ENDEIT

Standards · 1960

Giant Steps chords & key

John Coltrane

Key
E♭ major
Form
A
Bars
16
Groove
Up-tempo swing
Time signature
4/4
Year
1960

“Giant Steps” is a jazz standard by John Coltrane from 1960. Most bands play it in E♭ major, up-tempo swing; the tune runs 16 bars in A form. Harmonically it contains 5 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 9 different chords and moves between the key centres G major, E♭ major and B major. In this atlas it appears in 2 transcribed solos.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

A
Bmaj7D7
Gmaj7B♭7
E♭maj7
Am7D7
Gmaj7B♭7
E♭maj7G♭7
Bmaj7
Fm7B♭7
E♭maj7
Am7D7
Gmaj7
D♭m7G♭7
Bmaj7
Fm7B♭7
E♭maj7
D♭m7G♭7

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

Harmonic analysis

5Major ii–V–I
0Minor ii–V–i
6ii–V moves
0Tritone substitutions
0Dominant chains
9Different chords

Most used chords

  • B♭7×4
  • E♭maj7×4
  • Bmaj7×3
  • D7×3
  • Gmaj7×3
  • G♭7×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

G major, E♭ major and B major

History

"Giant Steps" is a jazz composition by American saxophonist John Coltrane. It was first recorded in 1959 and released on the 1960 album Giant Steps. The composition features a cyclic chord pattern that has come to be known as Coltrane changes. The composition has become a jazz standard, covered by many artists. Due to its speed and rapid transition through the three keys of B major, G major and E♭ major, Vox described the piece as "the most feared song in jazz" and "one of the most challenging chord progressions to improvise over" in the jazz repertoire.

Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Transcribed solos on Giant Steps

John Coltrane tenor saxophone 290 BPM Eb-maj 1959
John Coltrane tenor saxophone 299 BPM Eb-maj 1959

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
Baubles, Bangles and Beads 30% Borodin-Wright-Forrest A♭ major ABCA · 36 Jazz waltz
26-2 24% John Coltrane F major AABA · 32 Medium-up swing
Satellite 22% John Coltrane G major BACA · 36 Up-tempo swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Giant Steps in?

Giant Steps is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.

Who wrote Giant Steps?

Giant Steps was written by John Coltrane (1960).

What is the form of Giant Steps?

Giant Steps has 1 sections (A) with 16 bars in total.

How fast is Giant Steps played?

The usual groove is Up-tempo swing. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 290 BPM and 299 BPM.

What are the chord changes to Giant Steps?

The opening bars are Bmaj7 D7 | Gmaj7 Bb7 | Ebmaj7 | Am7 D7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.