Video – Learn Jazz Standards

How To Play 7th Chords: 5 Types of 7th Chords on Piano & Guitar

James Melton — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 13:25:08 +0000

Are you stuck on 7th chords and can't seem to break through? This ultimate guide to 7th chords will help you master jazz harmony.

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When To Use iReal Pro To Learn Jazz

James Melton — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 15:53:44 +0000

5 Ways iReal Pro Will Help You Learn To Play Jazz (And 4 Ways It Won’t) For many jazz students, a tool like iReal Pro can be a game-changer. But knowing when and how to use it is just as crucial as having it in your toolkit. It’s easy to become too dependent on it, […]

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Secret Jazz Soloing Strategy to Improve Fast

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 13:00:00 +0000

I’m going to teach you a secret strategy for improving your jazz solos that no one has ever taught before. And it’s currently revolutionizing the playing of hundreds of my students. In this episode: 2. What you need to prepare before implementing the strategy 3. Listen to one of my B.A.D. jazz solos 4. What […]

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How to Practice With Jazz Play-Alongs

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Jazz backing tracks or play-alongs can be great tools to improve your jazz improvisation. But it could be possible the way you are using them isn’t helping you very much. Let’s talk about strategies for using jazz play-alongs. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz […]

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How to Play Jazz In ANY Key (Transposing Secrets)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 13:00:00 +0000

So, what’s the most effective way to take a jazz standard like, “All the Things You Are” and transpose it into an entirely different key without even having to think about it? Let’s talk about 4 steps to instantly transpose jazz standards. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards […]

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How to Play at FAST Jazz Tempos (Without Playing Fast)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 13:00:00 +0000

If playing at fast jazz tempos on jazz standards is challenging for you, I’m about to make things a whole lot easier. Let’s go over some strategies for improvising at fast tempos without actually having to play fast. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz […]

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How To Improve Your Jazz Playing in 2023 Exponentially

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 30 Dec 2022 13:00:00 +0000

If your goal is to skyrocket your jazz playing and improve more than you ever have this year, then I want to help you with that. Let’s go over 3 things that will take your jazz playing to the next level. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by […]

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5 Categories of Colorful Jazz Chords You Need to Know

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 13:00:00 +0000

You may have noticed that a lot of jazz musicians use a lot of colorful jazz chords. So what exactly are those chords that they are playing and which ones do you need to know to play jazz? 💥Important Links and Resources💥 1️⃣ Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide and Masterclass: […]

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Every Jazz Chord Progression You Need to Know

Brent Vaartstra — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 16:52:28 +0000

If you want to be able to play and improvise over jazz standards, you need to understand the chord progressions that they are built out of. So, here’s every single chord progression that you need to know for jazz. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn […]

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The Secret to Playing Jazz Ballads Like a Pro

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Some people say that jazz has the best ballads. So, let’s talk about some tips for how you can play jazz ballads like a pro. In this episode: Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way Listen to the Learn Jazz Standards […]

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How to Reharmonize a Jazz Standard (4 Levels)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Let’s talk about how to reharmonize a jazz standard. In this episode: Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way Listen to the Learn Jazz Standards Podcast Get our Amazon Best Selling book

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10 Minor Jazz Standards You Need to Know For Jam Sessions

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 12:00:00 +0000

So what are some jazz standards in minor keys that you need to know for jazz jam sessions? Let’s go over 10 that you absolutely need to know. In this episode: 1.#1 Minor Jazz Standard 2. #2 Minor Jazz Standard 3. #3 Minor Jazz Standard 4. #4 Minor Jazz Standard 5. #5 Minor Jazz Standard […]

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The BEST Way to Improve At Jazz

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 13:00:21 +0000

After practicing for thousands of hours, playing hundreds of gigs, and teaching thousands of students online, I’ve discovered the best way to improve as a jazz musician. And the best thing about that is it only requires you to do one thing a month. In this episode: Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership […]

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I Turned “The Lick” Into An Awesome Jazz Solo

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 12:00:00 +0000

So, there’s a well-known musical phrase that jazz musicians have dubbed “the lick”. People start noticing that the lick was showing up everywhere in the vocabulary of the great jazz musicians. So, there are compilation videos, memes, and fanfare around using and playing the lick. But what happens after you go about actually learning it? […]

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Jazz Theory In 15 Minutes (Everything You Need To Know)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Alright, I’m gonna set the timer over for 15 minutes. I’m gonna teach you all of the music theory that you need to know to play jazz. In this episode: Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way Listen to the Learn […]

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Why It’s Hard to Teach Music On YouTube (Rant)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 12:00:00 +0000

In this video, I’m going to talk about the YouTube copyright claim that got me demonetized, why I find it unfair and how I think it affects music teaching on the platform. In this episode: Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart […]

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Turn ANY Song Into JAZZ (Reharmonization 101)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Today, I wanna show you how you take a simple song, like, “You Are My Sunshine”, and turn it into jazz. We’ll take up 4 levels of reharmonization. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way Listen to the Learn Jazz Standards […]

