How to practice My Ship with play-along tracks?

Use the play-along backing track above to practice My Ship in the key of A. 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 My Ship?

For soloing over My Ship, 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 My Ship?

My Ship was composed by Kurt Weill / Ira Gershwin in 1941. It is a swing standard in 4/4 time. The original key is F; this page shows it transposed to A.

What key is My Ship in?

The original key of My Ship is F. The form is AB with 32 bars. This page shows the chart transposed to A.

What scales work for improvising over My Ship?

Recommended scales for My Ship in A: 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.

My Ship in A

Kurt Weill / Ira Gershwin(1941)swing

Do Re MiC D E

BPM: 120

Chord Diagrams — My Ship in A (Guitar)

Display

FingerNoteDegree

Chord Voicings Closest Voicing

A69

E7sus4

Bm7/E

B7sus4

AMaj9

DMaj9

G7sus4

FMaj7

My Ship 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 E (ascending unison), E to F# (ascending whole step), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to G (descending whole step), G to B (ascending major third), B to G# (descending minor third), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to B (ascending unison), B to D (ascending minor third), D to A (descending perfect fourth), A to D# (ascending tritone), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to C# (ascending unison), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to A# (descending half step), A# to A (descending half step), A to D# (ascending tritone), D# to D (descending half step), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to F (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 F to A by major third.

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: AB

Chords: A69, F♯7♭9, B9, E7sus4, E7, F♯7♯9, B7, E7♭9, A6, G7, Bm9, G♯m7♭5, C♯7♭9, F♯m7, Bm7, Bm7/E, Dm6, AMaj7, D♯m7♭5, G♯7, C♯m7, C♯m, F♯7, B7sus4, A♯dim7, AMaj9, D♯7♯11, DMaj9, G7sus4, C7, FMaj7.

Scales for Improvisation A bebop, A bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of A