10 Essential Ending Riffs

10 Essential Ending Riffs

Have you ever had trouble ending a jazz standard at a jam session? Well, your worries are over. Clear, confident endings are one of the most reliable ways to sound polished, support your bandmates, and avoid those awkward, half-hearted fade-outs that can derail an otherwise great performance. Here are 10 of the most common and essential jazz endings—traits you’ll hear on countless recordings and on bandstands everywhere. Learning these will give you a versatile toolkit you can reach for in any tune, tempo, or style.

With your download, you'll receive 10 of the most commonly used ending riffs in two keys, in the following formats:

• 20 PDF charts with TAB - Key of C & F
• 10 MP4 lesson videos where Frank demonstrates, practices, and applies each ending riff
• 2 MP3 jam tracks to help you groove and internalize the ideas

Don’t wait until the next jam—learn these endings now and start weaving them into your practice routine. Take a tune you already know well and try finishing it with two or three different endings from the list. Notice how each one changes the mood, the energy, and even the audience’s perception of the performance.

Work them slowly at first with a metronome or backing track, then try them with other musicians so you can feel how the cues, timing, and ensemble coordination come together in real time. The more familiar these endings become, the more confidently you’ll be able to lead or follow at the bandstand. Soon enough, closing out a tune will feel just as natural and expressive as taking a solo.