ENDEIT

Standards

Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me chords & key

Duke Ellington

Key
B♭ major
Form
AB
Bars
32
Groove
Medium swing
Time signature
4/4

“Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me” is a jazz standard by Duke Ellington. Most bands play it in B♭ major, medium swing; the tune runs 32 bars in AB form. Harmonically it contains 5 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 17 different chords and moves between the key centres E♭ major, B♭ major and F♯ major. In this atlas it appears on 2 album tracks.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — B♭ major

·
B♭maj7
Fm7B♭7
E♭maj7
E♭m7A♭7♯11
B♭maj7G7♯5
C7F7
1.
B♭maj7
Cm7F7
2.
B♭6
A♭m7D♭7
A
G♭maj7
G♭maj7
G♭maj7
G♭7
B♭maj7
Dm7G7
C7
F7
B
B♭maj7
Fm7B♭7
E♭maj7
E♭m7A♭7♯11
B♭maj7G7♯5
C7F7
B♭6
Cm7F7

Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.

Harmonic analysis

5Major ii–V–I
0Minor ii–V–i
10ii–V moves
0Tritone substitutions
8Dominant chains
17Different chords

Most used chords

  • B♭maj7×8
  • F7×6
  • C7×4
  • Fm7×3
  • B♭7×3
  • E♭maj7×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

E♭ major, B♭ major and F♯ major

Recorded on these albums

1962 Nina Simone Sings Ellington
Nina Simone · “Do Nothin’ ’til You Hear From Me”
1966 The Duke At Tanglewood
Duke Ellington • Boston Pops • Arthur Fiedler · “Do Nothin' 'Til You Hear From Me”

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
Rose Room 36% Art Hickman A♭ major ABAC · 32 Medium swing
Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home 35% Hughie Cannon G major ABAC · 32 Medium-up swing
After You've Gone 31% Henry Creamer B♭ major ABAC · 40 Up-tempo swing
Dewey Square 29% Charlie Parker E♭ major AABA · 32 Medium-up swing
Crazy Rhythm 27% Wolfe-Kahn-Meyer F major AABA · 32 Up-tempo swing
Misty 27% Erroll Garner E♭ major AABA · 32 Ballad
Sometimes I'm Happy 27% Vincent Youmans F major ABAB · 32 Medium swing
New York, New York 26% John Kander F major AABA · 42 Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me in?

Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me is usually played in B♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is C major, for E♭ instruments G major.

Who wrote Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me?

Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me was written by Duke Ellington.

What is the form of Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me?

Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me has 2 sections (AB) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me?

The opening bars are Bbmaj7 | Fm7 Bb7 | Ebmaj7 | Ebm7 Ab7#11. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.