How to Keep Jazz Standards Fresh: 4 Tips for Touring Guitarists

As a touring jazz guitarist, you know that it’s important to keep your skills fresh. You need to be able to play a wide variety of standards, and you need to be able to improvise within those standards. But how do you keep your playing fresh and interesting, night after night?

Here are a few tips:

1. Learn new standards. One of the best ways to keep your playing fresh is to learn new standards. When you learn a new standard, you’re forced to think about the music in a new way. You’re also exposed to new melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. All of this can help you to expand your musical vocabulary and to become a more creative player.
2. Listen to other jazz guitarists. Another great way to keep your playing fresh is to listen to other jazz guitarists. Pay attention to the way they play the standards. What are they doing that you like? What are they doing that you don’t like? Try to incorporate some of their ideas into your own playing.
3. Improvise. One of the most important things you can do as a jazz guitarist is to improvise. When you improvise, you’re able to express yourself musically and to create something new. Improvisation can be challenging, but it’s also very rewarding. The more you improvise, the better you’ll become at it.
4. Practice regularly. Finally, it’s important to practice regularly. The more you practice, the better you’ll become at playing jazz standards. Make sure to practice all aspects of your playing, including your technique, your improvisation, and your knowledge of the standards.

Following these tips will help you to keep your jazz playing fresh and interesting. So get out there and start playing!

In addition to the tips above, here are a few more specific things you can do to keep your jazz standards fresh:

• Experiment with different tempos. One way to keep a standard fresh is to play it at a different tempo than you’re used to. This can change the feel of the song and make it more interesting to play. Changing the key of a tune can give it a whole new feel and open up new harmonic possibilities for improvisation. Similarly, changing the tempo can add a sense of urgency or relaxation to the tune, which can inspire new ideas and approaches. Try playing a familiar tune in a key you’re less familiar with, or speeding up or slowing down the tempo to see how it affects the tune’s overall vibe.
• Try different voicings. Another way to keep a standard fresh is to try different voicings for the chords. This can change the sound of the song and make it more challenging to play. Jazz musicians are known for their mastery of harmony, and playing with different chord voicings and substitutions can open up new harmonic possibilities and add complexity and interest to a tune. Try experimenting with different voicings of the same chord, or substituting different chords altogether. This can add a sense of surprise and spontaneity to your playing and keep the tune fresh and exciting.  You can also add modulation as an arranging technique.
• Add your own personal touch. Finally, the best way to keep a standard fresh is to add your own personal touch to it. This could mean playing with a different feel, using different techniques, or even adding some of your own original ideas.

The most important thing is to keep your playing fresh and interesting. If you can do that, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a great jazz guitarist. Jazz standards are a crucial part of any jazz musician’s repertoire, and they provide a rich foundation for improvisation and musical exploration. However, after playing the same tunes night after night, it can be challenging to keep them fresh and exciting. Keep at it and don’t be afraid to experiment!