Autumn Leaves - what key?

[jazz omaha]

My guitar teacher's new assignment is to learn autumn leaves melody and the changes by next wednesday so here we go.

I need input on favorite versions and any tips or some hindsight from when you all learned this song.

I am to learn it in the key of... ummm... my teacher said the realbook is in the wrong key so anyone know what key it's supposed to be in?

[mr. beaumont]

Gm, first chord should be a Cm7.

I see folks do it in the real book key sometimes too, I actually do a solo arrangement that way because I like the open strings.

But you gotta know it in Gm too.

You're teacher's keeping secrets again, huh? SMACK!

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

[jazz omaha]

i just realized idk how im supposed to play the melody or learn the changes if the key is Gm and the realbook is not

[derek]

i just realized idk how im supposed to play the melody or learn the changes if the key is Gm and the realbook is not

?? The RB has it in G or Em. Do you know how to transpose yet?

[mr. beaumont]

move the root of every chord on that Em chart up a step and a half.

So the Am becomes Cm. and so on.

Transposition is a crucial skill.

[randalljazz]

the original is in E minor...so...but geetar players still get that look if they call it in that key in a jam session, so i'm told. most of the jazz world plays it G minor. that's one tune you need to know in at least two keys (also summertime, stella, green dolphin street, just friends...)...

[randalljazz]

meh...you do need to know how to change key, omaha, but there is a good version in Gm in the new real book volume one, an excellent resource for all jazzers and aspiring jazzers...

Amazon.com: The New Real Book, Volume 1 (Key of C) (0073999935332): Chuck Sher: Books

[jazz omaha]

i have the real book volume 5

[randalljazz]

i have the real book volume 5

you mean 'fifth edition'--the last of the old, illegal real books. that series is also out in in a new, legal version (in three volumes, volume one is 6th edition).

the new real book is a completely different series, in three volumes by number, in addition to standards real book, latin real book, and all jazz real book...more information than you actually need right now...

i would recommend getting the NRB vol 1; and eventually updating what you currently have to the legal version of the real book...

[franamico]

This might seem obvious, but before even studying complex arrangements, I would learn the melody of the head singing it.
This will help you immensely to solo having the melody as a strong reference

[tcrisalida]

Hello fellow guitarists.
I'm new to the forum and new to jazz. I am trying to get a consensus as to which key is considered "standard" for Autumn Leaves. I know it in both Gm and Em but wonder if I'm at a jam session of other jazz musicians - which key is considered "standard."
Thanks!
Tera

[Sailor]

I play in Em, but I think the standard is in G minor.

Sailor

[FatJeff]

I've seen it called in many keys, but mostly Gm and Em.

[Dark Star]

I'm relatively new at this stuff. I play it in Am as notated in the Real Book. There is also a version of it in that key by Martin Taylor & David Grisman.

[bako]

I'm relatively new at this stuff. I play it in Am as notated in the Real Book. There is also a version of it in that key by Martin Taylor & David Grisman.

Hi Dark Star

If you are talking about the version that starts with Am7 then that is really in Em.
In this case it is the chord that the song ends with that tells you the key and of course also the key signature
1 sharp (F#) G major and in this case representing the relative minor, Em.

[tcrisalida]

Thanks everybody. I guess I better learn it in both keys just in case! Chord melody seems a bit easier for me in Gm, not sure why, but it's doable in both keys. Thanks!

[Halleran]

G major is from the Fake Book.

[Reg]

If your old school... from mid 70's back you probable used the original real book which was transcribed from Bill Evans "Portrait in Jazz", which is in G maj. or the relative min. E-. Many of the newer FB have tune in Bb or G-...
over the years I think I've played the tune in almost every key. I host a Jazz Jam at one of our local clubs and the key reflects the age of the players calling the tune. Best Reg

[autodidact]

What key does

sound like?

[mr. beaumont]

Gm if you're playing with boppers, Em if you're with gypsy jazz cats.

[autodidact]

Bb minor.

Cool. That's what I've been practicing at, but I wanted confirmation. Thanks.

[ragman1]

Well, maybe I should get out more but I went down the list on Spotify. Singers aside (Dm is popular for male vocalists), it goes like this. Gm is the favourite though. I skipped repetitions so some players may have recorded it in more than one key. I made an exception for Oscar Peterson.

Bm - MJQ

Cm - Oscar Peterson, Stan Getz

Dm - Dave Grusin, Maynard Ferguson

Ebm - Oscar Peterson

Em - Martin Taylor, Joe Pass, Kenny Dorham, Benny Golson

Fm - Chet Baker, Paul Desmond, Dizzie Gillespie

F#m - Earl Klugh

Gm - Bill Evans, Cannonball Adderley, McCoy Tyner, Wynton Marsalis, Acker Bilk, Miles Davis, Jim Hall, Kenny Burrell, Bireli Lagrene, Julian Lage, Lee Konitz, Tal Farlow, Michael Petrucciani, Scott Hamilton, Wynton Kelly

[Runepune]

Seems like Gm is the most common. A nice solo-version by Julian Lage posted recently:

[KirkP]

Autumn Leaves is a tune I'll frequently use for practicing playing in random keys. Just pick a key and go. No peeking at a chart allowed. It's kind of a drill for thinking in chord degrees instead of chord names.