Should Be Practicing. In this episode, we go over three things to practice that are proven to be very effective in improving jazz soloing and jazz playing in general. If these are not a part of your practice routine now, you are going to want to pencil them in!Important Links:LJS Inner Circle MembershipFree Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart WayLearn Jazz Stan...