By Morgan Lewis
How High the Moon
How High the Moon
is a jazz standard composed by Morgan Lewis for the 1940 Broadway show "Two for the Show", with lyrics by Nancy Hamilton. The song was quickly adopted by jazz musicians, notably Ella Fitzgerald and Charlie Parker, who wrote the iconic contrafact "Ornithology" over the progression.
Chord Charts: How High the Moon
Chord Charts
Learn the chord changes to
How High the Moon
using common lead sheets for C, Bb, and Eb instruments.
This is one of the first standards to move sequentially through ii-V's. The chords in bars 13-16 can sometimes vary, the standard practice version is notated here.
Form: ABAC
Total Bars: 32
Common Key(s): G
C chart
Bb chart
Eb chart
Jazzadvice Lessons
Here are a few of our lessons that will be helpful when learning
How High the Moon
. Take the time to study these in-depth resources:
Dominant Chords in Jazz: A Player’s Guide
The dominant chord is one of the most important sounds in music, an integral piece of the puzzle that is functional harmony. And it’s an essential sound that you need to master as a musician… In This Lesson 1. Introduction 2. Dominant 7 Melodic Tools 3. Dominant Chords Resolving 4. Dominant Chords in Different Harmonic ...
The Pentatonic Scale: An Essential Musical Tool
The pentatonic scale, in its simplest form, is exactly what the words tell us: a five note scale… In This Lesson 1. Introduction 2. The Major Pentatonic Scale 3. Pentatonic Scale Variations 4. The Minor Pentatonic Scale 5. Pentatonic Scale Melodies 6. Pentatonic Scale Lessons It’s a musical tool has been around for centuries and ...
10 Essential Jazz Tunes for Beginners
Learning how to improvise goes hand in hand with learning tunes, there’s no way around it. The only problem is that as a “beginner” it can be hard to figure out exactly where you should begin with all of these tunes. In This Lesson 1. Introduction 2. Ten Jazz Tunes For Beginners 3. The Blues ...
Caravan: An Improviser’s Guide to the A Section
If you’ve spent any time listening, learning tunes, or performing, you’ve probably encountered the composition Caravan by Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington… In This Lesson 1. Introduction 2. Caravan: Form & Harmony 3. Domnant in Major and Minor 4. Nine Solo Excerpts 5. Tactic #1: Play V7 in Minor 6. Tactic #2: Explore Alterations 7. ...
Mastering IV to I Movement: 8 Secrets from Sonny Clark
When you’re starting out, it can seem like the secret to improvising boils down to what you play on each chord. It’s all about the notes, the scale options, and the licks you’ve figured out… In This Lesson 1. Introduction 2. Harmony: The IV to I Pathway 3. Chord Variations: IV Moving to I 4. ...
A Night in Tunisia: Navigating the Interlude & Solo Break
The interlude and solo break of A Night in Tunisia is a scary moment. The build up. The intensity. All eyes are on you. The band drops out, and somehow you have to play something convincing while keeping the time. In This Lesson 1. Introduction 2. A Night in Tunisia: The Interlude Chords 3. The ...
5 Next-Level Jazz Contrafacts You Should Know
Taking something old and making it new is an integral part this music. And when it comes to the standard repertoire, this idea pops up in the form of contrafacts: new melodies written over existing song forms and chord progressions. In This Lesson 1. Introduction 2. Why is Melody Important? 3. Five Jazz Contrafacts to ...
Tom Harrell Plays There Will Never Be Another You
One of the best ways to learn a standard and find answers when you’re completely stuck is simple: check out the masters playing the same tunes you’re working on. In This Lesson 1. Introduction 2. There Will Never Be Another You 3. Unlocking the Harmony 4. Tom Harrell’s Solo 5. Three Improvisation Tactics 6. Leaving ...
10 Tritone Substitution Tactics from Kenny Dorham
Tritone Substitution is one of those terms you often hear tossed around in music theory classes. A definition to memorize, but not something that actually makes it into your playing… In This Lesson 1. Introduction 2. Tritone Substitution: The Theory 3. The Tritone Sub Cheat Sheet 4. Tritone Substitution Tactics 5. Old Folks 6. Mack ...
The Transcription Step Most Jazz Players Skip
There’s a common saying that any great improvisation boils down to one thing: “playing what you hear”. And over the years, I’ve found this to be true… In This Lesson 1. Introduction 2. Horace Silver, Opus De Funk 3. Finding Musical Clues 4. Figuring Out the Chords & Progression 5. Solo Techniques: 3 Phrases 6. Horace ...
