New Priority: Learn Standards
Inspired by the clinic I attended with Jonathan Kreisberg at LA Music Academy, I've decided to make learning jazz standards a top priority. I was impressed by Jonathan's facility on the guitar, and he attributed much of it to learning all the standards he could when he was younger. Not only does it provide a common platform from which to jam with other jazz musicians, but there are valuable lessons to be learned from the composers of each tune. Experience with how jazz harmony and melody have worked in the past is essential to understanding them in general.
I studied and performed a healthy handful of standards when I was in college, but that was over two years ago. I guess the first thing I should do is revisit "all the things" I used to know. In addition to my old play-along books, a few other tools will come in handy: jazzstandards.com, Band-in-a-Box for backing tracks, three Real Books in PDF, and Rhapsody to listen to different interpretations of each tune.
Until this change, my top learning priorities were sight reading, ear training, and facility in many different styles. Sight reading and ear training are still most important, but I think I'll replace the third with learning standards. Versatility is a good idea, but I'm increasingly drawn to jazz the more I study and listen to it. Besides, it's as good a foundation as any for developing versatility later on.
IG (14 Dec 2007 at 10:24am)
Good thought. I would extend that to be, learn as many "songs" as possible in general and let the songs be the foundation of other things you need to learn.
Above all, it is "songs" that we are doing, and the more "song" playing time one has, the more you internalize harmony and structure and how different song writers and composers approach harmony.
Also, the longer you focus on songs, you'll find yourself applying your growing skills and finding all kinds of different interpretations of songs that will expand your creativity. I think almost every song that I know I learned at the basic level, and they have changed completely over time because I've come to apply all kinds of different chord inversions and voicings just because I've come to know the song so well.
Lastly, as you say, listen to different interpretations of each tune. Sticking with jazz, focus on finding renditions of the standards by some of the greats (Grant Green, Herb Ellis, Jim Hall, Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery, list goes on and on). Listening how all these guys approached things from completely different angles will help you learn to think outside the box.
Great post!
IG