THE
RHYTHM
CHANGES
GUIDE
Exercises
Concepts
Practice Strategies
Etudes
LUKAS GABRIC
Sher Music Co.
ENDORSEMENTS
“Lukas has put together an amazing, much needed book on one of music’s most universal
forms. It is very clear and concise and can be used on several different levels. Whether
you are a beginning or an advanced improviser, there are many things to be learned here.
I plan on using it for my classes and lessons as well as for my own playing and practicing.
Five stars and highly recommended!”
RICK MARGITZA
“This is the most thorough and useful method on the subject of “rhythm” changes I have
seen. I would recommend this book to everyone who wants to improve their ability to
negotiate tunes based on “rhythm” changes; always a challenge to jazz musicians. The
Rhythm Changes Guide will be a tremendous asset to anyone interested in this subject.”
WALT WEISKOPF
“The Rhythm Changes Guide by Lukas Gabric has everything you need to know about
playing the time-honored song form. The author, a master musician, offers detailed insight
into his harmonic concepts and gives everyone the chance to learn more about the art of
jazz improvisation by sharing this deep knowledge of the subject matter. A must have!”
THOMAS GANSCH
“Blues and rhythm changes are important milestones in jazz music. I personally know
some research on playing the blues but not much on rhythm changes. This book by Lukas
is a great study on this very important part of jazz. I warmly recommend it to everyone
who wants to dive deeply into rhythm changes.”
TONY LAKATOS
“This book works well as a kind of encyclopedia of rhythm changes, and that’s a valuable
thing for serious, committed mainstream jazz improvisers (certainly including myself ) to
have as a kind of reference work. It’s well organized, and so thorough that even though
I’ve spent a few hundred hours myself on rhythm changes, I can still find pathways that
I haven’t yet explored.”
DAN GREENBLATT
CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
List of Rhythm Changes Contrafacts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
How to Use this Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Rhythm Changes – Harmonic Structure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Units A, B, & A’ In Rhythm Changes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Structural Levels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Sources Of Chromaticism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
The Three Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Background Level. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Foreground Level. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Predominant Chords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Secondary Dominant Chords. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Passing Diminished Chords. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Related Chords. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Harmonic Variations Of The A Section: Examples From The Masters. . . . . . . . . . . . 21
How to Practice the Loops. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Harmonic Variations of Unit A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Harmonic Variations of the first 4-measure segment of the A section. . . . . . . . . . 28
Circle of Fifths & Half Steps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Tritone Substitution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Examples From The Masters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Whole Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Minor Thirds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Major Thirds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Harmonic Variations of Unit B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Harmonic Variations of Unit B: Examples from the Masters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Harmonic Variations Spanning the Entire A Section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Half steps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Whole Steps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Minor Thirds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Major Thirds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Harmonic Variations of the Bridge (B Section) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Examples From The Masters: Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Target Notes and Guide Tone Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Review Of Ornamental Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Use Of Ornamental Notes: Examples From The Masters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Target Note Lines Consisting of Thirds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Target Note Lines Consisting of Fifths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Target Note Lines Consisting of Sevenths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Guide Tone Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Rules for Constructing Guide Tone Lines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Guide Tone Line from 3rd of the First Chord. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Diatonic Playing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Guide Tone Lines with a Schenkerian Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Schenker and his Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
How to Read the Graphs & Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Did the Masters Really Know that and Think Like that?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Guide Line – Schenkerian Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Example 1 – Schenkerian 5-Descent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Example 2 – Schenkerian 5-Descent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Example 3 – Schenkerian 5-Descent with Initial Ascent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Example 4 – Schenkerian 3-Descent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Register Transfer & Octave Equivalence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Schenkerian Lines: Examples From The Masters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Other Diatonic Techniques. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Triads. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Embellishing Triads: Examples From The Masters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Triadic Embellishments: Exercises Derived From The Masters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Sequences: Examples From the Masters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Sequence Exercises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Use Of The Blues Scale: Examples From The Masters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Pentatonic Scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Etudes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Etude 1 “Five”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Etude 2 “Common Ground”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Etude 3 “Four”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Etude 4 “Combination”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Etude 5 “Follow The Line”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Etude 6 “Big Picture”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Etude 7 “Upside Down”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Etude 8 “Options” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Etude 9 “Chicago” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Etude 10 “Big Bird” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Etude 11 “For Vic” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Etude 12 “Excursion” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Etude 13 “Steppin’ Down” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Etude 14 “Mirror Image” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Etude 15 “Express Train” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Etude 16 “Big Red” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Etude 17 “The Patron” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Etude 18 “Trial and Error” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Etude 19 “Choices” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Etude 20 “Little Bird” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Recordings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
PDF versions of etudes in Eb, Bb, and Bass Clef available
for free download at www.shermusic.com
INTRODUCTION
The rhythm changes progression, famously derived from George Gershwin’s song “I Got
Rhythm,” is arguably one of the most important vehicles in jazz. The song’s harmonic
progression and 32-bar AABA form, have been used for countless contrafacts throughout
jazz history. Due to its importance, many teachers recommend the mastery of rhythm
changes in every key.
