Latest Jazz saxophone Podcast Episodes
Should Non-Bass Players Learn Bass Lines?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 27, 2024 13:00 - 11 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent answers a question from Kevin Pritchett about the importance of bass lines for non-bass players. Kevin, a piano player, wonders if learning bass lines can benefit his playing and improvisation. Brent explains that understanding bass lines is valuable for all musicians, not...
How Do I Perform Solo?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 26, 2024 13:00 - 15 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsWelcome to another episode where Brent answers your jazz and music questions five days a week. Today, we have an intriguing question from Ken Bryan from York, Pennsylvania, about resources and advice for a jazz guitarist aiming to perform solo at venues like bars, restaurants, and parties. Brent...
How Do I Know What To Practice?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 25, 2024 13:00 - 13 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Michael, a piano player, asks how to efficiently allocate practice time to various topics like scales, voicings, improvisation, and more. Brent emphasizes the importance of focusing on the 20% of practice that yields 80% of the results, advising musicians to prioritize practicin...
How Should Horn Players Play Together In a Jazz Band?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 24, 2024 13:00 - 7 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent responds to a question from Louis Thompson about the lead instrument in a small jazz ensemble with a trumpet, saxophone, trombone, and rhythm section. Brent discusses the dynamics of horn players working together, exploring various approaches for melody and improvisation. ...
The Importance of Your Practice Engine
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 21, 2024 13:00 - 13 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent explores a crucial topic: the practice engine. He highlights the importance of mastering the art of practicing, explaining that it's not just about following routines but treating practice as a skill in itself. This approach, he emphasizes, differentiates amateur musicians...
Can I Work On Instrument Technique and Songs At The Same Time?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 20, 2024 13:00 - 11 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent answers an insightful question from Robert Banagay about balancing technical proficiency with learning jazz standards. Robert, a musician returning to his instrument after a long hiatus, wonders if he can improve his technique while simultaneously diving into jazz tunes. B...
How to Compose For a Jazz Group
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 19, 2024 13:00 - 9 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent tackles a fascinating question from Bruno Morelos about composing for a jazz band. Bruno wonders how professional jazz musicians handle compositions, especially when each band member has a solo. Brent explains that jazz compositions often involve creating a theme with melo...
How Do I Not Overthink When I Solo?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 18, 2024 13:00 - 10 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent tackles a listener's question about avoiding overthinking during solos. Anton Visser, a long-time listener, asks how to play more intuitively without feeling compelled to fill every bar with notes. Brent advises that while it's important to practice and understand the theo...
How Long Should My Jazz Solos Be?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 17, 2024 13:00 - 11 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent addresses a great question from listener Mani Murray about the appropriate length of a solo in different musical settings. Brent emphasizes that a solo should last as long as it remains interesting and musically compelling. He discusses how to gauge when to end a solo, foc...
The Worst Mistakes to Make At a Jazz Gig
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 14, 2024 13:00 - 16 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this Fast Track Friday episode, Brent discusses the common pitfalls musicians face when preparing for and performing at jazz gigs. Drawing from his extensive experience, he offers invaluable advice to ensure you’re fully prepared and professional, such as the importance of being over-prepared...
How Do I Learn Jazz Solos by Ear?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 13, 2024 13:00 - 10 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent tackles a fantastic question from Arjun about mastering jazz solos by ear. He highlights the importance of this skill for learning jazz language and improvisation, while also clarifying that it's not the only way to learn. He acknowledges that different methods, such as th...
Is It Important to Notate Solos I Learn?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 12, 2024 13:00 - 10 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent addresses a fascinating question from William Tino about the benefits of notating jazz solos. Brent explores the immense value of learning solos by ear, emphasizing how it enhances your ear, muscle memory, jazz vocabulary, and rhythm. This foundational skill is highly reco...
How Do I Foster Creativity Before a Jazz Gig?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 11, 2024 13:00 - 9 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent answers a listener's question about preparing for a jazz gig. Discover effective strategies for fostering creativity and reducing pre-performance anxiety. Brent emphasizes the importance of relaxation, the benefits of light warm-ups, and how listening to inspiring music ca...
The Characteristics of a Great Jazz Band
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 10, 2024 13:00 - 12 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsJoin Brent in this insightful podcast episode as he discusses the essential characteristics of a great jazz band and its members. Responding to a question from Arjun in the Netherlands, Brent explores the importance of musicians supporting each other, focusing on collective music-making rather t...
The Frame-Of-Mind Required for Jazz Improv
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 07, 2024 13:00 - 12 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this engaging Fast Track Friday episode, Brent discusses the crucial mindset required for jazz improvisation. He emphasizes the importance of focus, open-mindedness, and a willingness to make mistakes to excel in jazz improvisation. Brent stresses the significance of being open-minded to lear...
