The B Section

B Section host Brett Belanger dives into instruction and discussions on all aspects of music with an emphasis on jazz.

Episode 53 - Legal Considerations for Working Musicians with Kevin Hackler part 2 05/13/2021

Episode 53 - Legal Considerations for Working Musicians with Kevin Hackler part 2 In part 2, Brett and Kevin discuss more legal considerations that pertain to recording. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/19010393

Episode 52 - Legal Considerations for Working Musicians with Kevin Hackler part 1 05/06/2021

Episode 52 - Legal Considerations for Working Musicians with Kevin Hackler part 1 Charleston, SC based trumpet player and attorney Kevin Hackler joined the B Section to discuss what working musicians should know about how the law works to protect themselves. In part 1, Kevin and Brett discuss important information regarding contracts for gigs. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/19010348

Episode 51 - Crafting Bebop Lines 04/15/2021

Episode 51 - Crafting Bebop Lines Want to make your own bebop style lines? Chromaticism and devices such as enclosures can help you achieve this while also providing you with smooth voice leading. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/18713042

Episode 50 - Playing in 5/4 04/01/2021

Episode 50 - Playing in 5/4 Being able to play in odd meters is something that is often expected of the professional jazz musician. Plus, its fun! The two meters that come up the most are 5/4 and 7/4. Learning the most common groupings of the beats within each measure will help you get the hang of these odd time signatures. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/18555782

Episode 49 - Navigating rhythm changes 03/25/2021

Episode 49 - Navigating rhythm changes Rhythm changes is one of the bread and butter forms that all jazz musicians must be familiar with. In this episode, B Section host Brett Belanger breaks down the A sections into manageable pieces and then gradually adds complexity. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/18427430

Episode 48 - How long should I solo? 03/18/2021

Episode 48 - How long should I solo? There are a lot of criteria that can be useful to consider when asking this question. Ultimately, situational awareness and keeping your ears open will answer most of them. Don’t overstay your welcome! /episode/index/show/bsection/id/18352772

Episode 47 - How to play over Sus chords 03/11/2021

Episode 47 - How to play over Sus chords Using the example of C7sus, Brett explains a few ways to go about playing over this chord especially as a single-line instrument like bass. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/18285596

Episode 46 - Goodbye, Chick 03/04/2021

Episode 46 - Goodbye, Chick B section host Brett Belanger and friend of the podcast Jonathan Lovett scratch the surface of Chick Corea’s influence and contributions to the word. Rest In Peace, Chick. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/18179132

Episode 45 - How to make your bass guitar sound more like an upright bass 02/25/2021

Episode 45 - How to make your bass guitar sound more like an upright bass There are many reasons you might find yourself playing bass guitar on a straight ahead jazz gig. When this is the case, it can be beneficial to utilize these tricks to capture more of the double bass vibe to better suit the music. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/18095093

Episode 44 - Interview with Bob Lanzetti of Snarky Puppy part 2 02/18/2021

Episode 44 - Interview with Bob Lanzetti of Snarky Puppy part 2 Part 2 of my chat with Bob. Enjoy! /episode/index/show/bsection/id/17961296

Episode 43 - Interview with Bob Lanzetti of Snarky Puppy part 1 02/11/2021

Episode 43 - Interview with Bob Lanzetti of Snarky Puppy part 1 Season 2 is here! Kicking off the second season is an interview with Bob Lanzetti. Bob is a versatile musician and a great guy. In the interview, Bob discusses his start in music, the beginnings of Snarky Puppy, and what he has been up to as of late. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/17860931

Episode 42 - Reflecting on Season 1 12/10/2020

Episode 42 - Reflecting on Season 1 The last episode of Season 1. Brett reflects on the first season of the podcast as well as 2020 in general. Season 2 coming in 2021! /episode/index/show/bsection/id/17132894

Episode 41 - How to hire other musicians for a gig 11/19/2020

Episode 41 - How to hire other musicians for a gig While it may seem self explanatory, there are some things to keep in mind when asking musicians to play a gig. Communication is key! Be forthcoming with all the details you have to eliminate potential tension and to not waste anyone’s time. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/16877456

Episode 40 - How to get a gig 11/12/2020

Episode 40 - How to get a gig Everyone wants more gigs right? The number one tip for getting work as a musician is networking. People rarely hire musicians purely based on skill level! Check out these tips for getting gigs. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/16770260

Episode 39 - Pursuing higher education in jazz part 2 with Dr. Tim Fischer 11/05/2020

Episode 39 - Pursuing higher education in jazz part 2 with Dr. Tim Fischer B Section host Brett Belanger continues his discussion with Dr. Tim Fischer on pursuing higher education in jazz. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/16654220