The popularity of rhythm changes is likely based on the various progressions that occur
within the tune. The same progressions are found in almost every jazz standard, such as the
tonicization of IVmaj7, a move from IVmaj7 to iv6 (♭VII7 or ♯ivo), I-VI7-ii7-V7 turnarounds,
or chains of secondary dominants. In rhythm changes all these progressions occur in
relatively rapid succession. There are seemingly countless possibilities for harmonic
variations of the rhythm changes progression.
Rhythm changes has become somewhat of a testing ground for improvisers. Advanced
jazz performers are expected to demonstrate their knowledge of the tradition when
performing rhythm changes.
This book is aimed at presenting the dedicated musician with a variety of material derived
from the tradition as well as strategies to learn and apply it effectively and creatively. Some
of the most important melodic and harmonic devices from the rhythm changes tradition
were used to compose the twenty etudes in the last section of the book.
6
LIST OF RHYTHM
CHANGES CONTRAFACTS
“Anthropology / Thriving on a Riff ”(C. Parker & D. Gillespie)
“Apple Jump” (D. Gordon)
“Blue’s Theme”(B. Mitchell)
“The Bridge”(S. Rollins)
“C.T.A.” ( J. Heath)
“Celerity” (C. Parker)
“Chasin’ the Bird” (C. Parker)
“Chasm” ( J. Adderley)
“Chippie” (O. Coleman)
“Chronology”(O. Coleman)
“Constellation” (C. Parker)
“Cottontail” (D. Ellington)
“Crazeology” (B. Harris)
“Dexterity” (C. Parker)
“Dizzy Atmosphere” (D. Gillespie)
“Don’t Be That Way” (B. Goodman, E. Sampson, M. Parish)
“The Eternal Triangle” (S. Stitt)
“Tricotism” (O. Pettiford)
“Fingers” (T. Jones)
“Finger Poppin’” (H. Silver)
“Flintstones Theme” (H. Curtin)
“Fungi Mama” (B. Mitchell)
“Good Bait” (T. Dameron)
“Jay Bird” ( J.J. Johnson)
“Jay Jay” ( J.J. Johnson)
“Lester Leaps In” (L. Young)
“Lo Joe” (G. Coleman)
“Moose the Mooche” (C. Parker)
7
Luka s Gabric
“Nutty” (T. Monk)
“Oleo” (S. Rollins)
“An Oscar for Treadwell” (C. Parker)
“Passport”(C. Parker)
“Rhythm-a-Ning” (T. Monk)
“Room 608” (H. Silver)
“Salt Peanuts” (D. Gillespie)
“Second Balcony Jump” (B. Eckstine & G. Valentine)
“Seven, Come Eleven”(C. Christian & B. Goodman)
“Steeplechase” (C. Parker)
“Straight Ahead” (K. Dorham)
“Suspone” (M. Stern)
“The Theme” (M. Davis)
“Tippin’” (H. Silver)
“Wail” (B. Powell)
“Webb City” (B. Powell)
“Wee” (D. Gillespie)
“Wells Fargo” (W. Harden)
*This is just a selection of contrafacts that were inspired by rhythm changes. Use the
empty lines for additional contrafacts you find.
