Learning Jazz Standards

#jazz #bass #jazzlesson #repertoire #standards #tunes #paulthompson
One question I get asked often is "HOW DO YOU KNOW SO MANY TUNES?" Learning standards can be intimidating, but if you can use a few key strategies, you'll be able to add scores of tunes to your repertoire. Cut the chains to iReal Pro! Untether yourself from the Real Book! Learning standards and growing your rep starts with your ear. Let's talk 6 strategies and 6 tips for learning new tunes--on and off the bandstand.
EDIT: My first slide somehow did not survive the upload! At 00:26, the version of Cole Porter's "Night & Day" that plays is from one of my all-time favorite albums--Kenny Garrett's "Triology" (1995).
Website: www.paulthompson.us
Instagram @pauldavid74

[@onesixfive]

The thing that makes you great is that you never come across as a teacher even though you literally are. I always feel a bit shocked when you mention you have students because your insights - not your technical expertise - are so profound. The lessons here are not specific to jazz, learning standards in any genre, and studying them, is important. Thank you for this!

[@A.ChristopherJohnson]

Word Up !!

[@andrewkirk2375]

Ya’ll, get yourself some PT. This stuff is so humbling and nurturing, all at once.

[@manfredoliveras3196]

One of the best lessons that you have in your channel. I revisit this lesson almost every month. It is easy to get lost along the way of learning. Thanks for the help.

[@pdbass]

Thank YOU for finding me!!! 🙏🏽

[@ryanbrooke1143]

I am so happy I found this channel. I love the presentation, the confidence, the slow and sure delivery, and the excellent direction. This video is a perfect example. It's so helpful for me because I come from a more classical and rock n' roll background (and a completely amateur background). I like jazz and I know the basics of the early history like cakewalk - ragtime - Louis Armstrong and all those guys - stride piano - big band - bebop, but from there it gets hard to handle and the theory gets insanely complicated. My level of theory is like reading lead sheets. (Not a bass player. I don't even like looking at bass clef too much.) When it comes to jazz and any theory more complicated than 7th chords and four chord harmonies, I need a teacher to help me with the basics. Thanks new teacher Mr. PDBass!

[@pdbass]

🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@ShelleyAndKeith]

In ten minutes you have delivered a tremendous amount of education and inspiration. So well done!

[@LennyPrice]

Great content. I'm wrapping up a quarter of coaching combos as a visiting professor. You hit ALL of the points I covered in my lectures. Students being trained in a classical environment often panic when learning jazz concepts. Listening really is step ONE! 🎷 #ForwardMotion

[@philhoggmusic]

So good! Spot on - and it's made with real care too - thanks!

[@DeannaWitkowski]

Love hearing you play piano! :) And the "training wheels" for the phone app is a great description.

[@ThomasHope73]

You nailed it! Top tips all the way! 👌

[@FMBlanket]

Paul I just discovered your page and I love it. Thanks man! Great resource and tips that can be applied to any genre as stated in the comment below

[@DarrelMayhead]

Brilliant channel. Been going through your videos for the past 45 minutes. Love it!

[@vincentm4717]

I just started watching and your content in these videos is inspiring to bass players. Keep up the good work. I've just subscribed.

[@paulpaul00]

Amen! Great advice as always.

[@annab7917]

Great video with precious advices. Thanks !

[@jerryjemmott3259]

I really enjoy your presentations! Keep making it happen!

[@joegrant7715]

You are so strong & brave. Thank you for all that you do!

[@NicHasegawa]

Love the tips as always! Even if they’re stuff I’ve heard before it really helps to get a refresher and it’s even better to hear it through your words as well. Feels brand new! Thank you as always!

[@JamesMartinBass]

Best advice out there on learning tunes solid. Thank you!

[@JaredLeesBass]

Love the video! I'm not really on the trad jazz scene that often, but have been wanting to increase my repertoire in that genre, so I've been on the hunt for popular standards to know.🍻

[@pensatorseven1898]

Another Great Podcast @pdbass !!!!!!!!!!!

[@MG-vo7is]

Fantastic advice! Thank you.

[@nylesfrench3568]

This is a Brilliant, practical, and very important post. An old Buddy of mine from Queens, was always advising me and everyone to learn the melody.

[@eddiekent1997]

Terrific Tips Practice. Thank you

[@HighTechCinnamon]

Genuinely great advice. I'm trying to get into playing jazz and this gives me a decent structure to follow. Thank you.

[@Harperclan7]

I just found your page and I am loving it. I have been playing bass for about two years although I have played guitar for 30+ you have so much insight. I am inspiring jazz student this was great advice!

