Standards
Spiral chords & key
- Key
- B minor
- Form
- AABA
- Bars
- 44
- Groove
- Medium-up swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
“Spiral” is a jazz standard by John Coltrane. Most bands play it in B minor, medium-up swing; the tune runs 44 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 1 major ii–V–I cadence and 3 minor ii–V–i, uses 16 different chords and moves between the key centres B minor and D major. In this atlas it appears on 2 album tracks.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — B minor
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- Bm×8
- Em7×5
- A7×5
- G/D×3
- F♯/D×3
- F/D×3
Key centres reached by ii–V
B minor and D major
Characteristics
- AABA song form
Recorded on these albums
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise 22% | C minor |
| Autumn Leaves 20% | G minor |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Spiral in?
Spiral is usually played in B minor. For B♭ instruments that is C♯ minor, for E♭ instruments G♯ minor.
Who wrote Spiral?
Spiral was written by John Coltrane.
What is the form of Spiral?
Spiral has 4 sections (AABA) with 44 bars in total.
How fast is Spiral played?
The usual groove is Medium-up swing.
What are the chord changes to Spiral?
The opening bars are G/D | F#/D | F/D | E/D. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.