Ukulele · Level 10 · Expert
Rhythm changes (A section) in B♭ major on Ukulele
Don’t just read about Rhythm changes (A section) in B♭ major. Play it.
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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.
B♭maj7
Notes: B♭ · D · F · A
Gm7
Notes: G · B♭ · D · F
Cm7
Notes: C · E♭ · G · B♭
F7
Notes: F · A · C · E♭
Dm7
Notes: D · F · A · C
G7
Notes: G · B · D · F
B♭7
Notes: B♭ · D · F · A♭
E♭maj7
Notes: E♭ · G · B♭ · D
E♭m7
Notes: E♭ · G♭ · B♭ · D♭
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: B♭maj7, Gm7, Cm7, F7, Dm7, G7, B♭7, E♭maj7 and E♭m7. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Use light pressure; the ukulele's nylon strings need far less force than steel.
- 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, then add an up-strum between beats with a loose wrist.
- 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.
B♭ major has 2 flats; its relative minor key is G minor.
Questions
What are the chords in I–vi–ii–V–iii–VI7–ii–V in B♭ major?
In B♭ major the progression is B♭maj7 Gm7 | Cm7 F7 | Dm7 G7 | Cm7 F7 | B♭maj7 B♭7 | E♭maj7 E♭m7 | Dm7 G7 | Cm7 F7.
What is the key signature of B♭ major?
B♭ major has 2 flats. Its relative minor is G 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.
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