'All The Chords There Are'...

Subject: 'All The Chords There Are'...
From: Will Fly
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 11:13 AM

... is the affectionate nickname for Jerome Kern's 1939 classic "All The Things You Are". I've been playing its chords, on and off and mainly in bands, for nearly 40 years. I never get tired of wending my way through this one on solo guitar as well, though it's a devil to play and try a bit of improvisation on without buggering it up!

Many and much better musicians than me have also been taken with this tune, and it's probably down to the wonderful combination of solid cycle-of-fifths turnarounds with modulation through several keys - and therefore chords - which Kern uses. I play it as a solo piece in Dm, which takes me through A, Am, E and D flat before landing me, gasping like a landed fish, back in Dm again.

Anyway, I finally decided to have a crack at recording it, and you can see it here:

All The Things You Are

Subject: RE: 'All The Chords There Are'...
From: leeneia
Date: 23 Oct 17 - 10:40 AM

I listened. That's very impressive playing. Way back in high school, I sang the second-soprano part of that in girls' glee. It was hard.

Subject: RE: 'All The Chords There Are'...
From: Will Fly
Date: 23 Oct 17 - 01:18 PM

Thanks leeneia - it certainly is an intriguing tune!

The main melody line is great in itself - I don't think I could cope with a harmony part!

Subject: RE: 'All The Chords There Are'...
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 09:13 AM

Nicely done.

Subject: RE: 'All The Chords There Are'...
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 10:15 AM

Just lovely. Thanks for sharing it Will.

Subject: RE: 'All The Chords There Are'...
From: michaelr
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 07:34 PM

Great playing!

Subject: RE: 'All The Chords There Are'...
From: banjoman
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 05:44 AM

Great stuff - thanks

Subject: RE: 'All The Chords There Are'...
From: Will Fly
Date: 29 Oct 17 - 07:27 AM

Thanks for taking the time to watch and listen, and for the kind words.

For those who want to try my arrangement, the music, tab and chords can be found at:

http://www.willflyguitar.com/guitar-tab-a.html

along with many others - all free.