Learn Jazz Standards Podcast
by Brent Vaartstra: Jazz Musician, Author, and Entrepreneur
Is this your podcast?Insights from recent episode analysis
Audience Interest
Podcast Focus
Publishing Consistency
Platform Reach
Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
Total monthly reach
Estimated from 14 chart positions in 14 markets.
By chart position
- 🇩🇪DE · Music Commentary#26100K to 300K
- 🇦🇺AU · Music Commentary#28100K to 300K
- 🇺🇸US · Music Commentary#1905K to 30K
- 🇮🇹IT · Music Commentary#8100K to 300K
- 🇯🇵JP · Music Commentary#1111K to 10K
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
226K to 706K🎙 Biweekly cadence·571 episodes·Long inactive - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
323K to 1.0M🇩🇪30%🇦🇺30%🇮🇹30%+11 more - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
97K to 302K
Market Insights
Platform Distribution
Reach across major podcast platforms, updated hourly
Total Followers
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Total Plays
—
Total Reviews
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* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
On the show
Recent episodes
Season 2 Finale - 26 Top Tips For Playing Jazz
Jun 28, 2024
46m 20s
Should Non-Bass Players Learn Bass Lines?
Jun 27, 2024
11m 31s
How Do I Perform Solo?
Jun 26, 2024
15m 23s
How Do I Know What To Practice?
Jun 25, 2024
13m 16s
How Should Horn Players Play Together In a Jazz Band?
Jun 24, 2024
7m 32s
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/28/24 | Season 2 Finale - 26 Top Tips For Playing Jazz | In this episode, Brent wraps up season two of the podcast with a special finale episode, reflecting on the journey and the changes implemented over the years. Originally starting in 2016, the podcast evolved from informal episodes to a structured season-based format in 2024, aiming to engage with listeners' questions. Throughout season two, Brent has provided invaluable insights and advice on various jazz topics. He encourages listeners to revisit past episodes to extract actionable knowledge... | 46m 20s | ||||||
| 6/27/24 | Should Non-Bass Players Learn Bass Lines? | In 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 just bass players because it helps in grasping chord tones, time feel, and melodic resolutions. He emphasizes that playing bass lines can enhance one's overall musicality and time-keeping skills. Bre... | 11m 31s | ||||||
| 6/26/24 | How Do I Perform Solo? | Welcome 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 discusses this topic, sharing his personal experience and offering valuable tips for anyone looking to enhance their solo performance skills. Brent emphasizes the importance of finding a solo guitar ... | 15m 23s | ||||||
| 6/25/24 | How Do I Know What To Practice? | In 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 practicing what ails them the most or where they have the most potential. Brent shares practical tips to identify strengths and weaknesses. He also introduces the concept of the three pillars of jazz improvisa... | 13m 16s | ||||||
| 6/24/24 | How Should Horn Players Play Together In a Jazz Band? | In 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. He explains how horn players usually play in a jam session. Brent emphasizes the importance of listening and adapting to each other’s playing to create a cohesive sound. Whether it’s harmonizin... | 7m 32s | ||||||
| 6/21/24 | The Importance of Your Practice Engine | In 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 from advanced players and is essential for significant progress in jazz playing. Brent illustrates his point by using the analogy of a car. Even with the best resources and tools, without a well-func... | 13m 19s | ||||||
| 6/20/24 | Can I Work On Instrument Technique and Songs At The Same Time? | In 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. Brent introduces the concept of the three pillars of jazz improvisation explaining how they interconnect and can be practiced together to enhance one's jazz playing. Brent emphasizes that working on te... | 11m 06s | ||||||
| 6/19/24 | How to Compose For a Jazz Group | In 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 melodies and harmonic foundations, allowing musicians to improvise freely. Brent discusses how composers can incorporate specific elements while still giving musicians the freedom to add their own improv... | 8m 59s | ||||||
| 6/18/24 | How Do I Not Overthink When I Solo? | In 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 theory, the key to natural-sounding solos is to let intuition and emotional connection to the music guide you. He compares this to the ease of tying your shoes, which becomes second nature through repetiti... | 10m 02s | ||||||
| 6/17/24 | How Long Should My Jazz Solos Be? | In 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, focusing on maintaining the quality of the music and avoiding the tendency to overplay. Brent also shares practical tips for different scenarios, such as jam sessions and gigs, highlighting the importan... | 10m 37s | ||||||