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How to Learn Jazz Melodies By Ear

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 12:00:00 +0000

So, what’s the best way to learn and memorize the melodies to jazz standards? Well, today, I’m gonna just walk you through me learning the melody to a jazz standard that I actually don’t know and show you my exact process. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by […]

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10 Biggest Lies About Playing Jazz

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Have you been told any of these 10 mistruths about jazz? If so, you may have started believing things that are ultimately not helping you improve as a jazz player. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way Listen to the Learn […]

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Jazz Improvisation For Beginners (How to Get Started)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 12:00:00 +0000

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed at jazz improvisation and unsure of where to get started, today I’m going to show you exactly how it works, make it simple so you get headed in the right direction. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the […]

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Pro Jazz Musician Reacts to His Playing From 10 Years Ago

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 12:00:00 +0000

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. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free […]

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How to Learn Giant Steps (Jazz Tutorial)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Giant Steps is notoriously one of the most feared jazz standards for musicians to learn and improvise over, not only because of the complex harmony but also because of the speed. So today, I’m gonna talk about how we can learn the chords most efficiently so we can improvise over them well and find out […]

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Pro Jazz Musician Reacts to YouTubers Making Fun of Jazz

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Hey, what’s up? It’s Brent! So today, I’m gonna be surfing YouTube to find some videos of people who are making fun of jazz. or attempting to play jazz. After all, I’m a professional jazz musician who makes his living off of performing and teaching jazz, so I should probably be a little bit more […]

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5 Pro-Level Jazz Licks You Need to Know

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 12:00:00 +0000

I’m gonna show you 5 jazz licks to have you sounding like a pro and unveil some of the secrets that jazz musicians are using in their solos. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle MembershipFree Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way Listen to the Learn Jazz Standards Podcast […]

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$600 vs. $6,000 Jazz Guitar | Is Cheap or Expensive Better?

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 12:00:00 +0000

This is a $600 jazz guitar and this is a $6000 jazz guitar. Today, I’m discussing which one I personally like the most as well as the age-old question, “Does having an expensive instrument help you play music better?”. You might be surprised. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn […]

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How to Memorize Chords to Jazz Standards

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 12:00:00 +0000

After learning a jazz standard you may find it difficult to recall the chord changes in the long term, especially if you’re learning a lot of them. So, I’m gonna share with you how I memorize chords to jazz standards so I don’t forget them. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide […]

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The Best Jazz Practice Advice

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 12:00:00 +0000

If you wanna be a good musician of any kind then you know you need to practice, especially if you want to play jazz. So, I’m gonna give you the very best practice advice I can give you to help you get set up for success. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free […]

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The Best Ear Training for Jazz

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 12:00:00 +0000

You’ve probably been told that playing jazz requires great ears. Well, how do you actually train your ears for jazz improvisation? I’m gonna give you 10 things you can do! Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way Listen to the Learn […]

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How to “Play the Changes” In Your Jazz Solos

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 12:00:00 +0000

The best jazz musicians in the world can play a solo, unaccompanied and you know exactly the tune they were playing. You can do that, too. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way Listen to the Learn Jazz Standards Podcast Get […]

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Using Pentatonics for AMAZING Jazz Solos

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 27 May 2022 12:00:00 +0000

If you know the pentatonic or the blues scale you can actually play really amazing jazz solos using just those notes. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way Listen to the Learn Jazz Standards Podcast Get our Amazon Best Selling book […]

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How to PRACTICE Improvising Over a Jazz Standard

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 20 May 2022 12:00:00 +0000

So, if you’re practicing over jazz standards but you continually feel like you’re not improving, not getting any better, it could be that you’re just practicing them wrong in the very first place. So, I’m gonna show you strategies for practicing over jazz standards and actually improvising over them. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner […]

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The Most Important Music Theory for Jazz Standards

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 13 May 2022 12:00:00 +0000

What are the most important music theory concepts that you need to know to make learning and improvising over jazz standards much easier? Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way Listen to the Learn Jazz Standards Podcast Get our Amazon Best […]

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Instantly Improve Your Jazz Solos (3 Strategies)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 06 May 2022 12:00:00 +0000

If your jazz solos feel like they’re missing that secret sauce that pro-level jazz musicians have, then you could be missing out on one of these strategies. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way Listen to the Learn Jazz Standards Podcast […]

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The Most Important Scales for Jazz Standards

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 12:00:00 +0000

So what are the most important scales that will help you improvise over jazz standards? Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way Listen to the Learn Jazz Standards Podcast Get our Amazon Best Selling book See you in the next video!

