7 Easy Jazz Standards In Minor You Need To Know

Most Jazz Standards are in a major or a minor key, and Minor songs are a great place to learn several things that you need in Major as well, so it is a good idea to really dig into studying some minor songs.

In this video, I am going to go over 7 songs that are in a minor key that you want to have in your repertoire because knowing them will improve your playing.

Minor Jazz Standards - Improvising in Minor Keys

Jonathan Kreisberg - Summertime:

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Content:
00:00Intro
00:47 #1 Autumn Leaves
01:05 What Will You Learn?
01:38 #2 Blue Bossa
02:11 #3 Bernie's Tune
02:48 #4 Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
03:25 #5 Minor Blues
04:14 #6 Summertime
04:57 #7 Solar
06:06 Honourable Mentions
07:35 Why no So What?
07:41 Like the video? Check out my Patreon page!

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My name is Jens Larsen, Danish Jazz Guitarist, and Educator. The videos on this channel will help you explore and enjoy Jazz. Some of it is how to play jazz guitar, but other videos are more on Music Theory like Jazz Chords or advice on how to practice and learn Jazz, on guitar or any other instrument.

The videos are mostly jazz guitar lessons, but also music theory, analysis of songs and videos on jazz guitars.

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[JensLarsen]

Did I miss a song, do you have other suggestions?

[JohnsonSmithson]

Thanks for always making these useful videos! Greetings from Brazil

[mikegallegos]

About your vids; I appreciate that what you present inspires, challenges, and therefore makes me think and try harder.

Thank you.

[Jamsville]

Night In Tunisia is a fantastic minor tune also! Great for practicing your Tritone substitutions (and keeping time for a 4 bar solo break 😬)

Also, your videos are getting so good Jens! There’s so much information and graphics packed into a short package.

[schnirzelzwirn]

Thank you for your valuable videos.
I am fine with your list. My suggestions are to be understood as honorable mentions: Caravan to study the use of dim patterns over C9b, and Afro Blue to study diatonic cord progressions. Both easy.

[adamscastle]

Great video! I agree with you regarding So What. It is really a modal tune, and the challenge (for me) is the form. It is easy to get lost soloing over D-7 for 24 bars.

[LonnyJarrett]

Bumpin, Afro Blue, Lonnie's Lament, Idle Moments, Sunny, Red Clay-Some of my favorite minor

[Ensorcle]

Oh my god this channel is incredible. I've been missing these pieces that bridge 'basic' music theory and jazz constructions. This is so useful! Thank you! I'm going to literally watch everything you've made now....

[jamescopeland]

Thank you Jens, I plan to work on that list of tunes.

[joepalooka]

Hi Jens--- great list. You forgot to add one more thing that I find extremely helpful in learning jazz IReal Pro backing tracks. They have a huge list of jazz, pop, country, blues etc. You can play the songs in every key, with chord charts and scale charts. You can use all the instruments on the backing tracks, or you can shut off the ones you don't want and just play with bass and drums, or drums only. You can export to Logic or ProTools or other software and make your own tracks. You can edit the tracks, and make your own backing tracks. IReal Pro is very cheap compared to Band In A Box, and is far superior as far as I'm concerned, especially the sound of the bass. It has sure helped me when I practice!

[Xenouvious]

Good video, Jens. Pat Metheny and Tigran Hamasyan’s takes on Solar are top notch.

[brendaboykin]

Great list. Thank you, Jens. My suggestion: "Jordu" Duke Jordan, rec-Clifford Brown Max Roach.🌹🌹🌹🌹

[duffypratt]

A little harder, but I Love Paris, Love For Sale, and It Ain’t Necessarily So. Good video.

[hifreq-therapy]

Nice list, Jens! I really like these sorts of videos since I don't learn lines or theory from YT (since I study music at university). Just finished Bernies Tune and Mulligans Solo on it from the 1952 recording. Now I figure I gotta work on more minor stuff since I lack good ideas on tonic minor chords. Also I need things to play over minor 2 5 1's to improve my Stella by Starlight. I'll try Softly as in a Morning Sunrise since it I really like listening to it.

[ronvonk]

Nice list, good to take a look at these songs again.

However, the Autumn Leaves you used as example is from the Cannonball Adderly album 'Something Else' . Miles Davis is present on this album but please give credits to this wonderful saxophonist (and band leader on this album).

[Wieger]

Hi Jens. So what: for me the challenge is to keep track of where I am while soloing. I needed endless rehearsals to get it right (most of the time). Same with Sister Sadie, with its AABA form and the single chord A section, and other such songs. These songs help me to become a better musician.

[austerereligiousscholar]

Thanks, Jens. Great video as always. One of my favorite minor songs is "Work Song" by Nat Adderly. Yeah, I know, horns. But it is played on guitar as well. There is even a version with lyrics performed by Eric Burden and the Animals!

[priapus]

I like Birk's Works too... great way to introduce students to the blues scale too. I haven't found too many melodies that exclusively are constructed from the blues scale.

[cfibanez]

A lesson on Angel Eyes please!!!
Such a beautiful song.

[philiprowland]

Lullaby in Birdland. Even though it goes to tonic major, it’s a nice one to practice the minor 1-6-2-5