The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    I am working on Autumn Leaves (in B flat) as my first jazz standard, so forgive me for the very basic nature of this question.

    I've got the chords for this part..

    -----------Cm7-F7----------Bbmaj7--Ebmaj7
    The falling leaves drift by my window

    ----------Am7b5-D7--------Gm7--Gm7
    The falling leaves of red and gold




    But when it gets to here I get lost as to which chords to use..


    But I miss you most of all, my darling

    When autumn leaves start to fall



    I have tried looking it up but I decided to come to the forum for some human insight.

    Also, can someone point me towards a great version of this song, in B flat, that was done by a professional?

    Thanks

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    To clarify - you're playing in the key of G minor, not Bb major. They have the same key signature; G is the relative minor of Bb major.

    You shouldn't have too much trouble locating the changes - a quick Google search should turn them up in short order.

    I've always thought one of the interesting features of this tune is that the changes turn around in the B section. The first four bars of the A section become the second four of the B section and vice versa.

  4. #3
    The chords after the second ending are
    |D7---|D7---|Gmin---|Gmin---|Bbmaj7---|Bbmaj7---|Amin7b5---|D7---|Gmin---|Gmin---|Amin7b5---|D7---|Gmin---|(G7)---|

    also the version on Somthin' Else by Cannonball Adderly is just amazing.

    P.S. I got those changes from valdez studios
    Last edited by hippiepunkblues; 09-19-2010 at 02:42 PM.

  5. #4

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    G minor, hmm I see.

    If those are the chords for the B section, where do they line up with the lyrics? I am trying to sing it while I play it, but I can't figure it out. I've searched it on Google multiple times but I can't find what I am looking for. Or perhaps I don't even know what I am looking for.

  6. #5

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    Audgen, I was writing my last reply as you posted that. I will check it out. Thanks.

  7. #6

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    Here's the pdf



    cheers Tom

  8. #7

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    I am completely lost now.

  9. #8

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    ECross,here you are is this what you are looking for??

    Cheers Tom

  10. #9

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    Yes that is great, I appreciate it. Also, thank you for putting up with my very beginner approach/questions.

  11. #10

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    Im confuse alittle here if the music sheet said it in Bb major I know g minor is relative fourth but why play it in g minor should you be able to play in both key? this is for godinfan
    Last edited by chico62; 09-20-2010 at 07:25 PM.

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by chico62
    Im confuse alittle here if the music sheet said it in Bb major I know g minor is relative fourth but why play it in g minor should you be able to play in both key? this is for godinfan
    It's in G minor, which has the same key signature as Bb major. You can't play it in Bb major, as the tonic, or point of resolution is G minor. You could play it in a different minor key, and people often do. E minor is probably the other most used key for Autumn Leaves.

  13. #12

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    oilywrag, is it just me or does the Cdim after the Am7b5 sound redundant? Or am I reading it wrong? I am quite certain the error lies with me so could you explain a bit for me why it would be Cdim and not D7?

  14. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by ECross
    oilywrag, is it just me or does the Cdim after the Am7b5 sound redundant? Or am I reading it wrong? I am quite certain the error lies with me so could you explain a bit for me why it would be Cdim and not D7?
    Common practice in jazz is to play that Cdim as a D7(b9) - which is a Cdim7 with a D in the bass.

  15. #14

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    Cdim is really the D7b9. As others have said this is why it's probably better to think of it as being in Gmin rather than BbMaj, as in the minor key you still have the 5-1 change but the 5 is an altered dominant chord. In this way you can see Cdim as being F7 too, and Gmin an inversion of BbMaj, so really it's all the same thing.

    Whenever you see a dim chord in a tune chances are that it's really a 7b9 chord, so your right it is D7 but with the b9.

  16. #15

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    Hmm ok interesting. D7b9 still doesn't sound right to my ear though because of that D# note that is shared between Am7b5 and D7b9.

  17. #16

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    Good Morning godinfan so as far as jazz go it would be better to play it in the key of minor verse major any exception to the rule?

  18. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by chico62
    Good Morning godinfan so as far as jazz go it would be better to play it in the key of minor verse major any exception to the rule?
    It's not a question of what's better. Autumn Leaves was written in a minor key. It doesn't matter what genre you're playing in.

  19. #18

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    ok I got it