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10 Jazz Blues Songs You Need to Know

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 12:00:00 +0000

So what are some jazz blues heads that you absolutely need to know for jazz jam sessions and gigs? Well, today I’m gonna share with you 10 that you absolutely should know. Important Links and Resources: LJS Inner Circle Membership Free Guide to learn standards by ear: Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way Listen to […]

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How I Memorized 100 Jazz Standards

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 12:00:00 +0000

So how did I learn 100 new Jazz Standards in one year? Well, I’m gonna show you the exact strategies that I use so that you can use them, too! Important Links and Resources: Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide and Masterclass Join our powerful jazz learning community Listen to the […]

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How to Master Rhythm Changes

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 12:00:00 +0000

So how do you master the seemingly difficult but important jazz song form rhythm changes? Well, today I’m gonna show you 8 simple steps to do exactly that. Important Links and Resources: Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide and Masterclass Join our powerful jazz learning community Listen to the Learn Jazz […]

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Perfect BEBOP Minor BLUES Solo

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 12:00:00 +0000

How do you craft amazing bebop lines over a minor blues so that you sound like a jazz pro? I’m gonna walk you through the perfect minor blues solo. Important Links and Resources: Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide and Masterclass Join our powerful jazz learning community Listen to the Learn […]

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Best Jazz SCALE EXERCISE Ever

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 13:00:00 +0000

These are the best scale exercises you can do if you wanna turn these boring linear patterns into amazing jazz solos. Important Links and Resources: Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide and Masterclass Join our powerful jazz learning community Listen to the Learn Jazz Standards Podcast Get our Amazon Best Selling […]

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How to Use Jazz Licks In Your Solos (3 Steps)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 13:00:00 +0000

I’m about to show you a powerful 3-step process for how to get jazz licks to come out naturally and effortlessly in your solos. Important Links and Resources: Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide and Masterclass Join our powerful jazz learning community Listen to the Learn Jazz Standards Podcast Get our […]

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How to Stay Motivated to Practice Jazz

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 13:00:00 +0000

So how do we stay motivated to practice jazz so that we don’t get frustrated, burned out, or even quit altogether? Today, I’m giving you 8 tips that will help you amped up to practice! Important Links and Resources: Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide and Masterclass Join our powerful jazz […]

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How to Go From Amateur to Pro Level Jazz Solos

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 13:00:00 +0000

So what are the secrets that pro-level jazz musicians know that allow them to play incredible jazz solos? Well, today I’m gonna go over 4 tips so that you can start playing like them, too! Important Links and Resources: Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide and Masterclass Join our powerful jazz […]

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Creating AMAZING Solos USING JAZZ Chords (3 Levels)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 13:00:00 +0000

So how can you start playing amazing jazz solos using jazz chords to your full advantage? Well, today I’m gonna show you 3 levels to do exactly that. Important Links and Resources: Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide and Masterclass Join our powerful jazz learning community Listen to the Learn Jazz […]

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4 Must-Know BLUESY Jazz Standards

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 13:00:00 +0000

So what jazz standards can you get super bluesy in your jazz solos? Well, today I’m gonna teach you 4 of those tunes that you need to know. Important Links and Resources: Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide and Masterclass Join our powerful jazz learning community Apple Podcasts Spotify Get our […]

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How to Learn a Jazz Solo by Ear (Step-by-Step)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 13:00:00 +0000

So how do you learn jazz solos by ear without sheet music so you can start improving your jazz improv exponentially? Well, today I’m sharing with you my full step process for doing exactly that. Important Links and Resources: Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide and Masterclass Join our powerful jazz […]

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Using Rhythms For AMAZING Jazz Solos

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 13:00:00 +0000

A huge mistake that many jazz players are making is not utilizing rhythm. So today I’m going to show you 3 common jazz rhythms and how to use them in your solos. Important Links and Resources: Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide and Masterclass Join our powerful jazz learning community Listen […]

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3 Jazz Mistakes Beginners Make (Avoid These)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 13:00:00 +0000

Are you making any of these three critical mistakes when learning jazz? Well, today I’m gonna show you exactly what they are, how to avoid them, and what to do instead. Important Links and Resources: Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide and Masterclass Join our powerful jazz learning community Listen to […]

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How to Comp Like a Jazz Pro

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 13:00:00 +0000

So how do piano and guitar players learn to comp like jazz pros? Today I’m going to show you 3 things you need to be practicing in order to get there. ***Important Links and Resources*** Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide and Masterclass Join our powerful jazz learning community Listen to […]

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How to Go From Jazz Beginner to Intermediate, to Advanced

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 13:00:00 +0000

So how do we go from beginner jazz player, to intermediate, and even advanced? Well, today I’m going to show you exactly how to level up your jazz playing. ***Important Links and Resources*** Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide and Masterclass Join our powerful jazz learning community Listen to the Learn […]

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How to Play Scales Over Jazz Chords (Without Sounding Like Scales)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 13:00:00 +0000

How do you play scales over jazz chords so that you are playing the right notes but not making it sound like you are just playing scales? Well, today I’m going to show you a melodic approach to making scales musical. ***Important Links and Resources*** Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide […]

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How to Play Instant Bebop (On Any Instrument)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 12:00:00 +0000

So how do you play killer bebop solos like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie? Well, today I’m going to show you a simple bebop hack that will help you start playing amazing bebop solos instantly. Important Links and Resources: Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way” Guide and Masterclass Join our powerful jazz […]

