Standards · 1950
Ballade chords & key
“Ballade” is a jazz standard by Charlie Parker from 1950. Most bands play it in F major, ballad; the tune runs 32 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 6 major ii–V–I cadences and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 17 different chords and moves between the key centres F major, B♭ major and D minor. In this atlas it appears on 2 album tracks.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — F major
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- D7×6
- Gm7×6
- Fmaj7×5
- Em7♭5×4
- G7×4
- C7×4
Key centres reached by ii–V
F major, B♭ major and D minor
Characteristics
- AABA song form
Recorded on these albums
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| As Long As I Live 59% | F major |
| Oh, Lady Be Good 41% | G major |
| Just Friends 38% | G major |
| Love Is The Sweetest Thing 36% | D major |
| Deed I Do 34% | C major |
| Palo Alto 34% | F major |
| Elora 33% | B♭ major |
| If There Is Someone Lovelier 33% | C major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Ballade in?
Ballade is usually played in F major. For B♭ instruments that is G major, for E♭ instruments D major.
Who wrote Ballade?
Ballade was written by Charlie Parker (1950).
What is the form of Ballade?
Ballade has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is Ballade played?
The usual groove is Ballad.
What are the chord changes to Ballade?
The opening bars are Fmaj7 | Em7b5 A7b9 | D7 | D7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.