../songs/swing Time
Song
SWING TIME

  1. Song Format
  2. Chords for the "A Section"
  3. Chords for the "Bridge"
  4. Melody
  5. Improvisation
  6. Swing Time
  7. Downloading Bay

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ST 1 - Song Format

Swing Time is a 32 bar song written in the popular "A A B A format".

  • The first 8 bars are called the A Section

  • This A section is repeated for the next 8 bars

  • Then follows an 8 bars long B Section called the Bridge

  • The song format is completed with another repeat of the A section

The chord progression of Swing Time is a simplified version of the Rhythm Changes used for many Jazz standards, and named after the most famous tune that uses these chords "I Got Rhythm" by George Gershwin.

Other famous Jazz Standards using this chord progression are Anthropology by Charlie Parker, and Oleo by Sonny Rollins.


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ST 2 - Chords for the "A Section"

The chords in the A section of Swing Time are all formed by notes from the one major scale ; for the C-instrument score this is the F major scales.
These chords are called scale-tone chords. They are :

Audio 1

FMaj.7 - Dmin.7 - Gmin.7 - C7
or
I Maj.7 - VImin.7 - IImin.7 - V7

(Roman numerals indicate the major scale-tone on which each chord is built.)

../songs/swing Time - A section

The I - VI - II - V chord progression is also commonly used in Classical music, for example in the 'Prelude No 1' from the Welltempered Clavier Vol. 1 by J.S. Bach.


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S T 3 - Chords in the "Bridge"

The chord progression for the Bridge of Swing Time consists of a succession of dominant chords in the Circle of Fifths order.

Audio 2

A7 - D7 - G7 - C7
or
III7 - VI7 - II7 - V7


This is a famous bridge progression, known as the Rhythm Bridge.

../songs/swing Time - Bridge



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ST 4 - Melody

The melody of the A section of Swing Time uses five different notes only.

Audio 3

F - G - A - C - D

These notes form the F major pentatonic scale . (For the Bb- and Eb- scores they are the G and the D major pentatonic scales.)

Pentatonic scales

The melody of the Bridge of Swing Time uses chord tones only.
For the three different instrument keys these chord tones are :

Audio 4
Chord tones for Bridge


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ST 5 - Improvisation

For improvisation over Swing Time use :

  • notes of the relevant major pentatonic scale over the A sections

  • use the chord tones of each chord over the Bridge
For C- instruments (keyboard, flute, guitar)
Use the F major pentatonic scale over the A sections.
For the Bridge use the chord tones A C# E G over the two bars with the A7 chord , use the chord tones D F# A G for the two bars with the D7 chord, etc.


For Bb- instruments (trumpet, clarinet, tenor and soprano sax)
Use the G major pentatonic scale over the A sections.
For the Bridge use the chord tones B D# F# A over the two bars with the B7 chord, the chord tones E G# B D over the two bars with the E7 chord, etc.


For Eb- instruments (alto and bari sax)
Use the D major pentatonic scale over the A sections.
For the Bridge use the chord tones F# A# C# E over the two bars with the F#7 chord, the chord tones B D# F# A over the two bars with the B7 chord, etc.

To bring some tonal variation into your improvisation play first a chorus using the pentatonic scale over the A sections. Then do another chorus using the entire major scale over the A sections (F for piano, G for tenor, D for Alto).


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ST 6 - Swing Time


Melody
../songs/swing Time



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ST 7. Downloading Bay


File Name

Contents

swingfac.gif

Facts Sheet

swingc.gif

Swing Time - Lead sheet (C instr.)

swingb.gif

Swing Time - Lead sheet (Bb instr.)

swinge.gif

Swing Time - Lead sheet (Eb instr.)

swingsom.mid

Melody

swingso.mid

Play-a-Long midi file



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Copyright © 2002 - 2005 Michael Furstner. All rights reserved.