How Do I Use Jazz In Other Styles of Music?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 06, 2024 13:00 - 11 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent tackles a compelling question from listener Sebastian Watson about integrating jazz harmony and improvisation into other musical genres. Brent explores how studying jazz can deepen your musical knowledge and enhance your versatility, whether you're composing or improvising...
How to Improvise Over Dominant 7th Chords
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 05, 2024 13:00 - 12 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent talks about the nuances of soloing over dominant chords in jazz, responding to a question from Alan Clayton, an Inner Circle member from Melbourne, Australia. Brent emphasizes the importance of understanding the context of dominant chords within a progression, highlighting...
Chord Tone Exercises to Practice
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 04, 2024 13:00 - 12 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent tackles an intriguing question from Thomas in Holland about mastering jazz intervals and chord tones. Brent breaks down essential exercises for playing chord tones, from basic 1-3-5-7 patterns to more advanced voice-leading techniques. He emphasizes the importance of chord...
How to Remember Chords to Jazz Standards
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - June 03, 2024 13:00 - 12 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent talks about a listener's question regarding mastering the chord changes to "The Girl from Ipanema." He explores two essential methods for learning jazz chords and offers practical advice on chord recognition, pattern identification, and the importance of understanding theo...
How 2 Chords Fooled a Pro Jazz Musician
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - May 31, 2024 13:00 - 12 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this Fast Track Friday episode, Brent shares an amusing and insightful story about how two simple chords fooled him, a professional jazz musician. Tasked with playing an easy song for his sister's wedding, Brent initially dismissed the simplicity of the piece. However, as the event approached...
Can I Play Chord Extensions Even If My Bandmates Are Not?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - May 30, 2024 13:00 - 9 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent discusses an insightful question from listener John Gao about the use of chord extensions in jazz improvisation and band settings. He explores the intricacies of incorporating exotic chords like 11ths and 13ths, and how these can be seamlessly integrated into solos and ens...
How Do I Improvise While Sight Reading?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - May 29, 2024 13:00 - 8 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this engaging episode of the Learn Jazz Standards podcast, Brent tackles a question from Neil, a tenor saxophonist from the UK, who wants to master sight reading jazz standards and improvising melodic solos on the fly. Brent breaks down the essentials for achieving this goal, emphasizing the ...
How Do I Learn Chords By Ear?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - May 28, 2024 13:00 - 11 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this engaging episode, Brent tackles an intriguing question from listener Xing Shen about how to determine chords from sheet music without chord symbols. Brent explores practical strategies for learning chords by ear, emphasizing the importance of basic chord recognition and ear training fund...
Should I Imitate a Musician That Doesn't Play My Instrument?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - May 27, 2024 13:00 - 11 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent discusses about a question from listener Michael George, a clarinet player facing challenges with jazz standards often perceived as more suited to tenor saxophone. Michael seeks advice on emulating the styles of Paul Desmond and Stan Getz to improve his clarinet performanc...
How to Measure If You Are Improving Or Not
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - May 24, 2024 13:00 - 16 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsJoin Brent in this insightful Fast Track Friday episode, where he delves into the crucial topic of measuring your musical progress. He addresses a common concern among musicians: the feeling of not improving fast enough, or at all. He shares his empathy for this struggle and offers practical str...
What Is The Difference Between Jazz and Classical Harmony?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - May 23, 2024 13:00 - 10 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this engaging episode, Brent explores into the intriguing differences between classical and jazz harmony. He begins by acknowledging that while he's an expert in jazz harmony, his knowledge of classical harmony is more limited. He explains that classical harmony varies across different eras a...
How Do I Practice Enclosures?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - May 22, 2024 13:00 - 11 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsJoin Brent as he explores the art of jazz improvisation. In this episode, Brent answers a listener's question about incorporating enclosures into chord tone maps, offering valuable insights into bebop language and improvisational techniques. Through clear explanations and practical examples, he ...
Should I Transcribe Myself?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - May 21, 2024 13:00 - 9 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent discusses a listener question from Michael George about transferring solo ideas from the mind to the instrument. Brent addresses the disconnect between musical ideas in one's head and their execution on an instrument, highlighting the common challenge of bridging the gap b...
Should I Learn Piano to Help With Jazz Improv?
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - May 20, 2024 13:00 - 8 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this episode, Brent tackles a compelling question from Robert about the necessity of learning piano for musicians aiming to master improvisation. Drawing from his own experience as a guitarist navigating the intricacies of harmony, Brent explores the unique advantages that the piano offers in...
The Secret to Long-Term Musical Progress
Learn Jazz Standards Podcast - May 17, 2024 13:00 - 12 minutes ★★★★★ - 446 ratingsIn this Fast Track Friday episode, Brent reveals the power of community in fostering long-term musical success. Drawing from his own unexpected journey as a newfound New York Rangers fan, he uncovers the transformative impact of shared interests and camaraderie in fueling passion and motivation....
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