8
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
1. Always practice with a reference to metronomic time
2. Start slowly and increase the tempo
3. Isolate passages that you have difficulties with
4. Use the etudes for your auditions, juries, and competitions
5. Play the exercises and etudes with your friends or with a play along
6. Record yourself playing the exercises and etudes
7. Analyze the etudes
8. Play the exercises and etudes in different keys
9. Take little segments you like and practice them through the keys at various
tempos
10. Write your own etudes over the given chord progressions
11. Apply the various practice strategies to the harmonic loops
12. Use the etudes to improve and develop your:
Reading
Articulation
Instrumental Technique
Familiarity with the jazz language & knowledge of the tradition
Time feel
Transposition
Intonation
Memorization
Compositional and Improvisational understanding
Knowledge and Flexibility of Harmony
9
RHYTHM CHANGES –
HARMONIC STRUCTURE
Rhythm changes follows a 32-bar AABA form with specific chords (see page 12).
Gershwin’s original song includes a tag, which is added to the last A section that is
generally left out in contrafacts.
The A sections consist of two different harmonic units. Unit A occurs three times while
unit B happens only once in every A section.
UNIT A
UNIT B
Unit B is part of the A section and not to be confused with the bridge, which is also
designated as “B”
10
The R hy thm Changes Guide
The second A section of rhythm changes is an exception. Its final two measures are
basically just two bars of the tonic chord. This unit is labeled as A’.
UNIT A’
Due to the inventiveness of the jazz legends, many harmonic variations of these two-bar
units have been absorbed into the jazz tradition. There are also many harmonic variations
that span four-measure subsections, or even entire A sections. The same applies to the B
section. Knowing the structure of the piece helps you to practice it and play with more
flexibility.
11
HARMONIC VARIATIONS OF UNIT A
(Playlist Tracks 2-12)
10
11
12
26
Luka s Gabric
MAJOR THIRDS
(Playlist Tracks 68-71)
Harmonic Variations for first and third A sections
Descending major thirds
68
69
Ascending major thirds
70
71
42
Luka s Gabric
h=110
"For Vic"
CŒ„Š7 A‹7 D‹7 G7 E‹7 A‹7 G©‹7 C©7
œ ‰œœœœœ œœœœ œ œ#œ œ#œ œ
& œ#œ œ#œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ#œ
J
*
G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7 F‹6 CŒ„Š7/G A7 D‹11 G7
œ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ
& bœ œ #œ œ œ œ ‰ œJ œ œ Œ Œ ‰ œJ
CŒ„Š7 A‹7 A‹7
.
D‹7
œ
D‹7
œ#œnœ œ
G7
G7 E‹7
#œ œ#œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ^ œ œ œ#œ œ œ#œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
&
b œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ
G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7 F‹6 CŒ„Š7 G7 CŒ„Š7
& J J Œ Ó
œbœ œ œ œ œ
E7(b9) B¨‹7 E¨7(#11)
œ#œ#œ
B‹7
œ#œ œ nœ œ œ œ
& Œ œ#œ#œ œ œ #œ œ nœ œbœ œ#œ #œ œ
D‹7
œ œ œ #œ œ œ b œ#œ œ œ œ œ
A‹7 D7(b13) G7(b13)
œ œ œ œ œbœ
œ
& œ œ œ œ#œ œ nœ œ œ ‰ J #œ œ
œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ
D‹7 G7 E‹7
œ œ
E‹7 A7 A7 D‹7 G7
œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ b œ œ œ œ bœ
& œ Œ ‰ J œ
3
œbœ
G‹7 C7 FŒ„Š7 F‹6 CŒ„Š7/G A7 D‹7 G7
œ œ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ^ œ œ œ œ™ œ^ œ œ œ œ ™
& J J
*disregard slur if you play this etude seperately
*