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30 Minute Jazz Standard Practice Routine

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 12:00:00 +0000

If you’re like most people who are strapped for time to practice, then you may wonder, how do I improve my jazz skills while practicing less? Well, today I’m going to show you a practice routine that packs a huge punch in only 30 minutes. Important Links and Resources: Get our FREE “Learn Jazz Standards […]

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Easy Jazz Standard to Improve Fast

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 12:00:00 +0000

What are jazz standards that can help you improve quickly but not leave your brain hurting? Well, today I’m going to show you an easy jazz standard that does exactly that. Important Links and Resources Suggested Resource: Learn how to improve your jazz playing quickly while practicing less in the LJS Inner Circle by clicking […]

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Tasty Minor Bebop Altered Lick

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 12:00:00 +0000

Today I’m going to show you a tasty jazz lick that’s going to make you sound like a bebop pro over minor 2-5-1 chord progressions. Important Links and Resources Suggested Resource: Learn how to improve your jazz playing quickly while practicing less in the LJS Inner Circle by clicking here. Further Reading: “Learn Jazz Standards […]

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Sick Minor Blues Improv Hack

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 12:00:00 +0000

So how do you play sick bluesy licks over top of minor 2-5-1 chord progressions? Well, I’m going to show you a very simple tool to make this really easy. Important Links and Resources Suggested Resource: Learn how to improve your jazz playing quickly while practicing less in the LJS Inner Circle by clicking here. […]

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Jazz Improv from ZERO (7 Step Jazz Standard Solos)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 17:34:36 +0000

Check it out! Yesterday I practiced for 4 hours to go through a 7-step process that I normally take my students through in one month. And in this video I’m going to show you how to go from not knowing a jazz standard at all, to being able to improvise over it on a fairly […]

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My Jazz Improv STRATEGY Revealed (All Instruments)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 12:50:49 +0000

Alright, so today, I’m cutting to the chase. I’m going to be revealing the exact strategy that I’ve taught thousands of online students to become great jazz improvisers in exactly the way I suggest everyone work on jazz no matter what instrument you play. Important Links and Resources Suggested Resource: Learn more and join the […]

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Play Pro Sounding Jazz Lines With Intervals and Steps

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 13:28:36 +0000

We all want to play really melodic beautiful sounding jazz lines but I don’t know about you, sometimes I just need a process or a breakdown of how to actually go about doing that. So, in today’s video, you’re going to learn how to use intervals and steps to create great jazz lines that have […]

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DOMINATE a Jazz Standard in 1 Month

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 17:36:27 +0000

When it comes to learning jazz we need to be learning jazz standards. And I find that the most important part is how we actually go about learning them. So in today’s video, I’m going to share with you an awesome practice itinerary to learn a jazz standard in one month and really crush it. […]

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How to Make SCALES Musical (feat. Brett Pontecorvo)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 12:17:10 +0000

Got a very special video for you today. I recently recorded an interview with a great musician and educator Brett Pontecorvo about making scales musical on my podcast, the LJS podcast. Thought I’d also share it here with you on YouTube as well. If you like stuff like this and you want me to post […]

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Create COHESIVE Jazz Solos With This Technique

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 12:13:52 +0000

When we improvise jazz solos we want to sound like we are playing something cohesive that works together, that tells a story. We don’t want our solos to sound disjointed random notes that don’t really make sense together. So, in today’s video, I’m going to be sharing with you a really great tool that you […]

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By the End of This Video You’ll Know a Jazz Blues Solo

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 23 Jul 2020 12:53:59 +0000

What if I told you by the end of this video that you are going to know a new 12 bar jazz blues solo and you’re going to have learned it by ear? Now that is something that’s completely new or foreign to you, you may be a little bit skeptical but there’s really only […]

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Blue Bossa Chords Analysis (Understanding the Changes)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 12:20:02 +0000

Blue Bossa is a really popular jazz standard that a lot of musicians like to jam on and I know this because one of my top viewed videos on this channel is my backing track for Blue Bossa with 1.5 million views. But I believe understanding the chord progressions is the secret to unlocking your […]

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How to Analyze Jazz Standards (Step-by-Step)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 13:17:05 +0000

Being able to analyze jazz standards with Roman numeral analysis can be incredibly helpful when it comes to improvising. Just understanding how the chord progressions work, how they connect together, and where they are ultimately leading can be really insightful. So, in today’s video, I’m going to be going over a jazz standard from scratch, […]

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My New Jazz Membership Revealed (Behind the Scenes)!