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| 6/14/24 | The Worst Mistakes to Make At a Jazz Gig | In 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, arriving early, and ensuring you have all your necessary gear. These foundational tips are crucial for setting yourself up for success and avoiding stressful, last-minute scrambles. Whether it's con... | 16m 28s | ||||||
| 6/13/24 | How Do I Learn Jazz Solos by Ear? | In 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 theory and reading notated solos, can also be effective for some learners. Brent introduces his LIST process for learning solos by ear, which stands for Listen, Internalize, Sing, and Transfer. This met... | 9m 39s | ||||||
| 6/12/24 | Is It Important to Notate Solos I Learn? | In 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 recommended by jazz educators and offers a significant return on investment for your practice time. He explains that while notation can help document solos for later use or provide a visual aid for analyz... | 10m 28s | ||||||
| 6/11/24 | How Do I Foster Creativity Before a Jazz Gig? | In 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 can boost your creative energy. Whether it's taking a break to refresh your mind or engaging in different practice routines, Brent highlights the importance of flexibility and avoiding overthinking. By ... | 9m 14s | ||||||
| 6/10/24 | The Characteristics of a Great Jazz Band | Join 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 than individual performance. He cites how unselfishness and a cooperative spirit are vital for creating outstanding jazz music. Brent also emphasizes the significance of responsibility and preparedness... | 11m 49s | ||||||
| 6/7/24 | The Frame-Of-Mind Required for Jazz Improv | In 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 learning various approaches and techniques, even if they may seem challenging or unfamiliar. Finally, Brent underscores the necessity of embracing mistakes and taking risks in improvisation. He encourages... | 11m 46s | ||||||
| 6/6/24 | How Do I Use Jazz In Other Styles of Music? | In 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 in different styles. By drawing from his own experiences and examples from other musicians, Brent illustrates how mastering jazz concepts can unlock new possibilities and transform your approach to mu... | 11m 16s | ||||||
| 6/5/24 | How to Improvise Over Dominant 7th Chords | In 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 that knowing the chords before and after is crucial for effective improvisation. He explains how focusing on chord tones and considering the overall function of the dominant chord can guide your not... | 11m 45s | ||||||
| 6/4/24 | Chord Tone Exercises to Practice | In 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 tone mapping and how understanding and practicing these fundamentals can significantly improve your ability to play "in the changes," just like the pros. Discover Brent's step-by-step methods for enh... | 12m 05s | ||||||
| 6/3/24 | How to Remember Chords to Jazz Standards | In 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 theory. These are all aimed at helping you effortlessly memorize and navigate complex jazz standards. Brent addresses common challenges musicians face when transitioning from chord melodies to understand... | 11m 59s | ||||||
| 5/31/24 | How 2 Chords Fooled a Pro Jazz Musician | In 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, he realized he had not internalized the music properly. This humbling experience underscored the importance of deeply listening to and familiarizing oneself with a piece of music, no matter how str... | 11m 58s | ||||||
| 5/30/24 | Can I Play Chord Extensions Even If My Bandmates Are Not? | In 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 ensemble playing without clashing. Brent also emphasizes the role of accompanists and advises on how to avoid muddying the sound when multiple instruments are comping simultaneously. By focusing on... | 9m 04s | ||||||
| 5/29/24 | How Do I Improvise While Sight Reading? | In 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 importance of solid jazz improvisation skills and a thorough understanding of jazz language. Brent also highlights the value of learning numerous jazz standards to build familiarity with these harmon... | 8m 26s | ||||||
| 5/28/24 | How Do I Learn Chords By Ear? | In 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 fundamentals. He highlights the five primary chord qualities in jazz and offers tips on developing the ability to identify these chords, both in isolation and within progressions. Brent's insights are es... | 10m 38s | ||||||
| 5/27/24 | Should I Imitate a Musician That Doesn't Play My Instrument? | In 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 performance. Brent addresses this by debunking the notion that jazz standards are tailored to specific instruments, emphasizing that any jazz standard can be adapted and played on any instrument. He encourages... | 11m 25s | ||||||
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Chart Positions
17 placements across 14 markets.
Chart Positions
17 placements across 14 markets.