Standards · 1951
Dig chords & key
- Key
- A♭ major
- Form
- AA
- Bars
- 32
- Groove
- Up-tempo swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
- Year
- 1951
“Dig” is a jazz standard by Miles Davis from 1951. It is usually played in A♭ major as a up-tempo swing, and the 32-bar AA form has 2 sections. Harmonically it contains 1 major ii–V–I cadence and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 12 different chords and moves between the key centres A♭ major and F minor. In this atlas it appears on 2 album tracks.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — A♭ major
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- F7×9
- B♭7×9
- E♭7×7
- A♭maj7×2
- B♭m7×2
- Gm7♭5×2
Key centres reached by ii–V
A♭ major and F minor
History
"Dig" is a bebop jazz standard attributed to Miles Davis by Prestige Records without Davis' knowledge. It was recorded on October 5, 1951 and first released on his album The New Sounds. Its chord sequence is almost identical to that of "Sweet Georgia Brown" by Ben Bernie and Maceo Pinkard, making it a contrafact. Davis' second recording of the tune on May 9 the following year, this time for Blue Note, was called "Donna" and credited to Jackie McLean, the original composer, who played alto saxophone on both sessions (Young Man with a Horn and Miles Davis Volume 1). "Dig" has also been played by numerous other artists such as Sonny Rollins, Woody Herman, Donald Byrd, Archie Shepp, Joey DeFrancesco, and Fred Firth.
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Recorded on these albums
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| Sweet Georgia Brown 100% | A♭ major |
| I Ain't Got Nobody 36% | G major |
| There Is No Greater Love 32% | B♭ major |
| Bright Mississippi 30% | A♭ major |
| Just In Time 26% | B♭ major |
| Memories Of You 26% | E♭ major |
| He's A Tramp 24% | G major |
| Charleston 22% | B♭ major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Dig in?
Dig is usually played in A♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is B♭ major, for E♭ instruments F major.
Who wrote Dig?
Dig was written by Miles Davis (1951).
What is the form of Dig?
Dig has 2 sections (AA) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is Dig played?
The usual groove is Up-tempo swing.
What are the chord changes to Dig?
The opening bars are F7 | F7 | F7 | F7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.