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Hey, what’s up guys, Brent here! If you have been watching my YouTube channel for a while, you probably have recognized that I’ve been a little bit absent lately over the last month, not posting new jazz lesson tutorials every single week like I religiously do. And the reason that is, and I feel like […]

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Favorite Jazz Lick of All Time

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 13:53:25 +0000

Learning some micro language over jazz standards a.k.a. licks can be really helpful to get some musical ideas to guide you along so that you can further create your own musical ideas over chords in chord progressions. So in today’s video, I’m going to share with you my favorite lick that I’ve ever learned and […]

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4 Steps for Learning Jazz Improvisation

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 13:47:28 +0000

So you want to learn jazz improvisation but you may not know exactly where to start. It”s pretty overwhelming if you think about it especially when you are coming into jazz from the outside. So, In today’s video, I’m going to break things down, make things simple and give you four steps to learn jazz […]

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ONLY Jazz Standard I Would Play for the REST OF MY LIFE

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 14:11:23 +0000

So let’s imagine for a second that for some odd reason, you are stuck on an island for the rest of your life, and unfortunately, the rules of the island are that you can only play one jazz standard and that’s it. You can’t play more than one. There’s no supply of other jazz standards. […]

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Make Chords Sound Like Jazz (4 Levels)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 14:16:03 +0000

So, how do we make chords in chord progressions sound like jazz? Or for lack of better terms, jazzy? Well, that’s exactly what I’m going to be covering in today’s video: four levels of making chords sound like jazz. Important Links and Resources Suggested Resource: If you want to dive deeper into jazz chords and […]

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Jazz Blues Mastery Practice Plan

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 05:00:00 +0000

The jazz blues is one of the most important song forms in jazz and it is my belief that if we master jazz blues, we’ll have an unfair advantage with all the rest of jazz improv in learning jazz standards. So in today’s video, I want to share with you a powerful practice plan for […]

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Modal Soloing: So What Solo in the Style of Miles Davis

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 20 Feb 2020 05:00:00 +0000

When we play tunes like So What by Miles Davis, at first we think it’s going to be easy to play because there’s only two chords you have to deal with. However, you may find in the process that it’s actually hard to be creative. And so, in today’s video, I want to talk about […]

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4 Face Melting Jazz Blues Licks to Learn

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 05:00:00 +0000

When it comes to learning jazz, it can be really helpful to know some of the micro jazz language or a lot of people like to call these licks. Licks are little ideas you can play over chords or chord progressions and I find that the blues is one of the best places to start […]

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Interval Ear Training Quiz (See How You Do)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 05:00:00 +0000

Ear training is something that jazz musicians should be working on because having a great ear is ultimately what’s going to help you become a great improviser. And the fundamentals of ear training, like intervals, can be very helpful for having the building blocks of ear training under our control. So in today’s video, I’m […]

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I Learned 100 Jazz Standards in a Year (What I Learned)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 05:00:00 +0000

That’s right, you probably saw the title of this video. I did, indeed, learn 100 jazz standards in one year in one point in my life. And while I wouldn’t necessarily advocate learning that many jazz standards so quickly to any of my students, the important thing is learning lots of jazz standards will help […]

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How to Improvise Over All the Things You Are (Tutorial)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 05:00:00 +0000

One great jazz standard that is packed full of musical and harmonic lessons is All the Things You Are by Jerome Kern. There is just so much we can learn just from this one tune. And a lot of my students and subscribers wonder how to get started with improvising over tunes like this. They […]

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Worst Advice for Learning Jazz

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 26 Dec 2019 14:43:16 +0000

There’s a lot of people giving you advice on how to learn jazz on the internet and elsewhere, that sometimes it’s just, quite frankly, not good. So, in today’s video, I’m going to go over some of the worst advice I’ve heard for learning jazz so that you can avoid it and do the right […]

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How to Master a Jazz Standard

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 15:06:42 +0000

So you’re learning in jazz standard and you want to be able to crush it. You want to be able to go up on the bandstand and take awesome solos. You don’t ever want to forget it later on. You don’t want to get lost in the form. Well, in today’s video, I’m going to […]

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Girl From Ipanema Chords (Bridge Analysis)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 15:02:07 +0000

The Girl From Ipanema is a beloved jazz standard by Antonio Carlos Jobim and lots of people like to play this song. It has a beautiful melody but the bridge is really complicated to understand. So, in today’s video, I’m going to be going over a full-on chords analysis of the bridge of the Girl […]

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Basic Jazz Guitar Chord Voicings

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 15:12:02 +0000

In my YouTube channel and Learn Jazz Standards, the brand is really not at all just for guitar players. But since I am a guitar player myself, I thought it’s about time that I do a video just for the guitar players out there. So in today’s video, I’ll be going over the basic jazz […]

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Scale Mapping Jazz Standards to Create Solos (Stella by Starlight)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 14:31:13 +0000

Using scales can be a really great way to start mapping out the note choices you have available to you over jazz standards so that you can start taking great solos. So, in today’s video, I’m going to be going over a scale map over the jazz standard Stella by Starlight and then I’m going […]

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7 Endings to Play On Jazz Standards

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 15:03:07 +0000

When playing jazz standards it’s important to have a number of stock endings that you already know, that you’ve already planned out, so you have some options when you’re trying to end a jazz standard and so you can avoid the awkward not-really-knowing-how-to-end-the-song situation. So, in today’s video, I’m going to be going over 7 […]

