Standards
If I Were A Bell chords & key
- Key
- F major
- Form
- ABAC
- Bars
- 32
- Groove
- Medium-up swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
“If I Were A Bell” is a jazz standard by Frank Loesser. Most bands play it in F major, medium-up swing; the tune runs 32 bars in ABAC form. Harmonically it contains 1 major ii–V–I cadence and 3 minor ii–V–i, uses 19 different chords and moves between the key centres D minor, A minor, G minor and F major. In this atlas it appears on 4 album tracks and in 2 transcribed solos.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — F major
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- C7×7
- G7×4
- Fmaj7×4
- Am7♭5×4
- D7×4
- F6×4
Key centres reached by ii–V
D minor, A minor, G minor and F major
Characteristics
- ABAC song form
Recorded on these albums
| 1959 | Ella Swings Lightly Ella Fitzgerald · “If I Were a Bell” |
| 1963 | Ella Sings Broadway Ella Fitzgerald · “If I Were a Bell” |
| 1966 | Blues Etude Oscar Peterson |
| 2002 | It’s Easy to Remember Bing Crosby · “If I Were a Bell” |
Transcribed solos on If I Were A Bell
| Steve Turre trombone | 257 BPM |
| Woody Shaw trumpet | 252 BPM |
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| April In Paris 26% | C major |
| I Love You 26% | F major |
| Lullaby Of Birdland 26% | A♭ major |
| St. Thomas 24% | C major |
| I've Never Been In Love Before 23% | B♭ major |
| Strike Up The Band 22% | E♭ major |
| Cotton Tail 21% | B♭ major |
| If There Is Someone Lovelier 21% | C major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is If I Were A Bell in?
If I Were A Bell is usually played in F major. For B♭ instruments that is G major, for E♭ instruments D major.
Who wrote If I Were A Bell?
If I Were A Bell was written by Frank Loesser.
What is the form of If I Were A Bell?
If I Were A Bell has 4 sections (ABAC) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is If I Were A Bell played?
The usual groove is Medium-up swing. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 257 BPM and 252 BPM.
What are the chord changes to If I Were A Bell?
The opening bars are G7 | C7 | Fmaj7 | Fmaj7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.