Learning Autumn Leaves (Cannonball/Miles Version, Chords, PDF)

I wish I could send this lesson back in time to myself when I was starting to learn jazz!  It would have helped me learn a lot quicker!

Please check out the lessons on So What and playing Jazz Blues, as well as the Beginner’s Jazz Guitar Course for more songs and ideas to practice!  Best wishes!

Overview

Basically, you practice along to the recording.  You play the chords along to the recording. You play the melody along to the recording. You learn to play what the musicians play on the recording.  And you solo over the recording.

Summary

1. Find the song on Youtube or buy a copy, if you don’t already have it
2. Play the chords all the way through the song. play quarter notes, like Freddie Green.
3. Play the melody over and over all the way through the song
4. Listen to entire recording and try to pick out bits and pieces of it, especially the solo
5. Play your solo over the recording

Benefits

Important points to remember

1. Lock in with the drummer at all times. for 50s jazz, this probably means the ride cymbal
2. If it’s too fast, get an mp3 version and play it slower using something like transcribe
3. Listen to the song at least once a day, or ideally 4x (1. chords, 2. melody, 3. play-along, 4. solo). See the Summary section above, for more info.
4. If the song is 11 minutes long, then you’ll know you practiced almost 44 minutes. the song is good, time will fly by or stand still depending on perspective.
5. In terms of learning solos, focus on Miles’ solo first because it’s not so many notes and very clear and still really good. This is a good style of soloing to adopt especially when you are first starting. Everything’s melodic and grooving.

This method of learning works for any song.  Now let’s apply it to Autumn Leaves.

Check out some other lessons about Autumn Leaves and jazz chords:

• Chords for Autumn Leaves in A minor
• Chord ideas for Autumn Leaves
• Creating Diatonic Jazz Chords (and Melodies) from Major Scales
• Swing, Bop, Ragtime, 2nd Line

Autumn Leaves

Chords

Form is AAB
A
|  C-7 |  F7  |Bbmaj7|Ebmaj7|
| Am7b5|  D7  |  G-  |  G-  ||
B
| Am7b5|  D7  |  G-  |  G-  |
|  C-7 |  F7  |Bbmaj7|Ebmaj7||
| Am7b5|  D7  |G-  C7|F-  Bb|
| Am7b5|  D7  | G-   | G-   ||

Chord Chart (PDF) for Autumn Leaves in G minor

Intro

Listen to the intro and try and pick out what the bass player, the horns and piano play.  It’s in G minor (mostly with an ‘E’ natural, especially i the bass line).  After a while you’ll pick up stuff. Focus on the main section of the songs when you start out.

Learning Autumn Leaves

Now you are ready to dive in? I hope so…remember this will really help your musicianship!

1. play the chords (4 on the floor) throughout the song with good time. listen to what everyone in the band is doing
2. play the melody from the start of when Miles’ plays the melody all the way to the end of the song when Miles plays the melody again.  this is harder than it sounds
3. now listen to the track and pick out what everyone is doing. i usually focus on the soloist but you can try to figure out chords, basslines, drum parts
4. now solo over the entire song.  you may want to switch back to chords or melody to rest and to make sure you are in the right spot. try to blend your solo with what melody is doing at the point.

Song

If you haven’t already started listening to the song, here it is again:

Practice Makes Progress!

Best wishes to everyone! Hope this helps!

Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, ideas and/or suggestions in the comment box below or by contacting me.

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• Chords for Autumn Leaves in A minor
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