Rhythm Changes
View and print tab with Courier

The chord changes for the song "I Got Rhythm" by George 
Gershwin is a great starting point for studying jazz. Entire 
books and practice records have been written on the subject 
of what musicians call the "rhythm changes." The chord chart 
and tab below is a sample for exploring the basis of jazz. 
Once you have this "pattern" memorized, you might try 
transposing it to another key. It's great training for your 
hands and brain. And try making up your own lines using the 
notes of each chord.

Strum the notes of the chord (you can use the jazz chords
found at the Mandolin Cafe and then play the tab associated 
with the chord. You'll find the elements of that chord in the 
related notes. One of the difficulties in playing jazz (or 
any other improvisational form) is learning the elements of 
soloing related to the base chord. The tab here will force 
you to play those elements. 

And if you don't already know this trick... to play the same 
pattern below in the key of C (it's in G now), start on the D 
string instead of the A string. 

NOTE: Make sure you've selected a monospaced 
font such as Monaco or Courier as a "fixed-spaced font" in 
your preferences to correctly view this tablature.
<P>
Remember, these aren't solos. They're exercises but parts of 
them can easily be incorporated into your soloing. 


      GMaj7        G#dim        Am7         A#dim
E------------------------1---0---------------------3-
A--5--3--2--0------2--5---------3--2--0---1--4--0----
D---------------6------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------------------
   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|


      Bm7           E7           Am7         D7
E--2---------------------1---0-----------------------
A-----5--2--0------2--5---------3--0---------0--3--6-
D---------------6---------------------5---4----------
G----------------------------------------------------
   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|

   
      GMaj7       G#dim        Am7         A#dim
E------------------------1---0------------------0--3-
A--5--3--2--0------2--5---------3--2--0---1--4-------
D---------------6------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------------------
   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|


     Am7           D7          GMaj6          D7
E--2--0----------------------------------------------
A--------5--3---0--------0-------------------0--2--3- 
D------------------5--4------5--0--2--4---5----------
G----------------------------------------------------
   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|


And another variation


      GMaj7        G#dim        Am7         A#dim
E----------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------
D--------0------------0------------2------------2----
G--0--4-----0---1--4-----0---2--5-----0---3--6-----0-
   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|


      Bm7           E7           Am7         D7
E----------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------
D--------4--7---6--3---------------2--5---4--0-------
G--4--7---------------6--3---2--5---------------5--2-
   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|

   
      GMaj7       G#dim        Am7         A#dim
E----------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------
D--------0------------0------------2------------2----
G--0--4-----0---1--4-----0---2--5-----0---3--6-----0-
   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|


     Am7           D7          GMaj6          D7
E----------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------- 
D--------2--5---4--0------------------0--------------
G--2--5---------------5--2---0--2--4------5--2--4--2-
   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|   |--|--|--|

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