[@the_bassiah]

What a fantastic video! It really laid out the process in a very simple way, and an inspiring way through your wise words! thank you

[@yakdothan]

So helpful and to the point! Thank you!

[@ethanbarnard5844]

I love that Night and Day recording!!!

[@TWMTWM-eb1lw]

Thanks. Great wisdom.

[@TheBassfresh]

this is one of the most informative, interesting, and fun channels on youtube.

[@cmingus26]

Maybe I should watch and listen to this video for about an hour in a loop 😅 Great content. I‘m glad I found your channel. Many thanks!

[@toddhamby]

Best bass channel on KZbin!

[@pacomahone]

All great tips!!! 👏🏾

[@MN-iw2oj]

Excellent advice! Thank you pdbass!

[@lundsweden]

Haha, sometimes I play for hours trying to perfect the part, glad to know I'm not alone!

[@LCNAKA]

You are a master. Thank you very much 4 sharing so much knowledge. God bless 🎼🙏🏾

[@jimpowell6964]

This is a keeper!

[@carlosmacmartin4205]

Great advice! Listen, learn, and play. Repeat over and over and over again. 👊🏼

[@A.ChristopherJohnson]

Great lesson fam !!!

[@davidmaslow399]

Such good advice!

[@Zeesboy]

Thanks, man. That was straight to the point and informative. Oh, and thanks for the mention of Whisper Not, a tune that I hadn't known of...but I do now.

[@donkelly36]

terrific videos, thx!

[@leoneddy1492]

This advice is the real deal, better than all the books or apps on all the shelves.

[@jbonomo9]

Great instructional advice!

[@danielperezcabezas109]

Thanks a lot for your videos.I´m just an aficionado guitar player and I can´t read music but sure I dig your videos.Please keep on posting them.

[@IvanovBR]

Excellent! Repertorie is key!

[@diegodelatorrecalvo2045]

Great advices. Thanks

[@geepers100]

Outstanding … so many gems here. My walking bass journey just got real clear. .. thankyou (subbed)

[@tohellandbacknoface4091]

Really apreciate these videos. I used to watch for the theory but now i have a bass 😁

[@martinmetetiero8334]

Greatt vídeo! You're a Master! Thanks from Argentina!

[@gimanga1875]

You are a MASTER! Your suggestions go straight to the smell of music. God bless you

[@pdbass]

I get lucky sometimes. Thank you for watching!!

[@ronbrown2073]

excellent to the point video om learning tunes.

[@garb477]

This is just outstanding information . I think it will help me learn tunes and play better at jams,

[@bustabass9025]

I'm impressed. When I made the transition to double bass, I found it easier to sing while playing. As a result, I was able to really focus on melodies, which facilitated learning the chord changes and the bass outlines for walking and for two feel lines. Then I asked myself, "I wonder if Paul did it this way?" Major Holley, Jr could always be heard singing while playing bass lines on many of his session recordings. My guess is, that's how he learned the tune. Thanks again for what you do for bass players in general, and for my continuing all-things- bass-related journey in particular. 👍🏿

[@kevmac1230]

Excellent advice,👍

[@anthonyglaser929]

really good stuff.

[@singleracksandguitarshop7918]

You are very talanted teacher. I've just discovered you exist - and it is so much imspiring and useful videos here Thank you very much!

[@aaron2709]

Great teacher.

[@adignainsky]

Thank you!

[@tony3313]

Very insightful. Liked and subscribed.

[@ErixSamson]

great advices

[@lucaszacanino6334]

Thanks from Argentina!

[@imparatore9377]

You're right. I've always leaned on the charts, changes. Because I never had a good ear. Now is a bit better.

[@jeffmoe2660]

Well said!

[@JCloyd-ys1fm]

Thx!

[@seeer3240]

You are very FUNKIFIED. Ty for that.

[@rhumnapples]

Thank you

[@adamnewtonbass]

Your videos are brilliant

[@pdbass]

🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@tjsmith3741]

Learn the melody, yes! I Think I recall a comment from Jaco on playing the horn arrangements?

[@Dart3r]

1 Tune per week??!! Damn lol!! Another great vid!!!! Thanks!!!

[@garb477]

This is some very good information and insight into playing and playing at jams with NO sheet music . I could use some advice on the best way to learn tunes by memory

[@pdbass]

Sing the melody. Best way to internalize!

[@pensatorseven1898]

A great book/guide is The Jazz Standards by Ted Gioia.

[@djmileski]

Nice

[@jeffguenther5212]

Can I get an amen? Thanks for the reminder!

[@georgeheidiii]

💯

[@Gangster_Club3]

Podrías hacer una lista de los primeros standard que aconsejas estudiar para un novato en el contrabajo?

[@lysa6124]

This is amazing advice, thank you so much! I appreciate how you always keep things real.

