All God's Chillun Got Rhythm in A

Walter Jurmann / Gus Kahn / Bronisław Kaper(1937)swing
Do Re MiC D E
A

Chord Diagrams — All God's Chillun Got Rhythm in A (Guitar)

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All God's Chillun Got Rhythm in A

Key of A

A major is a rock and blues cornerstone. The open A string delivers a strong root, while both E strings ring as the fifth. Classic A-D-E progressions practically play themselves with open cowboy chords. The open high E is the fifth, reinforcing power. A is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open A string is the root and the open E strings provide the fifth above and below, creating a massive low-end anchor. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through A to F# (descending minor third), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to C# (descending minor third), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to C# (descending perfect fourth), C# to D# (ascending whole step), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to F# (descending whole step), F# to C# (descending perfect fourth), C# to B (descending whole step), B to A (descending whole step). The root motion by larger intervals (fourths and fifths) gives each chord change a strong, decisive character. When the progression loops, the bass returns from A to A by unison.

Scales for Improvisation

A major pentatonic works because every note is either a chord tone or a safe passing tone — there are no avoid notes. For soloing, this means you can play freely without clashing. Over dominant seventh chords, A Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.

swing4/4 · 32 bars · Form: A

Chords: AMaj7, F♯m7, Bm7, E7, C♯m7, F♯7♭9, C♯m7♭5, D♯m7, G♯7, F♯7, C♯7, B7, A.

Scales for Improvisation A bebop, A bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of A