Best first Jazz Standard to learn?

**Stackabones** · 05-17-2009, 05:43 PM

I Got Rhythm -- easy head, essential changes (and there are variations of it everywhere in jazz)

**franco6719** · 05-18-2009, 04:45 AM

Blue Bossa is the easiest, but almost everyone's starts with Autumn Leaves or All of Me, etc. Tune Up or Satin Doll are better for beginners, IMO.

**Jake Hanlon** · 05-18-2009, 12:10 PM

the Giant steps was a joke folks hahahah

**Luan** · 05-18-2009, 01:54 PM

All of me is the second one to learn I would say

**mike palmer** · 05-18-2009, 10:25 PM

Okay, the Giant Steps joke I missed. Actually, that's really funny.

The comment about Autumn Leaves is a great example of why I think different people should start building repertoires/vocabulary with songs that 'they' can "follow."

I agree with the suggestions of All Of Me. It is a great one in my opinion. There's a good melody that a player can use for foundation, the chord movement will get the player introduced to jazzier concepts, as the player develops he/she can use more embellishments and use more and more chord tones on the changes, and the player can start building that "internal scat" that leads to listening to your own melodies (as Paul mentioned on Autumn Leaves).

Another thing I like about learning songs the player can track with is no matter whose crazy, overworked version they listen to, they can usually follow the song.

Blue Bossa is a good tune to learn early on also.

randalljazz, wow, I've been checking out all those links. I am new to this forum and haven't seen this stuff. Thanks and props.

**Modalguru** · 07-01-2009, 08:56 AM

Mack the Knife,

easy chords and you just need the C major scale to get through the solo (try to throw in some chord tones on beat 1 and 3 of the measures and some chromatics and you are just fine)...

All the best,
Modalguru

**heavyblues** · 07-02-2009, 05:28 AM

Also keep in mind that Rhythm Changes are huge in jazz from what I understand. I'm a jazz newb myself, and I'm too scared to try Rhythm Changes just yet, so I'm learning Autumn Leaves and All The Things You are...and others here have mentioned those tunes. I love autumn leaves, the melody is one of the prettiest I have ever heard.

**The Korux** · 07-02-2009, 06:21 AM

I think Take Five is very easy and a good place to start.

**Little Jay** · 07-02-2009, 07:22 AM

My bebop-playing only realy started after learning Donna Lee. If you disect the melody you already have a bunch of cool bebop-licks!

**jazzplayer925** · 07-10-2009, 07:56 PM

I've been working on "There Will Never Be Another You."

**604bourne123** · 07-11-2009, 11:00 PM

route 66 is kind of neat,but Giant steps really introduces modern music

**RyanM** · 07-12-2009, 01:12 AM

My vote is for blues and rhythm changes first; various heads for each. next would be autumn leaves and all the things you are.

**604bourne123** · 07-12-2009, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by 604bourne123

route 66 is kind of neat,but Giant steps really introduces modern music

Autumn leaves is a must do/All the things you are is a must do tune so is the one six two five

**rbdeli** · 08-06-2009, 03:46 PM

I'll go with Blues For Alice. Nice easy, bluesy changes.

**derek** · 08-06-2009, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by The Korux

I think Take Five is very easy and a good place to start.

That's a joke right?

**vsaumarez** · 08-20-2009, 01:56 AM

1) Mr PC
2) Blue Bossa
3) a Bb or F Blues
4) Ladybird, or Solar
5) Satin Doll
6) All the Things you are

If learnt in that order one will help build on the other as the tunes gradually become more challenging.

**rbdeli** · 08-20-2009, 10:56 AM

Satin Doll is a great one to learn. Very easy-to-hear, swinging chord changes - a classic.

As a ballad, Laura, is a great one and sounds so nice on a jazz guitar.

**The Korux** · 08-23-2009, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by derek

That's a joke right?

No.
Take Five was the very first jazz standard I could play and solo over.
Somebody else recommended Donna Lee here,..thats a song I can't even play now and I'm studing jazz guitar.
So I think Take Five is a good choice, not to fast and two easy chords for the solo (If you don't play over the bridge, thats a bit more complicated).

kind regards, Tobias

**rbdeli** · 08-23-2009, 09:39 PM

Donna Lee. Holy Cow - definitely NOT one that would seem easy to me.

Take 5 may not be a hard one to learn, but it is a little bit unconventional. Not exactly your typical meter and tempo for a jazz beginner, but hey - whatever works for you!

**The Korux** · 08-24-2009, 04:18 AM

Originally Posted by rbdeli

Donna Lee. Holy Cow - definitely NOT one that would seem easy to me.

Take 5 may not be a hard one to learn, but it is a little bit unconventional. Not exactly your typical meter and tempo for a jazz beginner, but hey - whatever works for you!

Thats right.
I mean my guitar teacher said we should do it and so I learned Take Five years ago.
Altough the odd meter is a hard thing, I think that Take Five is one of the easiest pieces in 5/4 time.

But people are different..

all the best, Tobias

**Little Jay** · 08-24-2009, 07:41 AM

hmm, yep, I suggested Donna Lee, but you guys are right: I doubt it's suited as your very first jazz-standard..... my apologies....

Although I do think that it's a very good standard to learn, even in an early stage. Sure, it takes some effort, but after that you have learned:
- bebop feel and timing
- a dozen cool bebop licks (take measures 15 to 17 for example for a cool II-V-I lick, I use that all the time!)
Furthermore, it's surprisingly easy to solo over (I think)!

I saw the suggestion of Blues For Alice, that's pretty tricky too... But in fact, that was my 2nd jazzstandard ever to learn!! And I did that without a realbook, by playing Mark Whitfields version over and over again (my housemates hated me at that time.....) Glad I did, after that it just got easier.

Well, I think I do have a good other suggestion, two in fact:
- There is no greater love
- There will never be another you

I suggest these, because for me these learned me how to think and feel outside the blues. After having played blues and the pentatonic scale exclusively for years, I found myself having a lot of trouble "feeling" the major scale. These songs helped me change that, because they have catchy melodies that stay in your head and guide you through the chordprogression while soloing.

**lindydanny** · 08-24-2009, 08:57 AM

I played through "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" yesterday and it is a pretty easy to play standard. Plus it sounds pretty cool. Only draw back is it isn't as popular amongst aficionados. Most just us guys that like vocal standards like Mel Torme did.

~DB

**erwinvd** · 09-23-2009, 04:24 PM

I would suggest:
All of me
Fly me to the moon
Satin doll

All songs in C & Am with easy turnarounds (Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7 etc.). Several sites have the chords and on Youtube different versions.

Good luck,
erwin