Piano · Level 10 · Expert
Rhythm changes (A section) in F major on Piano
Don’t just read about Rhythm changes (A section) in F major. Play it.
Create a free TempoJam account in 30 seconds. Then try the tuner, metronome and Jam Room free for 14 days and record your first take tonight.
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.
Fmaj7
Notes: F · A · C · E
Dm7
Notes: D · F · A · C
Gm7
Notes: G · B♭ · D · F
C7
Notes: C · E · G · B♭
Am7
Notes: A · C · E · G
D7
Notes: D · F♯ · A · C
F7
Notes: F · A · C · E♭
B♭maj7
Notes: B♭ · D · F · A
B♭m7
Notes: B♭ · D♭ · F · A♭
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: Fmaj7, Dm7, Gm7, C7, Am7, D7, F7, B♭maj7 and B♭m7. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Keep the right hand curved over the keys and move it as one unit between chords.
- 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.
- Play the left-hand bass note on beat one and the right-hand chord on every beat.
- 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.
F major has 1 flat; its relative minor key is D minor.
Questions
What are the chords in I–vi–ii–V–iii–VI7–ii–V in F major?
In F major the progression is Fmaj7 Dm7 | Gm7 C7 | Am7 D7 | Gm7 C7 | Fmaj7 F7 | B♭maj7 B♭m7 | Am7 D7 | Gm7 C7.
What is the key signature of F major?
F major has 1 flat. Its relative minor is D 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.
Reading a chord chart is step one. Play it to a metronome, record it, and hear yourself get better, all in one app.
Start practising free