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 3 hours 13 minutes
Introducing Season 2 of the Learn Jazz Standards Podcast
Today's episode marks the 2nd season of the Learn Jazz Standards podcast. Brent explains shifting the show's direction to better serve listeners by focusing on answering their specific jazz learning questions, with shorter 10-minute episodes four days a week and 'Fast Track Friday' strategy episodes. The host conveys excitement for the coming daily content and urges listeners to subscribe.
In this episode:
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episode 1: The Best Songs for Jazz Beginners
In this episode, Brent provides beginner jazz musicians advice on the best standards for learning jazz improvisation. He recommends simple tunes covering basic concepts like modal playing, blues forms, and ii-V-I progressions to get started.
Key takeaways explain building blocks like scales, relative major/minor keys, and chord/melody relationships...
episode 2: Who's the First Ever Jazz Musician?
In this episode, Brent answers a listener's question on who was the first jazz musician in history. He explains there is no definitive single originator but rather an evolution in New Orleans reflecting diverse musical and cultural influences.
Key musicians mentioned are Buddy Bolden, Jelly Roll Morton, and Louis Armstrong, among others. Brent emphasizes understanding jazz history and listening to key recordings to appreciate how the music developed and continues evolving...
episode 3: How to Use the Melodic Minor In Jazz
In this episode, Brent answers a listener's question asking how to use melodic minor scales over dominant seventh chords in jazz improvisation. Brent explains music theory provides tools to conceptualize improvisation, though the goal is applying scales flexibly to add textures and flavors...
episode 4: Should I Think When I Improvise?
In this episode, Brent answers a question from an inner circle member of the Learn Jazz Standards community, on whether musicians should think while improvising or just play what they feel.
Brent explains that the best improvisers utilize both conscious thinking to guide their playing and subconscious reactions to melodies and emotions...
episode 5: The Batch Practice Method for Jazz
In this podcast episode, Brent talks about adopting the Batch Practice Method to improve jazz skills. and outlines a simple but focused approach to achieve measurable progress by breaking learning goals into small, manageable batches to master over multiple practice sessions before moving on incrementally...
episode 6: What Size of Jazz Band is Best?
In this podcast episode, Brent addresses a question from Ed Robinson about the preference between a jazz trio or a quartet. Brent emphasizes the value of playing with other musicians and highlights the diverse challenges and experiences that come with different band settings.
He shares personal insights, expressing a preference for a quartet setting with bass, drums, guitar (himself), and a saxophone...
episode 7: Should I Be Counting When I Solo?
In this podcast episode, Brent addresses a question from Cliff Dunn about counting while soloing. Brent advises against counting while soloing, emphasizing the challenge of trying to coordinate two different tasks simultaneously.
Instead, he recommends practicing feeling the time and provides various strategies, such as listening to recordings, working with a metronome, and breaking down the feeling of a measure...
episode 8: Which Metronomes Are Good For Jazz?
Brent discusses the role of metronomes in jazz practice, responding to a question about the pulse metronome. He emphasizes that metronomes help develop internal time and a steady time feel.
Suggesting online metronomes, he provides exercises for flexibility in time feel. Brent underscores the value of playing with recordings and adapting to different tempos, urging musicians to use metronomes judiciously as one tool among many...
episode 9: How Do I Retain the Songs I've Learned?
In this episode, Brent addresses a question about balancing learning new jazz songs and retaining previous ones, especially with limited practice time. He highlights the importance of mindset, emphasizing that not every song needs to be remembered forever.
The key is understanding the purpose of learning a song for playing with others or educational benefits...