How to practice St. James Infirmary with play-along tracks?

Use the play-along backing track above to practice St. James Infirmary 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 St. James Infirmary?

For soloing over St. James Infirmary, recommended scales include: bebop minor, bebop. Use arpeggio patterns over each chord to create melodic lines that follow the harmony of this jazz tune.

Who composed St. James Infirmary?

St. James Infirmary was composed by Don Redman / Irving Mills in 1928. It is a swing standard in 4/4 time. The original key is D; this page shows it transposed to A.

What key is St. James Infirmary in?

The original key of St. James Infirmary is D. The form is A with 17 bars. This page shows the chart transposed to A.

What scales work for improvising over St. James Infirmary?

Recommended scales for St. James Infirmary in A: bebop minor, bebop. 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.

St. James Infirmary in A

Don Redman / Irving Mills(1928)swing

Do Re MiC D E

Section A

♬

BPM: 120

Chord Diagrams — St. James Infirmary in A (Guitar)

Display

FingerNoteDegree

Chord Voicings Closest Voicing

St. James Infirmary 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 E (descending perfect fourth), E to D (descending whole step), D to C (descending whole step), C to F (ascending perfect fourth). The mix of stepwise and leap motion balances smoothness with harmonic drive. 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 · 17 bars · Form: A

Chords: Am, E7, Dm, C7, F7.

Scales for Improvisation A bebop minor, A bebop.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of A