Who composed The Man I Love?

The Man I Love was composed by George Gershwin. It is a ballad standard in 4/4 time. The original key is Eb; this page shows it transposed to G.

What key is The Man I Love in?

The original key of The Man I Love is Eb. The form is AABA with 32 bars. This page shows the chart transposed to G.

What scales work for improvising over The Man I Love?

Recommended scales for The Man I Love in G: 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.

The Man I Love in G

George Gershwin()balladSlowly

Do Re MiC D E

BPM: 120

Chord Diagrams — The Man I Love in G (Guitar)

Display

FingerNoteDegree

Chord Voicings Closest Voicing

E7♯5

The Man I Love in 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 G to G (ascending unison), G to G (ascending unison), G to D (descending perfect fourth), D to E (ascending whole step), E to E (ascending unison), E to C (descending major third), C to D (ascending whole step), D to C (descending whole step), C to B (descending half step), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to F# (ascending whole step), F# to F# (ascending unison), F# to E (descending whole step), E to B (descending perfect fourth), B to B (ascending unison), B to C (ascending half step). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The predominantly stepwise bass motion creates smooth, connected voice leading. When the progression loops, the bass returns from C to G by perfect fourth.

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.

ballad4/4 · 32 bars · Form: AABA

Chords: G, G7, Gm7, Dm, E7♯5, E7, Cm6, D7, CMaj7, Bm, Em7, F♯7, F♯dim, Em, B7, Bdim, C.

Scales for Improvisation G bebop, G bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of G