How To Learn a Jazz Standard - Important Exercises

Learning Jazz Standards is essential to learning jazz, in fact learning the repertoire is everything with any genre of music. There are of course many ways to go about this, but since it is important and you want to learn a lot of songs then it is also useful to do this in an efficient way.

The first time I started to learn a Jazz Standard it took me about two months, and there are better ways to do that how I did it. And that is what this video is about.

Content:
0:00 Intro
0:07 Learning Jazz is Learning Jazz Songs
0:28 Take a better approach than I did
0:44 A Method or a Checklist
1:10 #1 Pick A song
2:02 #2 Listen
2:29 Learning By Ear and using vocal recordings
2:54 #3 Analyze the Song
3:35 Join the FB Community
3:54 #4 Playing The Song
4:13 Play the music, not only exercises
4:31 #5 Pick a Position
5:12 #6 Learn The Melody By Heart
6:04 #7 Play The Chords
6:44 #8 Learn The Arpeggios
8:01 #9 Other Exercises
8:50 Like the Video? Check out My Patreon Page

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Edited by Luciano Poli

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[JensLarsen]

What is your process or maybe something I left out in mine?
Content:
0:00 Intro
0:07 Learning Jazz is Learning Jazz Songs
0:28 Take a better approach than I did
0:44 A Method or a Checklist
1:10 #1 Pick A song
2:02 #2 Listen
2:29 Learning By Ear and using vocal recordings
2:54 #3 Analyze the Song
3:35 Join the FB Community
3:54 #4 Playing The Song
4:13 Play the music, not only exercises
4:31 #5 Pick a Position
5:12 #6 Learn The Melody By Heart
6:04 #7 Play The Chords
6:44 #8 Learn The Arpeggios
8:01 #9 Other Exercises
8:50 Like the Video? Check out my Patreon Page

[jodi]

As a bassist, I do recommend learning how to walk through the changes. You mentioned learning the arpeggios, which is also a good start to building a walking bass line. Guitarists sometimes have to walk through changes, especially when playing in a duo with another guitarist. It's just a great skill to add to one's playing. Using arpeggios, I think it's really great to use different permutations of an arpeggio, not just 1-3-5(-7). Mix them up, such as 1-5-3-1 or 3 above root-5 below root - 7 - 1. Hopefully that last one makes sense. Come up with different ways to play an arpeggio. Doing this methodically throughout a song will definitely instill a deeper sense of harmony. Take it to the next level using 8th note lines instead of quarter note lines.

[petrux]

I found extremely beneficial the exercised proposed in Jamey Aebersold's "How to play jazz and Improvise": play the scale up to the 9th and down back to the 1st, then play the arpeggio, then scale up and arpeggio down, then arpeggio up and scale down. Which is roughly the same things that you suggest in the "Other exercises" section but with the 9th instead of the 7th. :-)

[ryadachaibou]

You dropped this video right when I was gonna butcher a Wes Montgomery classic. Thank you.

[HeathCliff]

As a professional musician and guitar player (with not much experience in jazz) I can identify with that feeling of astonishment and doubt when first getting into the amazing world of possibilities this genre offers. Luckily, I found this channel, which helps me find my way step by step. Thank you, Jens!

[muhammadrezahaghiri]

The first Jazz Standard I learned was "Autumn Leaves". I love that piece. Simple but beautiful. Those days I was 14 (about 10 years ago) and I had no idea what Jazz is (unfortunately, Jazz never became as popular as other genres here in Iran). I actually found the beauty of Jazz in the past two years, and I started learning more jazz songs (not sure if they considered standard) like "La vie en rose" or "Everybody wants to be a cat".
Great video! I think I should learn more Jazz standards :P

[robertdouglas]

Good Day Jens, like to Share a story, born in1959, was fortunate to have an Aunt whom left me with 78's from WW2, I wore them out, created a great love for all music, especially the stories my dad told me of his endeavors towards the big Band ERA! The math, timing, but also the feel for things we eventually develop, He never got the chance, as he fought in WW2, bought he inspired, and taught his Sons music, keep up the good work and continue to share as others do, Good WORK!

[AlexBecerra]

Thanks for all the advice!
Something else I recommend is listening to the piece several times while focusing on different instruments, even if you don't play them. Maybe the first time focus on the sax, next one the piano, then drums, then bass... playing also involves listening to other musicians.

[Soberan]

Well done, Jens! Yet another no-nonsense video. Essential viewing! I would add though, after the arpeggios, to add approach notes and enclosures to the chord tones. Cheers!

[hakonosatowakugai]

Yes! Listening to vocal versions of standards is very useful to get the melody in your head. Too often when playing rock in a group a lot of musicians get lost on the instrumental breaks the 1st few times they play a tune because they don't sing the melody in their head. Lyrics do help keep it together when learning melody.

[localpm]

Best Teacher there is.Thanks again Jens.

[yafittsouri]

You’re so great, I tried playing jazz many times, your explain so clear and to the point.

[RCSmiths]

AHh Jazz Standards have so much value to them in terms of getting them down and getting it right for all of Jazz playing! Great work here man!

[annettesomers]

Great lesson so thank you! I love Take the A train

[peropen]

Thank you, Lars! So much insight in a single lesson!

[travislee]

Great advice as usual! I came across your channel about a month ago and quickly subscribed. I’ve bought a couple of guitar books in the past from Fundamental Changes so I’m on their email list. I got an email a couple weeks ago from them announcing a new jazz book and I was like, "Jens Larsen? wait a minute that’s that YouTube guy I just found out about.” I bought both of your books on Amazon. Mind blown! On just a quick read through I can already tell I love the material, the layout, and your teaching style. I’ve got years of material to work on (especially if I do all the chapter assignments!). Maybe one day I’ll be up to the level of earning the right to open the second advanced book 🤪

[DovidM]

Regarding your point about paying attention to how the ballad is sung, I’ve heard that guitarists and piano players approach this differently. From the point of view of piano players, guitarists often give no thought about how singers typically phrase or accent a given ballad, and that this detracts from their solos. In listening to my own practice sessions, I compare what I played to a sung version to see if I am playing the melody with the phrasing and dynamics a singer brings to it.

[paulpmanhowland]

Great video. As to item #6, Learning The Melody By Heart, I like to play along to recordings of the tune playing the melody over the whole tune, solos and all, it seems like a good way to internalize the melody and the form.

[reesischess]

Small tip: learn standards with a common and popular vocal line, e.g. Fly Me to the Moon or The Days of Wine and Roses. This way, should you ever work with a singer, you'll already have a base to work from.

[danielirilarry]

It's very useful and clear as water, thank you very very much!