Standards

How High The Moon chords & key

Key: G major
Form: ABAC
Bars: 32
Groove: Medium swing
Time signature: 4/4

“How High The Moon” is a jazz standard by Morgan Lewis. Most bands play it in G major, medium swing; the tune runs 32 bars in ABAC form. Harmonically it contains 6 major ii–V–I cadences and 5 minor ii–V–i, uses 14 different chords and moves between the key centres G minor, F major, E♭ major, A minor and G major. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks and in 1 transcribed solo.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — G major

G^maj7

G^m7

C⁷

F^maj7

F^m7

A♯⁷

D♯^maj7

A^m7♭5D^7♭9

G^m7

A^m7♭5D^7♭9

G^maj7

A^m7D⁷

B^m7E⁷

A^m7D⁷

G^maj7

G^m7

C⁷

F^maj7

F^m7

A♯⁷

D♯^maj7

A^m7♭5D^7♭9

G^maj7

A^m7D⁷

B^m7E⁷

A^m7D⁷

G⁶

A^m7D⁷

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

Harmonic analysis

6Major ii–V–I

5Minor ii–V–i

14ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

0Dominant chains

14Different chords

Most used chords

G^maj7×6
A^m7×5
D⁷×5
F^maj7×4
G^m7×3
A^m7♭5×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

G minor, F major, E♭ major, A minor and G major

Characteristics

ABAC song form

Recorded on these albums

1949	King Cole at the Piano King Cole · “How High the Moon”
1950	Session for Six Benny Goodman · “How High the Moon”
1952	Hot Vs. Cool (A Battle of Jazz) Jimmy McPartland and The Dixieland Stars / Dizzy Gillespie and The Birdland Stars · “How High the Moon”
1952	Gene Norman Presents an Art Tatum Concert Art Tatum · “How High the Moon”
1953	Portraits on Standards Stan Kenton · “How High the Moon”
1954	Ted Heath's 100th London Palladium Sunday Concert Ted Heath and His Music · “How High the Moon”
1955	Lullabies of Birdland Ella Fitzgerald · “How High the Moon”
1955	In the Land of Hi-Fi Sarah Vaughan · “How High the Moon”
1955	Jazz Original Bud Powell
1956	The Tatum Touch Art Tatum
1956	Ballads & Blues Milt Jackson · “How High the Moon”
1956	Go Man! Sonny Criss · “How High the Moon”
1957	An Evening With Oscar Peterson Oscar Peterson
1957	A Date With Jimmy Smith, Volume 1 Jimmy Smith · “How High the Moon”
1957	The Modern Art of Jazz by Randy Weston Randy Weston · “How High the Moon”
1957	Stuff Smith Stuff Smith · “How High the Moon”
1957	A Swinging Introduction To Jimmy Knepper Jimmy Knepper
1958	Apollo Hall Concert 1954 Lionel Hampton · “How High the Moon”
1958	The Wildest Show at Tahoe Louis Prima, Keely Smith with Sam Butera & the Witnesses · “How High the Moon”
1958	Encores in Hi Fi Erroll Garner · “How High the Moon”
1958	Raymond Scott Conducts The Rock 'N Roll Symphony Raymond Scott
1959	Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders Sonny Rollins · “How High the Moon”
1959	Chet Chet Baker · “How High the Moon”
1959	Harmonica Virtuoso with Piano, Trumpet, Bass, Guitar and Drums Larry Adler · “How High the Moon”

Transcribed solos on How High The Moon

Pepper Adams baritone saxophone

116 BPM

G-maj

1958-12-30

Historic 78 rpm recordings

How High the Moon Mary Lou Williams · Morgan Lewis archive.org ↗
HOW HIGH THE MOON Willie Smith · Coleman Hawkins, Flip Phillips · Buck Clayton ·… archive.org ↗
HOW HIGH THE MOON Willie Smith · Coleman Hawkins; Flip Phillips · Buck Clayton ·… archive.org ↗
HOW HIGH THE MOON GLENN MILLER'S UPTOWN HALL GANG · Bernie Privin · "Peanuts" Hucko ·… archive.org ↗
How High the Moon Herman Chittison Trio · Herman Chittison · Carlton Powell · James… · 1944 archive.org ↗
How High the Moon Esquires All American (New Star Winners) · Dodo Marmarosa · Ray… · 1945 archive.org ↗
How High The Moon Herman Chittison Trio · Herman Chittison · Carlton Powell · James… · 1945 archive.org ↗
How High the Moon Hazel Scott · Hamilton · Lewis · 1946 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
Ornithology 62%	Charlie Parker	G major	ABAC · 32	Up-tempo swing
Call Me 40%	Tony Hatch	G major	AABA · 56	Bossa nova
Afternoon In Paris 38%	John Lewis	C major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Be-Bop 38%	Dizzy Gillespie	F minor	AABA · 32	Up-tempo swing
My Little Suede Shoes 32%	Charlie Parker	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Latin
Let There Be Love 26%	Rand-Grant	E♭ major	ABAC · 32	Medium swing
Little Willie Leaps 24%	Charlie Parker	F major	AA · 32	Up-tempo swing
Sometimes I'm Happy 24%	Vincent Youmans	F major	ABAB · 32	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is How High The Moon in?

How High The Moon is usually played in G major. For B♭ instruments that is A major, for E♭ instruments E major.

Who wrote How High The Moon?

How High The Moon was written by Morgan Lewis.

What is the form of How High The Moon?

How High The Moon has 4 sections (ABAC) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is How High The Moon played?

The usual groove is Medium swing. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 116 BPM.

What are the chord changes to How High The Moon?

The opening bars are Gmaj7 | Gmaj7 | Gm7 | C7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.