How to learn jazz?

Duck Tape

Duck Tape

Platinum Member
Sorry, this is a vague thread, but I wanted to leave it open. I am a bit of a self teacher, I may go and get some lessons but I’m just wondering what people thought was a good way to learn and practice jazz, what’s worked for you. I would like to one day play jazz gigs.

So far my experiences are
Playing along with jazz tunes
Jazz band high school (decades ago)
Community jazz band with seniors (after lockdowns they cut back personnel and there’s no longer a seat for me)
Tommy igoe and mengotto (from YouTube) play along tracks (some with charts)
Phil Maturano jazz 101 series on youtube
Steve Holmes jazz tutorial on youtube
Lesson 12 in syncopation - right hand lead, playing as written, orchestrating on different limbs etc
Bob Moses 8 points
I had the John Riley dvd but sadly the very tight design of the case snapped the dvd where it mounts and it’s gone out of production
 
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yea that's ok Just allow it; It helps if there's some organization (band) in your area. I was able to tap some of the old/older time WW2 generation of musicians- that were still active playing dances and nightclubs. There I swung because it was necessary. It was commercial Swing with with a 4 man band. But compared to the Rock I was coming from the volume went way down.
To the point you would be swinging a ballad and you could hear the dancers feet sweep across the floor..
In addition to that (constant steady work) listening to more extreme jazz during 'my' time I was able to incorporate some of that into the swing dance music. It was some Duke Ellington selections after all.
So I think you are doing the right thing and you will find other like minded musicians
 
Duck Tape said:
I had the John Riley dvd but sadly the very tight design of the case snapped the dvd where it mounts and it’s gone out of production
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The DVD was titled The Master Drummer. There's a new book titled The Master Drummer Expanded, with accompanying video files to download.
I have both, but although I haven't had time to check exactly, I'm pretty sure these files are the complete DVD.
 
What about records? That's kind of the main thing, and playing with people. Talk to the bass player and guitar player and a horn player in the community band and set up a regular session, like once a week, play through some tunes. And go see other drummers play, get an idea of the level of playing in your community, on the gigs you want to be playing. That's the natural process.

The media products are all fine, but they're not a substitute for the main thing. To me they're interlopers to the process above. Consider them bonus information that might become useful sometime after you're playing regularly. You don't need what they offer just to start playing.
 
toddbishop said:
What about records? That's kind of the main thing, and playing with people. Talk to the bass player and guitar player and a horn player in the community band and set up a regular session, like once a week, play through some tunes. And go see other drummers play, get an idea of the level of playing in your community, on the gigs you want to be playing. That's the natural process.

The media products are all fine, but they're not a substitute for the main thing. To me they're interlopers to the process above. Consider them bonus information that might become useful sometime after you're playing regularly. You don't need what they offer just to start playing.
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I agree with Todd. I would focus on listening to a lot of jazz recordings. Also, try to find out who the best jazz drummers are in your area, and go out to see them play. You want to make sure you have a clear sound in your ear of the music you want to make, and then all of the resources you listed can help you get there. But the listening part is of primary importance.

If there is an open jazz jam in your area, I would start going to that and sitting in. There's nothing like playing with other musicians to expose what you need to work on, and that will help guide what you focus on in your practice sessions.
 
Agreed with the others...

There's approximately 100 years of jazz music recorded. Like any other style, it has evolved since inception. Depending on where you decide to jump in (or not) will help to determine what it is you're listening to based on not only who is playing it but who/what came before it. Don't be afraid to go back... really far back... so you get a sense of what has happened to get to now.

Watch others in your area. Talk with them. Not just drummers.

Of course, applying what you and learn helps when you can play with others. Even if it's just yourself and one other instrument. So much can be gained in settings big and small.
 
You pretty much took the same course I did. Not that I am a jazz guru, but I can hang with the local yokels pretty well. The key is to just keep listening to players in all styles of jazz, and honestly, just knowing the repertoire has helped me the most. Back in my 20's and 30's, I only knew a handfull of jazz songs in my head.

when I started playing with other people, I had to memorize the tune when I heard the title. At first people would say "lets do Doxie" and I was lost. Didn't even know the tune. Now, I have memorized the heads of many tunes, and that helps me learn new ones quicker, and makes me feel more comfortable with the style in general.
 
Hi mate,
I’m currently seeing a teacher and jazz is the main part of what I’m learning/practicing at the moment.. I spent around 3 months relearning my right hand swing, 20 mins a day with no left hand or right foot. Everything felt so much better and easier to lock together after that.
Polyrhythms with the swinging was after that, really helped with placement and understanding the pattern.
I always listen to jazz now, the earlier swung stuff. Play along all the time. Improvisation with triplets on the bass drum and the Alan Dawson method for understanding the phrasing of what a groove can turn into.. Been around 2 years now. My overall playing has tightened up and my use of rudiments on the kit has dramatically increased!
Hope this helps in some way mate..
 
I don't know where you're at regarding playing level, but if you're new to it all, I would recommend this book by Ed Soph. He's got a video to go along with it as well on youtube. It's a great step-by-step introduction on how to get your time to feel good and flowing.
 
How to play jazz well? You have to dedicate your life to it. Practice the jazz drum methods, but most of all, learn the history of the music, and become familiar with the great artists of yesterday and today. Swing along with records, then find some like minded players and do your thing.
 
Learn songs. Don’t worry too much about learning “Jazz” as if it were some form of magic. Don’t think that all jazz drumming has to be full on Buddy Rich/Tony Williams all the time - listen to an album called Midnight Blue by Kenny Burrell. The drumming is simple, sparse, and just right.

And play with other people as soon as possible.

:)
 
I was lucky enough to find a friendly jazz jam round the corner (the only one in town)

Intially would just keep time with swing beat, straight pho latin, waltz and 6/8. I got to accompany many different players with differing styles and skill levels

Over several sessions i got to know the songs and add accents, develop more beats, trade 4s and do the occasional full form drum solo. You will also find them useful to hunt heads for furure projects and pick up work

I understand that some jams can turn into cutting competitions so a reconnaissance mission is wise
 
You will learn more about playing jazz in two weeks of live playing than you will learn in a year of book study. There are no shortcuts. If there are no opportunities to play with others where you live, playing along with recorded music is the next best thing.
 
I learnt to swing purely by feel. Can't say I know jazz even a bit, though.
If I were to take a jazz gig, I'd listen to the song and take note of the accents where I'd comp. Maybe I'm just ignorant, but I've thought that "jazz" and "sheet music" don't belong to the same sentence, and as such I cannot just check the bass tab in order to find where I should place my accents.
 
Iristone said:
Maybe I'm just ignorant, but I've thought that "jazz" and "sheet music" don't belong to the same sentence, and as such I cannot just check the bass tab in order to find where I should place my accents.
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not ignorant, but that is a very common myth that is not true. Not any more true than :
-you have to have long hair to be a metalhead <----myth
-you have to be Canadian to play hockey <---- myth
-you have to drink to have fun at parties <---- myth

jazz is what comes out when you play...if it is directed by ears or paper, it doesn't matter...it is when "people" start putting imaginary limits on things that "jazz" suffers

sort of like everythign else
 
Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX said:
not ignorant, but that is a very common myth that is not true. Not any more true than :
-you have to have long hair to be a metalhead <----myth
-you have to be Canadian to play hockey <---- myth
-you have to drink to have fun at parties <---- myth
"Tune and Tempo" Jo Jones
jazz is what comes out when you play...if it is directed by ears or paper, it doesn't matter...it is when "people" start putting imaginary limits on things that "jazz" suffers

sort of like everythign else
Click to expand...
 
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