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Bebop Melody Over It Could Happen to You

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 13:27:12 +0000

When I was a beginner jazz improviser, one of the main things I wanted to accomplish was to be able to hear the chord changes come out in my solos. So, in today’s video, I’m going to be showing you a bebop melody I’ve composed over the jazz standard It Could Happen to You and […]

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5 Most Important Jazz Musicians of All Time

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 14:28:55 +0000

When it comes down to it, there are so many great jazz musicians out there that you need to be listening to. There’s so many that have so much to offer, so much inspiration, and had such a big impact on jazz history. But in today’s video, I want to boil it down to what […]

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10 Beginner Jazz Standards

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 13:29:26 +0000

If you are just getting started with jazz, you may be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of standards there are to learn and may not know where to start. So, in today’s video, I’m going to make things simple and give you 10 beginner jazz standards to learn that will give you a great entry […]

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Scales to Play Over a Jazz Blues

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 13:01:45 +0000

When working on a jazz blues, it can be helpful to have some note choices available to you and mapped out, so that you can navigate the changes efficiently and well. So in today’s video, I’m going to go over some common scales that can help you get started not only with mapping out a […]

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Mastering a Jazz Blues Will Help You CRUSH Jazz Improv

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 14:12:58 +0000

Believe me when I say it, mastering a jazz blues will give you an unfair advantage of all of the rest of jazz improv. If you just get down this 12-bar form and you really get inside of it, really can navigate it, everything else in jazz will feel so much easier. That’s what I’m […]

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Hip Bebop Blues Lick and Analysis

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 12:00:29 +0000

As jazz musicians, I believe it is important that we are proficient at playing a jazz blues. And I believe there are 3 pillars of jazz blues language we need to be working on: bluesy language, playing the changes, and bebop language. So, in today’s video, I want to dive into bebop language, show you […]

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Fast Way to Play “Bluesy” Lines Over a Jazz Blues

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 13:23:15 +0000

It is my belief that if we want to learn how to play jazz really well, we also have to understand the blues because that’s really where jazz is coming out of and it is saturated in the music. So, how do we start crushing jazz solos over top of the jazz blues and start […]

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Playing the Changes Using Target Notes

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 12:00:35 +0000

When I was a beginner jazz improviser, the thing that I wanted more than anything else was to be able to play the changes. In my mind, that was the thing that distinguished me from my jazz heroes. They were playing amazing jazz solos and spelling out the changes flawlessly. So, in today’s video, I […]

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Can I Transcribe Jazz Solos Too Much? (Q&A)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 13:17:05 +0000

Important Links and Resources Suggested Resource: If you want to hear more questions like these, check out this podcast episode. Further Reading: Jazz Improvisation Made Simple: A Step-by-Step Guide

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ONLY 2 Scales You NEED to Know for Jazz

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 13:05:19 +0000

My job as a teacher is always to make jazz simpler, not harder. And sometimes around the concept of scales, we make things too complicated. We give ourselves too many choices. We place too much importance on it. So, in today’s video, I’m going to boil things down to the basic 2 scales you need […]

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Improvise Using Music Theory OR by Ear?

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 12:00:24 +0000

One common question I get is, should I ever have to improvise using music theory or should I do it mainly by learning stuff by ear? Jazz solos, licks, all these sorts of stuff? Well, in today’s video, I’m going to go over some pros and cons of each approach and help answer that question. […]

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4 Patterns for Jazz Improvisation Technique

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 12:31:40 +0000

One thing that I think is important to jazz improvisation is having technical proficiency on your instrument because jazz improvisation calls for you to act and react in the moment and we don’t want our instruments holding us back. So, in today’s video, I’m going to go over 4 easy patterns that will help build […]

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Intro to Improvising Over Jazz Standards

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 12:00:27 +0000

Let’s face it. Improvising over jazz standards will not be the easiest thing you’ve ever done in your life. Especially if you are a beginner, or someone trying to get started with jazz, it can be overwhelming. Maybe you’ve heard me say stuff like “learn jazz solos by ear”, “take licks in all 12 keys” […]

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The ONLY Jazz Standards You Need to Know

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 12:00:52 +0000

If you’re trying to learn jazz standards and become a better jazz improviser, the sheer amount of jazz standards there are out there can be incredibly overwhelming. Which ones do you learn? Which ones are going to help you accelerate your jazz skills? Well, in today’s video, I’m going to go over the only 3 […]

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4 Music Theory Concepts for Jazz Improvisation

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 25 Jul 2019 12:00:42 +0000

One of the biggest miss I hear about jazz improvisation is that you need to know a ton of music theory. And personally, I couldn’t disagree more. In fact, I know some musicians that don’t know any music theory and can’t even read music, yet are incredible jazz improvisers. I think learning things by ear […]

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Ultimate Jazz Improvisation Practice Plan (3 Things to Do)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 12:00:00 +0000

