How to practice Lush Life with play-along tracks?

Use the play-along backing track above to practice Lush Life in the key of E. Listen to the audio with bass, piano, and drums, start by playing the melody, then practice improvisation and soloing over the chord changes.

What scales to use for soloing over Lush Life?

For soloing over Lush Life, recommended scales include: bebop, bebop major. Use arpeggio patterns over each chord to create melodic lines that follow the harmony of this jazz tune.

Who composed Lush Life?

Lush Life was composed by 1936 - Billy Strayhorn in 1933. It is a ballad standard in 4/4 time. The original key is Db; this page shows it transposed to E.

What key is Lush Life in?

The original key of Lush Life is Db. The form is A with 53 bars. This page shows the chart transposed to E.

What scales work for improvising over Lush Life?

Recommended scales for Lush Life in E: bebop, bebop major. Scales and arpeggios update in real-time as each chord plays, with context-aware analysis (e.g., Phrygian Dominant over secondary dominants).

How does the interactive backing track work?

The backing track plays with realistic walking bass, drum patterns, and voice-led chord voicings. Scales and arpeggios update in real-time as each chord plays. You can limit the fretboard zone for close-proximity voicings, toggle a reference melody, loop any section, and choose between multiple sound presets. Works for guitar, piano, bass, ukulele, and 7 more instruments.

Can I edit the chord chart?

Yes. You can modify the structure, chords, and arrangement of any standard to match your preferred version or create your own reharmonization.

Lush Life in E

1936 - Billy Strayhorn(1933)ballad

Do Re MiC D E

BPM: 120

Chord Diagrams — Lush Life in E (Guitar)

Display

FingerNoteDegree

Chord Voicings Closest Voicing

Faug7

Caug7

Lush Life in E

Key of E

E major is arguably guitar's most powerful key. The open low E and high E strings ring sympathetically as the root, while the open B provides the fifth. This triple reinforcement gives E-based riffs and chords unmatched depth and volume. E is a beginner-level key on guitar because both the low E and high E strings ring as the root, and the open B is the fifth — three open strings reinforce the tonic chord. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through F to D (descending minor third), D to E (ascending whole step), E to E (ascending unison), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to G (descending whole step), G to F# (descending half step), F# to C (ascending tritone), C to B (descending half step), B to F (ascending tritone), F to D# (descending whole step), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to G# (ascending unison), G# to A# (ascending whole step), A# to D# (ascending perfect fourth), D# to G (ascending major third), G to B (ascending major third), B to F# (descending perfect fourth), F# to D (descending major third), D to C# (descending half step), C# to C (descending half step), C to D# (ascending minor third), D# to F# (ascending minor third), F# to E (descending whole step), E to G (ascending minor third), G to G# (ascending half step), G# to F# (descending whole step), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to G (descending major third), G to F (descending whole step), F to F (ascending unison), F to A (ascending major third), A to E (descending perfect fourth), E to D (descending whole step), D to C (descending whole step), C to A# (descending whole step), A# to F# (descending major third). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The mix of stepwise and leap motion balances smoothness with harmonic drive. When the progression loops, the bass returns from F# to F by half step.

Scales for Improvisation

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

ballad4/4 · 53 bars · Form: A

Chords: F7, D7, E, EMaj7, Am, GMaj7, F♯m, C7, Bm, Faug7, D♯7♯9, G♯m6, G♯m, A♯m7♭5, D♯7♭9, Gdim7, B7, F♯m7, D7♭5, C♯7, C7♭5, D♯7, F♯7, E7, G7, G♯Maj7, F♯7♯9, B, Gm, Fm, FMaj7, A7, Em, DMaj7, Caug7, A♯7, F♯Maj7.

Scales for Improvisation E bebop, E bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of E