Jazz Piano Tutorial - Rhythm Changes Explained

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This Jazz Piano Tutorial is about Rhythm Changes.
After the 12 bar blues, the second most common chord progression is ‘Rhythm Changes’.
Rhythm Changes are a chord progression based on the song ‘I Got Rhythm’ by George Gershwin
‘I Got Rhythm’ technical details:
- Original song is 34 bars long (32 bars + 2 bar outro)
- ‘Rhythm Changes’ ignore the outro and are 32 bars
- AABA form (with standard 8 bar sections)
- In key of Bb Major
Now it’s important to understand that there is no single ‘Rhythm Changes’ chord progression. Rather, it is a number of different progressions all based off the original ‘I Got Rhythm’ chord progression.
At it’s simplest, Rhythm Changes are:
- Section A = Repeating I-VI-II-V
- Section B = Dominant 7 Cycle of Fifths ending on the Dominant of tonic key (F7 in the key of Bb Major)
But with a heap of chord substitutions.
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[@Yuefoh]

Honestly dude, i'm grateful, you're a great teacher. Thanks for all your hard work. I truly hope this comes back to you.

[@WalkThatBass]

Thanks, Justin. You're too kind.

[@brianodonnell5537]

I couldn't be more impressed! There's a wealth of information in this video and you've done a great job of presenting it. Your videos are very concise and I always learn something new! Thank you for all your effort! I can't wait to see what you come up with next! I know it will be great!

[@WalkThatBass]

+Bass Player Thanks, Bass Player.

[@jayswizzle57]

This is the best explanation on KZbin that I’ve seen and I’ve been watching rhythm changes videos for a few days now. Thanks a lot!

[@mozeskriebel]

Priceless information again and very very well explained. Thank you for all your valueable video´s.

[@WalkThatBass]

No worries, mozeskriebel.

[@KellyEsparzaVEVO]

Amazing Job, Walk That Bass, I feel that I love you!!! I'm from Colombia and I have been learning a little about jazz and with your channel I've can learning a lot of things, thanks for everything friend.

[@mattcrouch9348]

OMG I have a major crush on your channel now. *Exactly* the combination of basic-intro and how-to-fiddle-around that I was looking for.

[@samuelwinternheimer8998]

This is a great breakdown! Love the video!

[@kieranburns648]

Really excellent tutorial, really well structured.

[@shanjayaweera3036]

Wow, great lesson

[@johnradcliffe8115]

Great explanation

[@OddMeterMusic]

This video clarified a lot for me, thank you very much.

[@SpyneMetal]

Wonderful video! Thanks so much!!

[@luisdavidgonzalezcarmona3805]

Great! Thanks for the the info.!!

[@DonaldMcRoland]

very well explained :) great job, thank you

[@jimmythecat00]

Fantastic demonstration of how to use chord substitutions. I'm going to watch this again and make notes..

[@cbolt4492]

Great video 😎

[@RisikoAO]

outstanding work, thank you :)

[@jacksonmcleod3163]

Super helpful. Thank you!

[@jordanslattery3322]

Great video, thank you!

[@orangehash]

Thanks for the video! You explained this pretty well!

[@WalkThatBass]

+SeparatedChicken Thanks SeparatedChicken.

[@uhoh007]

Great job here, thank you.

[@jcherw]

Great video, thanks

[@frankpaavo8594]

Very clear, thanks!

[@WalkThatBass]

+Frank Paavo No worries, Frank.

[@robbepinsart4240]

Thanx a lot! Very good explenation!

[@musiccompositionadventures621]

Very informative. Tune your piano!!!!!!!

[@flynnieflynnie1660]

Very happy to be a subscriber and receive this in my e mail. Fantastic.

[@WalkThatBass]

+Sfhgss Ohgf Glad to hear it, Sfhgss Ohgf. Thanks for the comment.

[@victorwong9622]

The material in the picture in picture is SO useful, had to print it out, thanks!!!

[@victorwong9622]

Encyclopedic amount of information in a single lesson. Thank you!!!

[@dotankafkafi7116]

Thanks

[@mars2897]

Awesome video, thank you lot. I wish I could play all those chords that easy like you do. :)

[@AnandaGBrady]

Just keep at it

[@ArgoBeats]

so deep, thanks!

[@WalkThatBass]

No worries :)

[@zmerz]

GOt it!Super lesson!!!!!!!