If you’re going through YouTube right now just trying to find the next cool chord scale theory idea or the next hip lick to apply to your jazz improv, stop right now! None of that stuff really matters if you’re not practicing the right things and you’re not practicing it in an effective way. So, […]

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Learn and Use Jazz Licks the Smart Way

Brent Vaartstra — Tue, 09 Jul 2019 10:45:08 +0000

I got this comment on another one of my videos this week and it really got me thinking. And it says, “But when you learn licks in isolation it’s hard to fit them into your solo without it sounding awkward. Some licks are only good because they were previously developed by the soloist.” And I […]

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Fastest Way to Improve Your Jazz Solos

Brent Vaartstra — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 10:45:52 +0000

So, we all want to become better jazz improvisers and we want to become better quickly. We want to take those kinds of solos that when we hear them we’re like, “Yes, that was awesome! I want to play and sound just like that.” But how do we get there? How do we get there […]

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Mastering ii-V-I Chord Progressions in 5 Steps

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 12:00:45 +0000

ii-V-I chord progressions are by far the most common chord progressions found in jazz standards. And so, we need to be able to play them forwards, backwards and have a really good stronghold over improvising over them. So, in today’s video, I want to be going over my 5-step process for practicing ii-V-I chord progressions […]

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Just Friends Chords Analysis

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 12:00:18 +0000

One classic jazz standard that everybody needs to know is Just Friends. This is a great tune that explores diatonic jazz harmony but with some twist and turns and some great harmonic lessons. So, in today’s video, I’m going to go on a full-on in-depth chords analysis of Just Friends, so we can understand how […]

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Killer Jazz Improv Exercise for Leveling Up Your Solos

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 12:00:48 +0000

Now, I don’t know about you, but I am always looking for new ways to practice my jazz improvisation, to improve my jazz solos, to make them more exciting, to get deeper inside of jazz standards. So, in today’s video, I’m going to show you a killer jazz improv exercise that will have you thinking […]

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There Will Never Be Another You Chords Analysis

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 30 May 2019 05:50:03 +0000

One great jazz standard to study that has a lot of classic diatonic jazz harmony but with a few twists and turns in it is There Will Never Be Another You. So, in this video today, I’m going to do a full-on, in-depth chords analysis of There Will Never Be Another You. Important Links and […]

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Live Jazz Q & A (and SILVER PLAY BUTTON UNBOXING!)

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 17 May 2019 05:52:55 +0000

Have any jazz questions I can answer today? Happy to answer some! I’ll also unbox my YouTube Silver Play Button. Important Links and Resources Suggested Resource: This lesson comes out of my brand new eBook and Companion Course “The Jazz Standards Playbook Vol. 2.” Check it out here.

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How to Practice Away from Your Instrument (to Improve Your Jazz Playing)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 16 May 2019 05:54:53 +0000

One thing I hear all the time is “I don’t have time to practice”. I got a day job, I got to commute to work every day. I got kids and a family when I get home or I’ve got school. There are always things in life that stop us from practicing and improving as […]

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7 Intros to Play on Jazz Standards

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 09 May 2019 05:58:23 +0000

One question I get from time to time is how do I intro a jazz standard, other than of course just starting it? So in today’s video, I’m going to go over 7 different intros that you can try out the next time you go to a jam session or gig to start playing a […]

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How to Learn a Jazz Standard (and Not Forget It)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 02 May 2019 06:01:00 +0000

Have you ever spent a lot of time, energy and effort learning jazz standards, only to get on a gig or a jam session and not actually remember how to play them? That can be a frustrating experience especially because you’ve spent all that time working on the song only to forget it. Well, in […]

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3 Jazz Blues Forms Every Jazz Musician Needs to Know

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 06:03:47 +0000

The blues is arguably the most important song form in jazz and everybody needs to learn how to play the blues and should spend a lot of time practicing the blues. So in this video today, I want to go over 3 different blues song forms as jazz musicians we need to know. We need […]

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6 Jazz Solos You Should Learn

Brent Vaartstra — Fri, 19 Apr 2019 03:34:20 +0000

One great practice that a lot of jazz musicians will suggest is to learn entire jazz solos by ear. And by doing this, you get this bird’s eye view overarching look at how a great jazz musician approached a jazz standard and getting inside of their head. So, I want to suggest to you 6 […]

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Should You Learn Jazz On YouTube?

