The original I Got Rhythm as written by Gershwin had a two bar tag on the ending.

The Boppers
eliminated this, and the J azz version was borne. Rhythm Changesand Blues Changes became the basic workout
arenas for the Bop style. There are tons of Bebop heads out there for Rhythm Changes. Go find one you like.
The main change from Swing Style to Bop, was rhythm. The old Four to the bar was abandoned and
the feeling of the time was opened up. The drums were free to Comp in ways that complimented the soloist
moment to moment. The Bass still walked in four.
The chord instruments were also free to comp. The guitar wasnt chained to strumming four to the bar.
The Bop style small group was totally free to spontaneously interact. Therefore, a new freer melodic style could
be achieved. Hundreds of Bop heads were written against Rhythm and Blues Changes. Over time every
conceivable harmonic variation was also applied to Blues and Rhythm changes. The AABA form was all that held
the Rhythm Changes form together.
The original basicBasic chords to the eight measure A sections in the Key of Bb are;
(Bb maj./ G min. /) (C min./F7/) ( Bb maj/ G min. /) (C min. / F7/) (Bb maj. / Bb7/) (Eb maj./ Eb min./)
( Bb maj./ F7/) ( Bb maj.///). These Changes are all straight ahead Key of Bb. All the notes of the Key Positions
in the Key of Bb will work against all the Chords in the 8 measure A sections.
The following slides show a typical jazzed up version of Rhythm Changes. Some of the basic
chords have been altered into 7
th
chords that resolve to the next chord in the Key. However, at a fast tempo you
will hardly notice them. Fast, the over all sound of the chord progression will sound as just the Key of Bb. The
following slides also show you how to group your Key Positions so that any Key Change is always within one fret
of your left hand.
Dave Woods
meas.1 beats 1&2 meas.1 beats 3&4 meas.2 beats 1&2
The B dim.7 on the 3
rd
and 4
th
beats of Measure One indicate a change into Key Position
Two. Notice that all the notes are exactly the same as in Key Position Four except for two notes, B
and Ab. These are Leading Tones. The B pulls into C, theRoot of the C min.7 Chord. The Ab
pulls into G, the 5
th
of the Cmin.7 Chord. The Bb sounds as a Blue Note against B dim.7
Because the Bb maj.7 established the Key of Bb as the first Chord in the A Section, and
the B dim.7 is a chord that feels like its resolving to something else rather than trying to establish its
own identity, The C min.7 sounds as the Dorian Chord of the Key of Bb. To keep it simple, the B
dim.7 chord can be classified as the Five of the Dorian Chord, C min.7.
meas.2 beats 3&4 meas3 beats 1&2 meas.3 beats 3&4
F7b9 introduces Gb to the ear. The Gb pulls into F, the 5
th
of the Bb maj.69 chord.
Because the Bb Tonal Center has been so firmly established, thisvoicing will sound as Bb maj.69
with the 3
rd
in the bass.
G7 is a resolving chord thats again headed for C min.7, the Dorian Chord of the Key of
Bb. Its functioning as the Five of the Dorian Chord. B natural is a Leading Tone that pulls into C,
the root of the C min.7 chord. If you happened to play the Bb against the G7, it would sound as a
Blue Note.
meas.4 beats 1&2 meas.4 beats 3&4 meas.5 beats 1&2
C min.7 is the Dorian Chord of the Key of Bb. This voicing for F13b9 has no Root or 5
th
,
but in the context of the progression it sounds as F13b9, especially if the bass played the F. On the
resolution , Gb pullsto F, the 5
th
of theBb maj.69 Chord. It has no 3
rd
, but the D is supplied by the
Overtones. ( see the Overtone Series and the Evolution of Key Structure) In addition, by this time in the
Chord progression the Key of Bb has been established so thoroughly that your ear will supply the D.
meas.5 beats 3&4 meas. 6 beats 1&2 meas.6 beats 3&4
At measure 5 beats 3 & 4, theres Key change from the Key of Bb, to theKey of Eb, but not a
Tonality Change. The ear still hears the Tonal Center as Bb. Ab is the only new note. Bb7 is the
Mixolydian Chord of the Key of Eb, Eb maj.7 is the Ionian Chord.
Ab7 is a chord that needs some discussion. The Lydian Chord of the Key of Eb is Ab maj.7.
Lowering G to Gb makes it Ab7. This is called the Lydian 7
th
. On the resolution to Bb major, Gb pulls to
F, and Eb pulls to D.
meas.7 beats 1&2 meas.7 beats 3&4 meas.8 beats 1&2
meas.8 beats 3&4
Dmin.7, because of the Bb Tonal Center, sounds as Bb maj.79
without the Root. Bear in mind that the notes of the key of Bb, and the Bb
Tonal Center have been hammered into your ear again and again throughout
the A Section of the tune. The song formis AABA
meas.7 beats 1&2 meas.7 beats 3&4 meas.8 beats 1, 2, 3, 4
The 2
nd
ending is all just the Key of Bb. This is the end of the
second 8 bar A section. Fromhere we go to the bridge. The B section is
called the Bridge because it connects the A sections.
meas.17 & 18 meas.19 &20 meas.21& 22
meas.23. & 24
The bridge is a prime example of Chain Dominants.
This is the standard name for this type of progression.
D9 is the Five chord of G maj. Ionian, Key of G.
G7 is the Five chord of C maj. Ionian, Key of C.
C7 is the Five chord of F maj. Ionian, Key of F.
F9 is the Five chord of Bb maj. Ionian, Key of Bb,
and here you arrive back to the final A section of the Chorus..