How to practice When Lights Are Low with play-along tracks?

Use the play-along backing track above to practice When Lights Are Low 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 When Lights Are Low?

For soloing over When Lights Are Low, 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 When Lights Are Low?

When Lights Are Low was composed by Carter Benny. It is a medium-swing standard in 4/4 time. The original key is Eb; this page shows it transposed to E.

What key is When Lights Are Low in?

The original key of When Lights Are Low is Eb. The form is ABA with 32 bars. This page shows the chart transposed to E.

What scales work for improvising over When Lights Are Low?

Recommended scales for When Lights Are Low 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.

Do Re MiC D E

When Lights Are Low

Carter Benny4/4medium-swing

BPM: 120

Chord Diagrams — When Lights Are Low in E (Guitar)

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When Lights Are Low 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 E to F# (ascending whole step), F# to G# (ascending whole step), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to B (descending whole step), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to A# (ascending perfect fourth), A# to D# (ascending perfect fourth), 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 C# (ascending whole step). 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 C# to E by minor third.

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.

medium-swing4/4 · 32 bars · Form: ABA

Chords: Emaj7, F♯m7, G♯m7, C♯7, B7, E6, Am7, D7, Gmaj7, Cm7, F7, A♯maj7, D♯m7, G♯7, C♯maj7, C♯m7, F♯7, B7♭9, C♯7♯9.

Scales for Improvisation E bebop, E bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of E