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“So What” (Miles Davis): Analysis
Harmonic analysis, improvisation resources and recordings of the jazz standard composed by Miles Davis Updated 2024 “So What” is a jazz standard composed by Miles Davis. It´s the first track on the 1959 album Kind of Blue (1959). The style of “So What” is modal jazz, swing rhythm and A8-A8-B8-A8 form. The key of “So What” is D dorian minor with a modulation to Eb dorian minor on the B section (bridge). Scale and mode are equivalent terms, scale is used in a tonal context and mode is used in a modal context. Read more…
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100 Jazz Standards for Beginners
Basic jazz standards listed in different orders Updated 2025 100 Basic Jazz Standards Tip: learn the form of the jazz standard before playing it. Read more…
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10 Jazz Standards for Beginners
Characteristics, analysis, and examples of jazz standards that can be considered models of study Updated 2023 Characteristics Form: rhythm changes, blues, 16 bars, AABA and variations. Style: dixieland, swing, bebop, cool, modal, hardbop, bossa nova and fusion. II-V-I: major and minor. Color: major, dominant and minor. Rhythm: swing and latin. Key: C, F, Bb, D. Chord families: diatonic, secondary dominants, extended dominants, substitute dominants, modal interchange and diminished chords. 1 “I Got Rhythm” (George Gershwin) (1930) Form: rhythm changes Style: swing II-V-I: major Color: major and minor Key: Bb Rhythm: swing Chord families: diatonic, secondary dominants, extended dominants, passing diminished. Read more…