Chords + Lyrics | Autumn Leaves
Verse
| Am7 | D7 | Gmaj7 | Cmaj7 |
The falling leaves drift by my window.
| F#m7b5 | B7b9 | Em | Em |
The autumn leaves, of red and gold.
| Am7 | D7 | Gmaj7 | Cmaj7 |
I see your lips, the summer kisses.
| F#m7b5 | B7#5 | Em | Em |
The sunburned hands, I used to hold.
Bridge
| F#m7b5 | B7b9 | Em6 | Em6 |
Since you went away, the days grow long.
| Am7 | D7 | Gmaj7 | Cmaj7 |
And soon I’ll hear, old winter’s song.
| F#m7b5 | B7b9 | Em7 Eb7 | Dm7 C#7#5 |
But I miss you most of all, my darling.
| F#m7b5 | B7#5 | Em6 | Em6 |
When autumn leaves start to fall.
Autumn Leaves Backing Tracks | Chord Analysis
Above, you’ll find a backing track to use when learning Autumn Leaves. Rather than using stem-seperation to extract the guitar, in this case, I’ve exported the iReal Pro generated audio.
After studying the chords and TAB (further down this page), use the backing tracks to prepare for playing this tune with a band.
Chord Progressions – What’s Going On?
The chords for Autumn Leaves vary depending on the artist. Nat King Cole, Chet Baker, Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Eva Cassidy, even Eric Clapton—among many others—have recorded their interpretations, making the list of versions as extensive as the roster of jazz vocalists.
Above are the lyrics, paired with the basic chords in the key of Em. Before experimenting with variations, make sure to practise the fundamentals in all 12 keys. Autumn Leaves has become such a widely played standard that no single recording serves as the definitive reference. Instead, musicians rely on charts from various sources and develop their own interpretations.
Most notably, the chords for Autumn Leaves have been listed in the legendary, unofficial Real Book as if in the key of G/Em, structured as follows:
||: Am7 | D7 | Gmaj7 | Cmaj7 |
| F#m7b5 | B7b9 | Em | Em :||
| F#m7b5 | B7b9 | Em | Em |
| Am7 | D7 | Gmaj7 | Gmaj7 |
| F#m7b5 | B7b9 | Em7 Eb7 | Dm7 Db7 |
| Cmaj7 | B7#5 | Em6 | Em6 |
These days, the iReal Pro app has replaced the old Real Book, letting you digitally change the key and loop a MIDI band for endless practice.
Any serious jazz tutor will tell you to play this classic in all 12 keys—it’s essential for mastering the instrument. This means playing the chords and melody across the entire neck, learning how the melodic intervals connect with the harmony—core knowledge for any jazz improviser.
If you’re unsure where to start improvising over this progression, begin by targeting the 3rd or 7th of each chord. However, don’t attempt this until you can play the melody fluently in all five positions. In the TAB further down this lesson, that’s exactly what we do!
Here’s the chord chart.
Exploring Reharmonisation in Autumn Leaves: Chord Extensions & Improvisation Tips
Here’s the chord progression in the key of Bb/Gm, a great key for sax players. Notice how the chord extensions differ slightly:
||: Cm7 | B7 | Bbmaj7 | Ebmaj7 |
| Am7b5 | D7#5 | Gm6 | Gm6 :||
| Am7b5 | D7b9 | Gm6 | Gm6 |
| Cm7 | F7 | Bbmaj7 | Ebmaj7 |
| Am7b5 | D7b9 | Gm7 Gb7 | Fm7 E7#5 |
| Am7b5 | D7b9 | Gm6 | Gm6 |
When the chords change between different versions of Autumn Leaves, it affects your improvisation by altering the harmonic framework you navigate. However, you can still apply similar intervallic approaches across different keys.
Here’s what happens when the chord changes occur:
- Harmonic Context Shifts – The second version introduces altered dominants (D7b9 and E7#5). These addition create tension, which you can target in your improvisation.
- Transposing Intervallic Ideas – Even though the key is different, the intervals and relationships between notes remain the same. If you emphasise the 3rd and 7th of each chord in one key, you should apply the same approach in the other by shifting those intervals relative to the new key centre. By practising in 12 keys you ensure you can “think in intervals”.
- Chord Substitutions and Extensions – The second version includes more reharmonisations, so you may need to adjust your lines accordingly. For instance, when the B7 appears as a tritone substitution (2nd bar), it temporarily shifts the harmonic centre. You can outline this change by using altered or diminished ideas that resolve into the next chord.
- Melodic Consistency – The core melody of Autumn Leaves remains recognisable across versions, so any improvisation should maintain its phrasing and contour, even when reharmonisations introduce new colours.
Practical Approach:
- Play through both versions and identify the key differences in sound.
- Target the 3rd and 7th of each chord to guide your lines smoothly.
- Experiment with the altered tones introduced in the second version, such as the b9 on B7 or the chromatic passing dominants.
- Transpose licks and motifs from one version to the other, adjusting only where necessary.
🥸 Pro tip: You can use the intervallic approaches from the second version in the first version.
Here’s a chord chart for the key of Gm/Bb.
Autumn Leaves Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Downloading my chord charts can be done in two formats: as static PDFs or in the iReal Pro format.
For Autumn Leaves, iReal Pro really shines, allowing you to create backing tracks, adjust the volume, and even remove instruments—perfect for practice or performance.
- Autumn Leaves chord chart PDF in G
- Autumn Leaves chord chart PDF in Bb
- Autumn Leaves iReal Pro G
- Autumn Leaves iReal Pro Bb
Autumn Leaves | TAB
Let’s work through the chords, bass line, and melody of this jazz classic. While Autumn Leaves is often considered a beginner tune on most instruments, it’s advanced on guitar due to the way guitar tuition traditionally focuses on shapes rather than harmonic understanding.
We begin with the I chord, G in an E shape, and play as follows:
- All chords using the closest possible shape
- Bass line ascending with triads: Root – 3rd – 5th – 3rd
- Bass line descending: Root – 5th – 3rd – 5th
- Melody entering on the 3rd and climbing from the root
E Shape
There will naturally be some memorisation at first, but the ultimate goal is to move beyond that—towards genuine understanding.
D shape
As always, remember:
- Use the closest possible chord shape
- Move the bass line both up and down
- Begin the melody on the 3rd, building from the root
There’s no prize for speed here. Take your time and ensure you can truly see all the intervals in both the bass and the melody.
C shape
For the C shape, we play the melody in two octaves.
To manage this, you must visualise the chord, execute the bass line, and connect the melody—all without relying purely on memorisation.
A shape
Next up is the A shape. By now, the pattern is familiar—focus on identifying the intervals.
G shape (open position)
Finally, let’s use the G shape in open position, which works beautifully on the guitar. Here, the rhythm part changes slightly to introduce a fresh pattern.
When you can comfortably play in all positions, return to the backing track and, using only the chord chart, move freely across the fretboard.
At first, this may feel difficult, even tedious, but persevere. You only need to do this with a handful of standards before everything clicks into place. Once it does, the rewards are extraordinary.
Start with my backing track in three keys, then use the iReal Pro app to go through the remaining 9 keys, you wnat to compleet this by playing in all 12 keys!
Autumn Leaves Chords: Continue Learning
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