Autumn Leaves in the Key of A minor
Form is AAB
Section A
| D-7 | G7 |Cmaj7|Fmaj7|
| Bm7b5| E7 | A- | A- ||
Section B
| Bm7b5| E7 | A- | A- |
| D-7 | G7 |Cmaj7|Fmaj7||
| Bm7b5| E7 |A- D7|G- C7|
| Fmaj7| E7 | A- | A- ||
Table of Contents
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Joseph Kosma composed Autumn Leaves
Joseph Kosma wrote Les Feuilles Mortes – in English Autumn Leaves – in the mid 1940s . Jacques Prévert wrote the original French Lyrics and Johnny Mercer wrote the English lyrics. This article talks about the chords in the key of A minor – the first chord is D minor 7th.
Form for Autumn Leaves
The form for Autumn Leaves is usually AAB. This means you play the A Section 2x, then play the B Section 1x. The total form is 32 bars.
Check out another version of Autumn Leaves, too! Learning Autumn Leaves in G minor. It’s the version with Cannonball Adderley and Miles Davis.
Also, it’s interesting to note that there’s actually a verse to Autumn Leaves. This article just talks about the chords for the chorus of the song (in A minor with first chord being D minor).
Also please consider checking out:
- Learning Autumn Leaves (Cannonball/Miles Version, Chords)
- Jazz Guitar Ideas – How to Improve Time (and Groove) for Jazz Guitar – Count Out Loud!
- 7 Ideas for Playing Solo Jazz Guitar
- 30 Lessons in Jazz Guitar (Groove, Fundamentals, Soloing, Songs)
- Creating Diatonic Jazz Chords (and Melodies) from Major Scales
- Advice for Learning to Play Jazz (Bebop, 2nd Line, Swing)
History and Harmony of the Autumn Leaves
Please check out these links to learn more about the song. The harmonic structure is very beautiful and has been used for centuries in various forms.
As Kosma studied composition and conducting at the Budapest Liszt Academy, he likely knew Händel’s piece. A similar progression can also be found later in the first movement of Mozart’s Sonata in F (K 332), published in 1784.
Philippe Baudoin
Chord Sheet for Autumn Leaves in A minor (Chorus)
Form is AAB A | D-7 | G7 |Cmaj7|Fmaj7| | Bm7b5| E7 | A- | A- || B | Bm7b5| E7 | A- | A- | | D-7 | G7 |Cmaj7|Fmaj7|| | Bm7b5| E7 |A- D7|G- C7| | Fmaj7| E7 | A- | A- ||
Please check farther down in the article to see chord forms.
Possible Chord Forms for Autumn Leaves in A minor
Consider using the Pinky as a guide finger
All these chords have the 4th finger, the pinky finger on the B string, the 2nd string. That means you can keep the pinky sliding on the 2nd string as an anchor when you change chords.
F Major 7 and F Major 7/6
You can use either chord form, just choose the whichever is easier for that part of the song. The F Major 7 is on the 8th fret and is the same chord form as the C Major 7, the F Major 7/6 is on the 1st fret.
E7 and E7b9
You can use either chord form, just choose the whichever is easier for that part of the song. They’re the same, just the E7b9, has an extra note on the 3rd fret of the D string.
Dmin7 and Dmin9
You can use any of these three D minor 7th type chords.
Chords Diagrams for Autumn Leaves – A Section
Chords Diagrams for Autumn – B Section
Autumn Leave Chord Tones Lesson on Improvisation
More Articles and Lessons to Check Out
- Chord ideas for Autumn Leaves
- Learning Autumn Leaves
- 30 Lessons in Jazz Guitar (Groove, Fundamentals, Soloing, Songs)
- Softly (As a Morning Sunrise) Chords in A minor
- Play what you sing, Sing what you play!
- Better time, 1
- Playing 4 on the Floor!
- Creating Diatonic Jazz Chords (and Melodies) from Major Scales