"Autumn Leaves" Free Ballad Play-A-Long
This play-a-long track is sung "freely" without a steady tempo. This exercise trains us to follow the lead of the singer and support the vocalist in any direction they take.
Memorise The Lyrics & Changes
The accompany a singer effectively, it’s important that we are familiar with the lyrics, the contours of the melody, and where the lyrics fall in relation to the underlying chord changes.
It’s common for the singer to displace the lyrics, either by holding back, or anticipating the melody.
As the accompanist, it’s important to recognise this and provide a solid harmonic foundation and fill in the space with tasteful harmonic and melodic fills.
Related Lessons
First we discuss how the melody is phrased when playing with a medium swing. We also look at the placement and syncopation of the chords.
In this lesson we will explore a simple way to approach the tune “Autumn Leaves” with a walking bass outlining just the root and 5th of the chord.
Usually played in the key of G Minor, the tune follows a 32 measure AABC form and contains both major and minor 251 progressions.
Practice Tips
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If you are listening intently and can hear the singer clearly, then you’ll keep from overpowering their voice in both volume and complexity.
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Stay away from chording too much in the lower registers of the piano. This can overpower the voice not only in volume but also the complexity of sound waves.
- Outline your breaks in melody, the places where you'll get to play around with licks, colours, extension and rhythm.
