Swing · Ab Minor · 165 BPM

Swing Backing Track in Ab Minor

12-bar arrangement from the “Classic Swing” demo, transposed from D minor to Ab minor, at 165 BPM. Chord chart, scale positions and practice drills for Ab minor (also written G# Minor).

Open in the app · Ab · 165 BPM

Hear the swing feel: “Classic Swing” · D minor · 165 BPM

This recording is the original “Classic Swing” demo in D minor at 165 BPM. It is not transposed: it lets you hear the swing feel. The app generates your track in Ab minor.

12-bar chord chart in Ab Minor

12-bar arrangement from the “Classic Swing” demo, transposed from D minor to Ab minor. Count four beats per bar; each card shows where the chord starts.

  1. Bar 1 Abm6 i6 · 4 beats
  2. Bar 2 Abm6 i6 · 4 beats
  3. Bar 3 Dbm7 iv7 · 4 beats
  4. Bar 4 Abm6 i6 · 4 beats
  5. Bar 5 Abm6 i6 · 4 beats
  6. Bar 6 Eb7b9 V7b9 · 4 beats
  7. Bar 7 Dbm7 iv7 · 4 beats
  8. Bar 8 Abm6 i6 · 4 beats
  9. Bar 9 Bbm7b5 iiø7 · 4 beats
  10. Bar 10 Eb7b9 V7b9 · 4 beats
  11. Bar 11 Abm6 i6 · 4 beats
  12. Bar 12 Eb7b9 V7b9 · 4 beats

Chart of the bundled demo arrangement, transposed from D minor with every interval kept. The demo's inspiration prompt is a style reference, not a transcription of a song.

Open in the app: Swing, Ab, 165 BPM Open the original demo (D minor)

The app opens with the style, key, tempo and this chart filled in; press Generate to create your track (it counts toward your daily generations). The original demo opens the recorded arrangement without a generation.

More about “Classic Swing”

Chord chart and notes for “Classic Swing”.

Rhythm changes A-section in Ab Minor

Minor swing — Django-style cycle with the half-dim ii.

I
Abm6
II
Bbm7b5
V
Eb7
I
Abm6
Generate a backing track over these changes →

Scales to solo in Ab Minor

Three scales that sit well over swing in Ab minor. Each one gives the line a different color — try them all and notice what changes.

Scale
Ab Harmonic Minor
Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Fb G
Scale
Ab Dorian
Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F Gb
Scale
Ab Natural Minor
Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Fb Gb

Where to play in Ab Minor

Five-fret windows in standard tuning, anchored on Ab on the low E string. Highlighted notes are the root.

Ab Harmonic Minor
Stringfret 3fret 4fret 5fret 6fret 7
e G Ab Bb Cb
B Eb Fb
G Bb Cb Db
D G Ab
A Db Eb Fb
E G Ab Bb Cb
Notes: Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Fb G. Root on the 6th string at fret 4, on the 5th string at fret 11.
Ab Dorian
Stringfret 3fret 4fret 5fret 6fret 7
e Ab Bb Cb
B Eb F Gb
G Bb Cb Db
D F Gb Ab
A Db Eb
E Ab Bb Cb
Notes: Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F Gb. Root on the 6th string at fret 4, on the 5th string at fret 11.

Practice drills

  1. 1. Find the changes in Ab Minor

    Play only the root on the first beat of each change: Ab (bars 1–2, Abm6), Db (bar 3, Dbm7), Ab (bars 4–5, Abm6), Eb (bar 6, Eb7b9), Db (bar 7, Dbm7), Ab (bar 8, Abm6), Bb (bar 9, Bbm7b5), Eb (bar 10, Eb7b9), Ab (bar 11, Abm6), Eb (bar 12, Eb7b9). Keep counting through every bar that holds the same chord; the form resolves back to Ab.

  2. 2. Target the guide tones

    When each chord arrives, land on its third and hold it for a beat: Cb over Abm6, Fb over Dbm7, G over Eb7b9, Db over Bbm7b5. Then repeat with the seventh (see the table) to hear how the line leads into the next chord.

  3. 3. Ab Harmonic Minor in position

    Play Ab Harmonic Minor (Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Fb G) up and down in frets 3–7, one note per beat at 165 BPM. Start and finish on Ab: 6th string fret 4, or 5th string fret 11 for the next position up.

Guide tones for every chord in the chart
ChordRoot3rd7th / 6th
Abm6AbCbF (6)
Dbm7DbFbCb (b7)
Eb7b9EbGDb (b7)
Bbm7b5BbDbAb (b7)

Keep practicing

Try Swing in another key

Chord chart, scale positions and practice drills in the keys swing is most often played in.

Bb Major F Major C Major G Major D Minor
← Back to all swing tracks

Play Swing in Ab Minor

Open the app with Swing, Ab, 165 BPM and this chart pre-filled. Press Generate when you are ready.

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