Autumn Leaves By Emil
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Hey!
Question about Emil's Autumn leaves arrangement. It's about chord selection. So after the rubato part and right where he gets to the boom chick part. He plays an E7. I'm learning the song on piano and at this part of the song it's a Bm7b5 to E7 to Am7 (minor 2-5-1). Emil is playing a E7 to E7 to Am7 (minor 5-5-1). Is this a common alternative way to play this? (i.e. using 2-5-1 interchangeably with 5-5-1)
Second question is shortly after he goes to the Cmaj7. On piano, the part goes Cmaj7 to Fmaj7 to Bm7b5 to E7 to Am. Or 1-4 to minor 2 -5-1. But Emil does Cmaj7 to Cmaj7 to E7 to E7 to Amin7. Is this another harmonic simplification? (i.e the 1-4 can usually be simplified to 1 - 1. Also here again it looks like he is simplifying a minor 2-5-1 to a 5-5-1.
Am I on the right track here? I'm trying to not just be able to play the song but understand it, know the notes, sing the melodies....ect. So I can make my own arrangements some day.
Thanks!
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@brock-sirko
Hi there!Very good questions, and thanks for specifying what parts exactly. That makes it easy for me to answer your questions more clearly.
You are absolutely right!
Playing E7 - E7 to Am instead of Bm7b5 - E7 - Am is a very common simplification of the progression. In fact, you could actually look at that Bm7b5 as simply a "suspended E7b9 chord". Whenever you have a minor 2 - 5 -1, you can simplify it by playing only 5 -1 if you want. Sometimes it sounds better with the 2 chord before the 5 chord, but sometimes it sounds great simply playing 5 to 1.This goes for the 2nd question as well - I've just made the progression a bit more simple that works good with that slightly countryish "boom chick" sound :) It's based on a version that Chet Atkins plays (its on YouTube) in the 70s.
Let me know if you have any more questions,
Have a great day!
Kind regards/Emil from ProGuitar.com -
@emilernebro
Great thanks a lot!
