Last activity on November 23, 2025
Jazz music is a unique art form that combines deep musical understanding with expressive improvisation. For many aspiring jazz musicians, mastering jazz standards—those classic compositions forming the backbone of jazz repertoire—can feel both exciting and overwhelming. Drawing from over four decades of experience, Alex Terrier, a jazz saxophonist and educator, shares invaluable insights on how to effectively memorize, understand, and interpret jazz standards. In this course, he breaks down his expert advice into 12 dos and 6 don’ts that will help you progress confidently in your jazz journey.
Many musicians assume they have poor memory, but as Alex points out, memorizing jazz standards is similar to learning any language. Just as you know hundreds of words, names, or passwords, you can learn and retain melodies and harmonies with the right approach. The key lies in understanding the material deeply, rather than rote memorization.
Jazz music is a language with grammar, vocabulary, and syntax. Without understanding the harmony and melody, memorization becomes ineffective and short-lived. When you understand a tune’s structure and the relationship between notes and chords, your imagination and creativity are freed, enabling you to internalize the song naturally.
While the right brain is responsible for creativity, the left brain organizes and analyzes information. Strong jazz musicians have clear mental maps of tunes, allowing them to use creativity as informed expression rather than random chance.
Start by listening to several versions of a jazz standard, especially the oldest and most original versions, to grasp the original harmony and melody. Afterward, focus on one version to study and internalize. This method builds a solid foundation and helps you appreciate the tune’s evolution.
Vocal performances provide important melodic interpretation and phrasing cues. Even instrumentalists benefit from practicing “like a vocalist,” learning subtle nuances in phrasing and emotional expression.
Singing the melody before playing it strengthens your connection between hearing and physical execution. This integrated approach improves both memorization and musicality.
Try to learn the melody by ear before checking the lead sheet. This forces your ears to develop and deepens your musical intuition, resulting in more natural learning.
Analyze how the melody interacts with the chord changes. For instance, in “All The Things You Are,” the melody heavily emphasizes the thirds of each chord. Recognizing these patterns simplifies memorization.
Jazz often requires playing tunes in multiple keys. Practicing transposition improves your comprehension of the harmonic and melodic structures by forcing you to think through changes rather than merely repeating patterns.
The bass line outlines harmonic movement. Playing it clearly helps you internalize the changes and supports improvisation—the bass is the first melodic line you should be able to play confidently.
Like driving a route with turns and stops, anticipate where a melody or chord progression leads. This forward-thinking mindset improves your musical decision-making during improvisation.
Teaching forces you to know the tune inside and out—melody, harmony, and bass line. Jam sessions and gigs with other musicians are excellent opportunities to solidify your knowledge and learn from peers.
Memory fades without practice. Return to tunes you’ve learned periodically. Create a repertoire list and cycle through it to maintain and deepen your song knowledge.
Try playing a melody from one tune over the chord changes of another. This fun exercise stretches your harmonic understanding and versatility.
A teacher will guide you, motivate you and keep you accountable. Accountability boosts progress. Whether with teachers, friends, or band mates, studying together creates motivation, feedback, and shared learning experiences.
Avoid learning a tune by just reading. Listening to versions teaches you phrasing, timing, and feel far better than theory alone.
Memorizing isolated chords like “Cmin7” or “F7” won’t help much. Instead, understand the whole harmonic progression and how the melody phrases fit over it.
Memory is a muscle that needs constant exercise. Avoid “one-and-done” learning. Return to standards often.
Negativity and self-doubt hinder progress. Confidence and optimism, even when things seem tough, fuel motivation and improvement.
Challenging tunes are rewarding but begin with manageable pieces. Pushing too hard too fast leads to frustration and burnout.
Avoid two extremes: rushing through too many songs without deep study or spending months stuck on one tune without variety. Find a balanced approach that mixes focus and breadth.
Start improvising with triads, move to tetrads (four-note chords), then scales, and finally introduce bebop vocabulary with chromatic lines. This structured approach builds your improvisational vocabulary systematically.
Lead sheets are great references but can contain errors and don’t replace a good ear. Use them to confirm your understanding, not as a crutch.
It’s common to want music charts during a gig if nerves strike. Try gradually playing without them to build confidence, but don’t be too harsh on yourself when mistakes happen—improvisation is live composing.
Improvising is “composing in the moment.” Many musicians write original tunes over standards’ chord changes, a practice that deepens harmonic knowledge and inspires creativity.
This methodical, immersive approach transforms memorization from a chore into an engaging and creative process, empowering jazz musicians to truly own their repertoire and express themselves fully.
Embrace these dos and don’ts from a seasoned jazz veteran, and watch your confidence and skill as a jazz musician grow. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced player, constant learning and smart practice turn jazz standards into a living, expressive language that you can speak fluently.
Explore more jazz learning tips and lessons to deepen your musical journey and join a thriving community of passionate players.
