Standards

Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love chords & key

Key
D♭ major
Form
ABC
Bars
32
Groove
Ballad
Time signature
4/4

“Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love” is a jazz standard by Charles Mingus. It is usually played in D♭ major as a ballad, and the 32-bar ABC form has 3 sections. Harmonically it contains 2 major ii–V–I cadences and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 38 different chords and moves between the key centres D minor, C major and A♭ major. In this atlas it appears on 1 album track.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — D♭ major

A
D7♯9
D♭maj9
A♭13♭9
D♭maj9
F7♯5♯9
B♭7♭9♯5
A♭7♭9♯5
D♭maj7
F7♯11
E♭m9
A♭13♭9
EE♭6Dmaj7A♭7♯11
D♭maj9
B
G♭m7♭5G♭dim7
Emaj7E6
Em7♭5A7♯11
Dmaj7
Dm7G7
Cmaj7G7/BAm7/B♭
A13♯11B♭m7E♭13
A♭maj7F7♭9
C
B♭7♭9♯11E♭9♯11
A♭maj7D9
D♭maj9
G♭13♯11
Fm11
B♭7♯11
E♭m7♭5
A♭13♭9
EE♭6Dmaj7A♭7♭9♯11
D♭maj9
D13♯11

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

Harmonic analysis

2Major ii–V–I
1Minor ii–V–i
6ii–V moves
3Tritone substitutions
3Dominant chains
38Different chords

Most used chords

  • D♭maj9×5
  • A♭13♭9×3
  • Dmaj7×3
  • E×2
  • E♭6×2
  • A♭maj7×2

Key centres reached by ii–V

D minor, C major and A♭ major

Recorded on these albums

2026 Beneath Lifted Skies
Linda May Han Oh & Melissa Aldana · “Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love”

Frequently asked questions

What key is Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love in?

Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love is usually played in D♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is E♭ major, for E♭ instruments B♭ major.

Who wrote Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love?

Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love was written by Charles Mingus.

What is the form of Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love?

Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love has 3 sections (ABC) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love played?

The usual groove is Ballad.

What are the chord changes to Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love?

The opening bars are D7#9 | Dbmaj9 | Ab13b9 | Dbmaj9. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.