Guitar · Level 10 · Expert
Rhythm changes (A section) in E♭ major on Guitar
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Rhythm changes is the second most important jazz form after the blues. The A section packs two chords into every bar at a lively tempo.
E♭maj7
Notes: E♭ · G · B♭ · D
Cm7
Notes: C · E♭ · G · B♭
Fm7
Notes: F · A♭ · C · E♭
B♭7
Notes: B♭ · D · F · A♭
Gm7
Notes: G · B♭ · D · F
C7
Notes: C · E · G · B♭
E♭7
Notes: E♭ · G · B♭ · D♭
A♭maj7
Notes: A♭ · C · E♭ · G
A♭m7
Notes: A♭ · C♭ · E♭ · G♭
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: E♭maj7, Cm7, Fm7, B♭7, Gm7, C7, E♭7, A♭maj7 and A♭m7. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Press just behind the fret with your fingertips and keep the thumb relaxed behind the neck.
- Set the tempo to 81 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Practise each pair of bars slowly with a metronome, then link them.
- Strum down on every beat at first, then try down–down–up–up–down–up.
- Raise the tempo to 108 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for even, unhurried changes on beats one and three.
Listen for
Aim for even, unhurried changes on beats one and three. A common mistake is slowing down on the busier bars five and six.
Why it works
Bar five's I7 is a secondary dominant of IV, and bar six borrows the minor iv from the parallel minor.
E♭ major has 3 flats; its relative minor key is C minor.
Questions
What are the chords in I–vi–ii–V–iii–VI7–ii–V in E♭ major?
In E♭ major the progression is E♭maj7 Cm7 | Fm7 B♭7 | Gm7 C7 | Fm7 B♭7 | E♭maj7 E♭7 | A♭maj7 A♭m7 | Gm7 C7 | Fm7 B♭7.
What is the key signature of E♭ major?
E♭ major has 3 flats. Its relative minor is C minor.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 10 lesson (expert). If it feels too hard, start with “A neo-soul chord loop”.
Your hands learn faster than your eyes.
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