It's the Talk of the Town in G

Jerry Livingston / Marty Symes / Al J. Neiburg(1933)swing
Do Re MiC D E
A
B
Bm7/E
D7♯5
B7♯5
Am7/D

Chord Diagrams — It's the Talk of the Town in G (Guitar)

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It's the Talk of the Town in G

Key of G

G major is the singer-songwriter's key. The open G, B, and D strings spell out the full G major triad with zero fretting. Add the open high E for a Gadd6 shimmer. Nearly every diatonic chord (Em, Am, C, D) has a comfortable open voicing. G is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open G, B, and D strings form a complete G major triad without fretting a single note, and the open low E adds a rich 6th color. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to C (descending whole step), C to A# (descending whole step), A# to D (ascending major third), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to B (ascending major third), B to C (ascending half step), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to C (descending perfect fourth), C to E (ascending major third), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to A (ascending unison), A to E (descending perfect fourth), E to B (descending perfect fourth), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to D (descending whole step), D to G (ascending perfect fourth). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. 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 G to B by major third.

Scales for Improvisation

G 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, G Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.

swing4/4 · 30 bars · Form: AB

Chords: Bm7, E7♯9, Am7, D7, C7♭5, A♯dim7, D7♭9, GMaj7, B7♯5, CMaj7, F7, Cm7, E7, A7, Am7/D, E7♭9, Bm7/E, Em7, D7♯5, G.

Scales for Improvisation G bebop, G bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of G