[@alexpavchinski]

Another fantastic presentation! Paul, what is your favorite ear training method?

[@pdbass]

Thanks. I try to sing as often as possible (and make my students sing, too).

[@alexpavchinski]

@@pdbass Thanks Paul!

[@bagley232]

can you break down the bass part in "blame it on the night" by FInis Henderson song has a killer Lukather solo in it as well

[@luisfloresgonzalez2337]

I'm a jazz pianists and learning walking lines helps me playing better my tunes, the irony

[@cmingus26]

Great video, thank you! One question: your advice is to play a bit of piano. Does guitar playing also do the job or is there a reason to prefer the piano over other chordal instruments?

[@pdbass]

I think so. Understanding vertical harmony is important however you get it. I will say, though, that Pat Metheny writes most of his music on piano, believe it or not. There is a little edge when it comes to the range of the piano vs guitar. YMMV!

[@smrobot1]

I just started playing bass guitar. Learning. Autumn Leaves. What are the top 20 standards you recommend?

[@pdbass]

medium.com/@samblakelock/list-of-20-jazz-standards-often-called-at-jam-sessions-9c3117eb9a3e

[@eugeneboronow9779]

hi. I love your videos; I'm a guitarist, and these are exposing me to other worlds within music. I've been going down the pdbass rabbithole. But I'd like to offer a video suggestion-- the bass case behind you feels distracting to me when you're centered (like @7:53). With your dark hair, and often dark shirt, you blend into the case, rather than have a contrasting background. It's different, for example, @3:08 when you're off-center, and have the light background behind you. You (as the subject) stand out better, and are more discernable.. I hope this suggestion is helpful. And I'm grateful for your videos.

[@pdbass]

I really appreciate this comment! I actually have a new, much lighter case now and would love to know if that changes what you see in the videos. Let me know and thank you for watching!! 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@ronj9448]

I'm venturing into learning jazz standards (from a rock / country background). Is there any good suggested lists of standards out there that should be learned first that allows me to cover that commonality mentioned?

[@pdbass]

There are some lists of top 20 or 50 if you Google it, but I would start by getting an album like “Kind of Blue” by Miles Davis and learning those five songs. Go from there. The great Jazz albums tend to have the tunes people play the most. Good luck.

[@ronj9448]

@@pdbass Great. And thanks for the reply.

[@gabrieln3613]

@@ronj9448 For what it may be worth, per his suggestion on "Kind of Blue" by Miles Davis, as I understand it that is the Album Duane Allman would often be listening to before shows. Something I have heard from being around....harmonica player 46 years and was full-time by age 20. I grew up where ABB lived, literally on Hwy 41, and also played some shows with the band "Poindexters" featured and backing up Dickie Betts on his first solo album "Highway Call". I started in straight Bluegrass mid '70's, then full time in a Honky Tonk band, later though got into big band swing and had a swing dance, Jazz, R&B band for 10 years (we played Blues Festivals too) 7 piece with female vocals, keys, horns, etc. and we did many Jazz Standards....including 3 of the songs on that Kind of Blue album. I am by no means "a Jazz Cat" but, have played with many pros who are. You might also check some of the "Organ Trio" type players (Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff) including Joey De Francesco who did a cool album with Danny Gatton that had some Jazz standards, Danny Gatton could bridge Country and Jazz really well.

[@murtaghmorza1]

How do I know what the chords/changes are? I Can learn the melody by ear but don’t think I can do that for changes. Should I just look it up?

[@pdbass]

If you want to learn a tune, go listen to someone playing it first. Then 1) SING the melody 2) Play the bass notes while you SING the melody 3) Be willing to mess it up a few times! There is a difference between playing it perfectly and not really knowing it and messing it up until you know it FOREVER. Your ears will tell you everything you need to know. Good luck.

[@Bassoclock]

[@diggabledork]

Have you had your piano tuned since last year? You owe it to yourself!

[@CourtWatchAu]

Its funny that current jazz people/learners are expected to learn/play songs from from Tin Pan Alley and Showtunes form before the 60s whereas at the time jazz icons learnt the songs they were only 10 to 30 yrs old, Now they are 60 yrs old.I think Jazz clubs playing jazz versions of 80s 90s 2000s songs would be more popular adn keep jazz moving forward

[@sega62s]

please tune that piano my head hurts 😂

[@alkh3myst]

1. Get the Real Book (any volume). 2. Get to work.

[@terrymiller111]

Not "chances are" as far as what I call "piano literacy". If you are at music school you are required to be piano literate at a minimum.

[@1koolkat1]

Ouch! 🤕 I’ll just leave that right there. Preciate this exhortation 🫡