Standards · 1935
In a Sentimental Mood chords & key
“In a Sentimental Mood” is a jazz standard by Duke Ellington from 1935. It is usually played in D minor as a ballad, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 5 major ii–V–I cadences and 4 minor ii–V–i, uses 21 different chords and moves between the key centres D minor, F major and D♭ major. In this atlas it appears on 19 album tracks and in 1 transcribed solo.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — D minor
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- Gm7×7
- Dm×6
- Em7♭5×5
- A7×5
- A♭7×4
- Dmmaj7×3
Key centres reached by ii–V
D minor, F major and D♭ major
Characteristics
- AABA song form
History
"In a Sentimental Mood" is a jazz composition by Duke Ellington. He composed the piece in 1935 and recorded it with his orchestra during the same year. Lyrics were written by Manny Kurtz; Ellington's manager Irving Mills gave himself a percentage of the publishing, so the song was credited to all three. Other popular versions in 1935/36 were by Benny Goodman and by Mills Blue Rhythm Band. The opening notes of the song's melody resemble Gershwin's 1926 "Someone To Watch Over Me".
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Recorded on these albums
Transcribed solos on In a Sentimental Mood
| Chris Potter tenor saxophone | 49 BPM |
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| I'm A Fool To Want You 21% | E minor |
| Petit Fleur 20% | G minor |
Frequently asked questions
What key is In a Sentimental Mood in?
In a Sentimental Mood is usually played in D minor. For B♭ instruments that is E minor, for E♭ instruments B minor.
Who wrote In a Sentimental Mood?
In a Sentimental Mood was written by Duke Ellington (1935).
What is the form of In a Sentimental Mood?
In a Sentimental Mood has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is In a Sentimental Mood played?
The usual groove is Ballad. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 49 BPM.
What are the chord changes to In a Sentimental Mood?
The opening bars are Dm Dmmaj7 | Dm7 Dm6 | Gm Gmmaj7 | Gm7 Em7b5 A7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.