Episode 38 - Pursuing higher education in jazz part 1 10/29/2020

Episode 38 - Pursuing higher education in jazz part 1 Tim Fischer reappears on The B Section to discuss getting higher degrees in the field of jazz. As someone who has earned his doctorate degree and has been teaching for some time at the college level, Tim is well versed in this area. This part one of our conversations. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/16569860

Episode 37 - What I’m practicing right now 10/22/2020

Episode 37 - What I’m practicing right now 2020 has given all of us more time to practice. In this episode, B Section Host Brett Belanger discusses what he has been practicing lately. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/16490720

Episode 36 - How do I swing? 10/15/2020

Episode 36 - How do I swing? The concept of what makes something swing is not only subjective but also rather abstract. That being said, we as jazz musicians generally know it when we hear it! In this episode, Brett goes through some different considerations when learning how to swing. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/16405061

Episode 35 - Tips for giving static harmony motion 10/08/2020

Episode 35 - Tips for giving static harmony motion Playing on just one chord for an extended period can actually be trickier than it seems. If you just play within the corresponding scale, you might run out of ideas and it can lead to a boring solo. In this episode, Brett gives you some ideas to generate more harmonic motion when playing on one chord. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/16308212

Episode 34 - The 2 Feel 10/01/2020

Episode 34 - The 2 Feel The 2 feel is an important element of swing. It sets the groundwork for the 4/4 swing that often comes later. While simple in theory, there are some things to consider when developing a good 2 feel. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/16211972

Episode 33 - Does gear matter? 09/24/2020

Episode 33 - Does gear matter? I think we can all agree that gear does matter. It is the tool or tools that help us communicate our message as artists. That being said, sometimes equipment can get in the way of developing our craft if we place too much importance on it and get wrapped up in searching for the gear to make us better. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/16126376

Episode 32 - Should you burn your Real Book? 09/17/2020

Episode 32 - Should you burn your Real Book? It’s a controversial topic! Is the Real Book a helpful tool to learn standards and be able to cut a gig by reading tunes you don’t know? Or is it a crutch that enables you to rely on your eyes and not your ears when learning or performing a tune? /episode/index/show/bsection/id/16038464

Episode 31 - Tips for preparing music 09/10/2020

Episode 31 - Tips for preparing music In this episode, Brett explains his process for preparing music for a gig or recording. The process involves prioritizing practice time around what is most difficult. Listening to the material if possible is especially helpful. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/15949271

Episode 30 - 5 MORE ways to make a clean lead sheet 09/03/2020

Episode 30 - 5 MORE ways to make a clean lead sheet Here are 5 more tips to help get your charts looking professional! /episode/index/show/bsection/id/15854354

Episode 29 - 5 ways to make a clean lead sheet 08/27/2020

Episode 29 - 5 ways to make a clean lead sheet Having clean looking charts is super helpful when arranging or composing music for other musicians. The easier it is to read, the more efficient rehearsing the music will be. If it’s a sight reading situation, the players will have the best chance at performing the chart correctly the first time. Here are 5 tips to make a clean lead sheet! /episode/index/show/bsection/id/15763823

Episode 28 - How to be a pro besides just playing well 08/20/2020

Episode 28 - How to be a pro besides just playing well Being a good player is certainly one important aspect of being a professional musician and we should all strive to better our playing but that is just one piece of the puzzle. Many times, the reason someone is called for a gig has more to do with other professional traits than musical ability. The best player isn’t always the most hired! /episode/index/show/bsection/id/15675353

Episode 27 - Which minor scale should I use? 08/13/2020

Episode 27 - Which minor scale should I use? All of them. All the minor scales. But at the right time! There are quite a few different minor scales that are essential to know and they all have a different use. Context is key! /episode/index/show/bsection/id/15588152

Episode 26 - Building a musical solo 08/06/2020

Episode 26 - Building a musical solo After teaching a course on building a musical solo at a jazz camp recently, I thought it would also make a great episode for the podcast. Some of the key elements of building a musical solo include melody, dynamics, phrasing, and more. Chops are fun but this episode is about making a musical statement when you improvise! /episode/index/show/bsection/id/15495734

Episode 25 - Playing nice with the bass player 07/30/2020

Episode 25 - Playing nice with the bass player In this episode, Brett gives some food for thought on how to make the bass player happy while on the gig. Not all bassists are the same but there are certain things that make many bass players frustrated, particularly acoustic bass players. Here are some of Brett’s pet peeves. /episode/index/show/bsection/id/15401576

Episode 24 - Valuable skills that musicians can learn during a pandemic 07/23/2020

Episode 24 - Valuable skills that musicians can learn during a pandemic With the extra time on our hands, there are many skills we musicians can develop (besides playing our instrument) that can really enhance our passion. In the age of content creation, it’s worth catching up on our tech skills to keep the music going even when we aren’t together! /episode/index/show/bsection/id/15314618

The B Section

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