Standards

Locomotion chords & key

Key: B♭ major
Form: AABA
Bars: 58
Groove: Up-tempo swing
Time signature: 4/4

“Locomotion” is a jazz standard by John Coltrane. Most bands play it in B♭ major, up-tempo swing; the tune runs 58 bars in AABA form. In this atlas it appears on 1 album track.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — B♭ major

×2

B♭⁷

E♭⁷

B♭⁷

C^m7

F⁷

B♭⁷

A♭⁷

G⁷

G♭⁷

F⁷

B♭⁷

E♭⁷

B♭⁷

C^m7

F⁷

B♭⁷

B♭^7♭5

A♭^7♭5

G♭^7♭5

D^7♭5

C^7♭5

B⁷_/F

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

Harmonic analysis

0Major ii–V–I

0Minor ii–V–i

3ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

7Dominant chains

13Different chords

Most used chords

B♭⁷×24
E♭⁷×6
F⁷×5
B⁷_/F×4
C^m7×3
A♭⁷×2

Recorded on these albums

1958	Blue Train John Coltrane

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
Blues In The Closet 29%	Oscar Pettiford	A♭ major	A · 12	Medium-up swing
Misterioso 27%	Thelonious Monk	B♭ major	A · 12	Medium swing
Trane’s Blues 27%	John Coltrane	B♭ major	A · 12	Medium swing
Parker's Mood 25%	Charlie Parker	B♭ major	A · 12	Medium swing
Tenor Madness 25%	Sonny Rollins	B♭ major	A · 12	Medium-up swing
Sonnymoon For Two 22%	Sonny Rollins	B♭ major	A · 12	Medium-up swing
Things Ain't What They Used To Be 22%	Duke Ellington	D♭ major	A · 12	Medium swing
You Better Leave It Alone 21%	Clifford Jordan	B♭ major	AA · 32	Medium-up swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Locomotion in?

Locomotion is usually played in B♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is C major, for E♭ instruments G major.

Who wrote Locomotion?

Locomotion was written by John Coltrane.

What is the form of Locomotion?

Locomotion has 4 sections (AABA) with 58 bars in total.

How fast is Locomotion played?

The usual groove is Up-tempo swing.

What are the chord changes to Locomotion?

The opening bars are Bb7 | Bb7 | Bb7 | Bb7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.