[@WalkThatBass]

Thanks Anton :)

[@ttwa5328]

I now have better understanding of this information nicely done

[@MrHenderson100]

Hello sir chris here I remember the inquiry about this information thanks a lot now to the practice room lol. your an amazing teacher you should right a book of your knowledge about this art form definitely informing and inspring I feel I can truly attack these standards from an intellectual standpoint thanks man.

[@WalkThatBass]

+WTP WTP Hey Chris. Glad you liked the lesson. I also remember you asked about how to start learning how improvise on Jazz standards and I promised you a lesson on chord-mapping. I still plan to do this, and it will come eventually. Just got a few other things I'm working on at the moment, but it's definitely something I'm still planning to do. Haha, and thanks for the suggestion about the book. Maybe in a few years. That would be quite a big undertaking. But thanks for the compliment.

[@kev192]

Thank you very much, this was such a good class :)

[@WalkThatBass]

No worries, Kevin. My Pleasure.

[@johnmaes4395]

I think another rhythm changes example would be Thelonious Monk's Reflections, though I've not heard it identified as such anywhere.

[@loupgarou39]

This is a great lesson! I have a question about bebop lines...Can "tonicize" any of the chords in the changes? Meaning, can I play a dominant going to the chord (regardless of function). For an example, could we play C7 before F7?

[@elseelin9666]

Thankkkkkkkkkkkkk uuuuuuuuuuuuu ！！，！，！，！love u

[@WalkThatBass]

The feeling is mutual :)

[@evertdude]

the I-VI-V-II progression also sounds like ' la mer from charles trenet'

[@henriquealejandro7247]

sounds like lots of songs

[@thomassmith5400]

3:53

[@thomassmith5400]

4:55

[@grantholland421]

It almost sounds like the takeaway from this lesson is that "rhythm changes", in the broadest sense, can be thought of as virtually any 4-bar cycle-inspired progression. Is that close?

[@Jerrytheman9]

it should really be iv minor 6- the tritone generates the instability that resolves to I

[@andrewshirokov811]

Is it a separate lesson on subs? Some subs are unclear, why we could apply them. It demands closer look, but may be this is off-topic a bit here.

[@kamelghozlani3895]

Hey this is great ! Can I get a PDF copy of this presentation ? There is a lot of information that I have to work on ! I'm a bass player and I have to work all of this on my base ! Thank you so much

[@WalkThatBass]

Check out the writeup on my website: www.thejazzpianosite.com/jazz-piano-lessons/jazz-chord-progressions/rhythm-changes/ You can just copy paste or print screen from there.

[@Robert-ts2ef]

I looked at chord progression jazz fake book and it did not show any melody line, rather just a load of what appeared to be slanted rest marks about 4 per bar. What do they represent and why would they not show a melody line, particularly if you did not know the tune?

[@donlessnau3983]

I apologize for my earlier review. It's still a bit fast but now that I know more, I understand it. I was dumber before. Good info but you could still slow down a touch. What's the hurry?

[@georgepancras8181]

How about Meet the Flintstones?

[@emilianomediterraneo3514]

Hi there! Thanks for this! I have a question, yes (perhaps stupid, but it breaks my brain). Which is the relation between the chord progression in the B section and the A section? I Mean, the first chord (Grade I) of the A section, is Bb. The first chord of the B section is D7 (whcih, in relation with the Ist grade of the A section (Bb), would be a III7. OK. Now, when I see this picture (in Wikipedia) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhythm_changes#/media/File:Rhythm_changes_complete_in_B-flat_Spitzer.png I get confused. I get confused because when it goes to the B section, it kind of says (at least to me) that we go to the key of G and we play the V7 of the G key (that's it: D7). But, relating this D7 to the 1st grade of the A section, that was a III7... Am I getting confused just because I want? Thanks in advance for the answer.

[@rodneymanthengamanthenga7638]

section B key is fmajor. the chords come from desending circle of fiths chords wanting to just finally resolve to F

[@wiseelvs]

It has always been a I VI II V ... you didn't add that, dude! It was already there!

[@donlessnau3983]

Great info but way too fast and much too advanced for a beginner to understand. Slow down your presentation. You talk like you're in a hurry to catch a train.

[@prolixsicklicks]

Very clearly explained and helpful. Thanks, mate!

[@WalkThatBass]

No worries :)