LJS 156: How to Memorize Chord Changes and Not Get Lost

Welcome to episode 156 of the LJS Podcast where today we feature a listener question all about how to memorize chord changes so you don't start confusing them with others. If you've ever gotten lost playing a jazz standard because you accidentally switched into playing a similar one, you're going to find this episode helpful.
Listen to episode 156







Have you ever been playing a jazz standard at a jam session, gig, or even by yourself and suddenly realized you switched to a different one?
I certainly have. Some jazz standards are similar to each other. In this episode, I use the example of "It Could Happen to You" and "There Will Never Be Another You."
Both of these tunes are commonly played in the key of Concert Eb major, and they have lots of diatonic cycling in 4ths and movements to the relative minor. It's easy to start getting those confused.
So in this show, I talk about how to memorize chord progressions in a way that will help us internalize them and know them well in the first place. I also talk about a very simple solution to help prevent you from veering off to another standard.







In this episode:
1. How to memorize chord changes so that you don't forget them.
2. Using the melody as your pillar to keeping you on track and true to the tune.
3. How to simplify the way you think about the harmony of a jazz standard.







Let me know in the comments:
How do you keep from losing track of which song you are playing and how do you memorize chord progressions?
Important Links
Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way
How to Learn Chord Progressions by Ear (Video)
LJS 88: Using the LIST Method to Learn Jazz Solos by Ear