Brent Vaartstra — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 04:12:37 +0000

Should you be learning how to play jazz off of YouTube videos, just like this one? Is that the right way to go about things? Is it good? Is it bad? Is there something wrong with it? Well, that’s what we’ll talk about in today’s video. Is it a good idea to learn jazz online […]

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3 Ways to Practice Jazz Standards

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 04:17:54 +0000

If you want to learn how to play jazz and become a great jazz improviser, you need to learn jazz standards. Jazz standards are the vehicles in which jazz musicians use to improvise and communicate with one another. So, how do we actually practice jazz standards? What are some good ways to do them? I […]

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What Are The Modes of the Major Scale? (Modes 101)

Brent Vaartstra — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 04:32:53 +0000

What are the modes of the major scale? What is a mode anyway? If you are newer to music theory and get frustrated when jazz musicians throw around music theory concepts and assume you know what they are, this will be helpful for you. In this video, I explain what the modes of the major […]

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How to Not Suck at Jazz Jam Sessions and Gigs

Brent Vaartstra — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 04:37:08 +0000

Ever wondered if you’re “ready” to go play at a jazz jam session or start playing jazz gigs? Or maybe you’ve been doing these but feel uncomfortable socially or even with your playing. In this video, I give out my 4 top tips for not “sucking” at a jazz jam or gig. These have little […]

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Simple Rhythmic Exercise for Creating Longer Flowing Jazz Lines

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 05:44:50 +0000

Do you ever feel like your jazz lines are choppy, incomplete, and don’t flow nicely? Then I have a great exercise for you. In this video, I show you an exercise that helps you improve your time feel, get creative, and play longer flowing lines in your jazz solos. Important Links and Resources Suggested Resource: […]

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Jazz Blues and Rhythm Changes Heads You Should Know

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 07:09:31 +0000

What makes one blues or rhythm changes tune different from the next? The melody. As a jazz musician, it’s important to know a good number of jazz blues and rhythm changes heads. In this video, I get you started with some common heads you should learn. Then I’d love to see you post other ones […]

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What Limiting Beliefs About Your Jazz Playing Are Holding You Back?

Brent Vaartstra — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 07:06:07 +0000

Limiting beliefs about your jazz playing and general musicianship are doing nothing but stopping you from reaching your potential. As an online jazz educator, I hear every excuse in the book about why someone can’t achieve their desired goals as a jazz musician. In this video, I talk about limiting beliefs and how we can […]

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Composing Contrafacts to Improve Jazz Improvisation

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 07:01:47 +0000

What makes a great jazz solo? To me, it’s all about creating great melodies. So wouldn’t it be a great idea to spend time practicing composing melodies? In this video, I talk about composing contrafacts (a melody written over an existing song form or chord changes), what they are, how they can help your improv, […]

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What’s a Back Door Dominant? (Lady Bird Analysis)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 06:59:47 +0000

Ever seen a chord progression like: Fmin7-Bb7-Cmaj7? Wouldn’t an Fmin7-Bb7 be a ii-V of Ebmaj7? It would, except this progression is utilizing a chord substitution called a back door dominant. In this video, I go over what a backdoor dominant is, how it works, and how they function with a little bit of help from […]

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How to Learn Chord Progressions by Ear (No Sheet Music)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 06:57:09 +0000

I always preach: learn jazz standards by ear, not sheet music. The benefits are numerous. Many find it easy to learn a melody by ear, but chord progressions are a totally different story. In this video, we take a look at a “mystery chord progression” and together go through my process for figuring out the […]

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Minor Harmony and Chord Progressions (Explained)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 06:55:05 +0000

Minor harmony is difficult to understand compared to major key harmony because there are 3 minor scales to deal with: natural, harmonic, and melodic minor. So how do you know which chords harmonized from those scales to use? What are the common chord choices in minor harmony? That’s exactly what I unpack in this video. […]

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What is a Secondary Dominant? (All of Me Analysis)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 17 Jan 2019 06:52:55 +0000

Have you ever been checking out a jazz standard and saw something like Cmaj7-A7-Dmin7-G7, and thought to yourself “I thought the vi chord (A7) is supposed to be minor?” Well, you would be right. But in cases like this, you are experiencing the use of something called a “Secondary Dominant” in the music theory world. […]

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Stella by Starlight Chords Analysis

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 06:50:43 +0000

Stella by Starlight is one of those jazz standards that is just plain hard to understand. As complex as it is, it’s still a staple tune and a must know for jam sessions and gigs. In today’s video, I go over my full-on chords analysis of Stella and walk you through how I think about […]

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Easy Composition Exercise For Creating Melodic Jazz Lines

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 03 Jan 2019 06:47:23 +0000

Jazz improvisation can feel complicated. Theory, learning solos by ear, chord progressions…the list of things to work on and understand goes on and on. Sometimes it’s best to forget all of the “rules” and just create. That’s why on today’s video I show you a simple composition exercise to help you start creating great melodic […]

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40 Jazz Standards You Need to Know (by Category)

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 06:45:00 +0000

There are a lot of jazz standards to learn if you want to participate in jazz jam sessions and play gigs. If you’re looking for a larger list to shoot for that will get you some great mileage, this is a good one. In this video, I break down 40 jazz standards that I find […]

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2 Hip Minor 2-5-1 Licks for You to Practice

Brent Vaartstra — Thu, 20 Dec 2018 06:39:13 +0000

Minor ii-V-i chord progressions come up in jazz all of the time. It’s safe to say they are the most common chord progressions in jazz repertoire alongside the major ii-V-I. It can be helpful to have some musical ideas to play over these progressions, to give you a platform to start creating your own ideas. […]

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