Autumn Leaves in G

Autumn Leaves in G

Play Autumn Leaves in G with chords Cm7 – F7 – A#Maj7 – D#Maj7 – Am7b5 – D7 – Gm – D7b9 – Gm7 – C7 – Fm7 – A#7. This essential jazz standard by Joseph Kosma features a classic ii-V-I progression through relative major and minor keys. Practice chord voicings, scales for improvisation, and audio playback in G.

Autumn Leaves 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 C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to A# (ascending perfect fourth), A# to D# (ascending perfect fourth), D# to A (ascending tritone), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to D (descending 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). 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 A# to C by whole step.

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.