Standards · 1945
Confirmation chords & key
- Key
- F major
- Form
- AABA
- Bars
- 32
- Groove
- Up-tempo swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
- Year
- 1945
“Confirmation” is a jazz standard by Charlie Parker from 1945. Most bands play it in F major, up-tempo swing; the tune runs 32 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 5 major ii–V–I cadences and 8 minor ii–V–i, uses 18 different chords and moves between the key centres D minor, C minor, F major, G minor, B♭ major and D♭ major. In this atlas it appears on 1 album track and in 1 transcribed solo.
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
- Fmaj7×5
- G7×4
- Cm7×4
- F7×4
- Em7♭5×3
- A7♭9×3
Key centres reached by ii–V
D minor, C minor, F major, G minor, B♭ major and D♭ major
Characteristics
- AABA song form
History
"Confirmation" is a bebop standard composed by saxophonist Charlie Parker in 1945. It is known as a challenging number due to its long, complex head and rapid chord changes, which feature an extended cycle of fifths (see Bird changes). Jazz educator Dariusz Terefenko has pointed out the speed and intricacy of its harmonic rhythm (the rate and manner in which chords change underneath the melody), which he notes is typical of the bebop era. The first recording of "Confirmation" was made by Dizzy Gillespie at a small group session for Dial Records by producer Ross Russell in February 1946 at which Parker was not present. Parker did not record a studio version of "Confirmation" until July 1953. However, Parker did play the piece frequently during live performances, and at least five live recordings of Parker performing "Confirmation" are known to exist. The earliest of these is a 1947 performance with Gillespie at Carnegie Hall.
Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Recorded on these albums
Transcribed solos on Confirmation
| Michael Brecker tenor saxophone | 209 BPM |
Historic 78 rpm recordings
- CONFIRMATION KENNY CLARKE'S ALL STARS · Kenny Clarke · J. Brown · C. Payne ·… archive.org ↗
- "CONFIRMATION" ALL STAR SEXTET · Reg Arnold · Aubrey Frank · Tommy Pollard · Ralph… · 1949 archive.org ↗
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| I Want To Be Happy 29% | C major |
| If There Is Someone Lovelier 29% | C major |
| Secret Love 29% | E♭ major |
| But Not For Me 28% | E♭ major |
| The Masquerade Is Over 28% | E♭ major |
| Oh, Lady Be Good 28% | G major |
| Try A Little Tenderness 26% | E♭ major |
| I'll Close My Eyes 25% | F major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Confirmation in?
Confirmation is usually played in F major. For B♭ instruments that is G major, for E♭ instruments D major.
Who wrote Confirmation?
Confirmation was written by Charlie Parker (1945).
What is the form of Confirmation?
Confirmation has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is Confirmation played?
The usual groove is Up-tempo swing. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 209 BPM.
What are the chord changes to Confirmation?
The opening bars are Fmaj7 | Em7b5 A7b9 | Dm7 G7 | Cm7 F7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.