Rhythm Changes
Course Lessons
Start CourseGeorge Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” gave birth to one of the most important forms in jazz—and dozens of iconic tunes.
But Rhythm Changes is more than just a 32-bar AABA form. It’s a proving ground for comping, voice leading, and bebop language. And if you’ve ever crashed your way through Oleo or gotten lost in the bridge of Anthropology, this course is your reset button.
We’ll start with clear left-hand voicings and work our way up to rich substitutions. You’ll learn the harmonic structure, comp with confidence, and build solo lines that grow out of the chords—not just scales.
Guided Listenings #
Then we’ll go deep into three tunes:
- Duke Ellington’s “Cotton Tail” — swing-based, riffy, and accessible
- Thelonious Monk’s “Rhythm-a-Ning” — quirky melody, classic changes
- Charlie Parker’s “Crazeology” — bebop phrasing and tight harmony
Along the way, I’ll give you soloing strategies that start simple—like major pentatonic ideas—and guide you toward real bebop phrasing using voicing-based target tones.
📝 Included: Voicing Warmup Guide #
This course includes a downloadable Rhythm Changes Voicing Warmup — essential exercises to help you internalize the form and connect chord shapes to real musical movement.
Course Objectives #
- Understand the 32-bar AABA form that underlies Rhythm Changes
- Learn to comp using shell voicings, Bud Powell-style shapes, and substitution voicings
- Compare harmonic approaches across three essential jazz recordings
- Practice hearing and mapping chord variations across the A and B sections
- Build soloing tools using pentatonic ideas, blues licks, and bebop voice leading
- Play with more fluency and freedom over one of the most-played forms in jazz
Whether you’re building your first rhythm changes solo or working toward bebop fluency, this course gives you a clear path forward—with real recordings, playable exercises, and strategies that stick.
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