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Autumn Leaves ear training

This is a practice video for Improvise for Real students who are studying the song Autumn Leaves from IFR Standards Workout 1. In this video we will practice together the ear training exercise Melody Paths over the A section of Autumn Leaves. This is a great exercise to internalize the chords and train your ear to hear where the resting points are across the progression. It will help you develop a natural “intuition” about the flow of harmony across the chord changes, and improvise melodically from your imagination.

You can practice with me in three different ways:

1) Sing the numbers along with me.
2) Play the melodies your instrument (key of G).
3) Sing and play at the same time (if your instrument allows you to).

Invent your own Melody Paths!

If you want to create your own Melody Paths over this same chord progression, here is the jam track in the key of G:

About this chord progression:

This chord progression is not exclusive to Autumn Leaves, it appears in many other songs. Here’s a few songs with the same chord progression:

  • “Autumn Leaves” (A section) by Joseph Kosma
  • “Europa” by Santana
  • “Still Got the Blues” by Gary Moore
  • “You Never Give Me Your Money” by The Beatles
  • “The Fox” (movie theme) by Lalo Schifrin
  • “Tzadik Katamar” (B section), tratitional Jewish song
  • “Y Volveré” by Los Angeles Negros
  • “Emporte Moi” by Alain Barrière

IFR Standards Workout 1

Autumn Leaves is one of five beautiful standards included in IFR Standards Workout 1. For each standard you get a complete IFR tonal analysis, creative insights and practice tips plus professional backing tracks in all 12 keys so you can practice improvising over this beautiful song.

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