All Of Me — Jazz Guitar Lesson
Comprehensive jazz guitar tutorial by Dirk Laukens covering melody, harmonic analysis, chord-scale choices, and a transcribed solo over the 1931 Seymour Simons & Gerald Marks standard "All of Me."
The harmony moves slowly (most chords last two bars), making it a good tune for beginners.
Recommended Listening
- Django Reinhardt – Nuages (1940)
- Billie Holiday – Love Me, Love My Dog (1941)
- Frank Sinatra – Swing Easy! (1954)
- Sarah Vaughan and Her Trio – Swingin' Easy (1957)
- The Oscar Peterson Trio – A Jazz Portrait of Frank Sinatra (1959)
- Ella Fitzgerald – Ella Swings Gently with Nelson (1962)
- George Benson – The George Benson Cookbook (1967)
- Biréli Lagrène Ensemble – Routes to Django (1980)
- Stochelo Rosenberg / Romane – Gypsy Guitar Masters (2005)
- Biréli Lagrène & WDR Big Band – Djangology (2006)
- Rosenberg / Lagrène / Debarre – The Alternative (2013)
Melody
Built from clear, singable phrases moving mostly stepwise — easy to memorize and good for developing feel and phrasing. Guitar tabs and standard notation included. Backing track made with Band in a Box.
Harmonic Analysis
- Form: 32 bars, ABAC structure (two identical A sections)
- Key: C major (Real Book version); original 1931 recording is in Bb major
- Harmonic movement: Secondary dominants and circle of fifths
Chord-by-Chord Scale Choices
| Chord | Function | Recommended Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Cmaj7 (bars 1-2) | Tonic (I) | C major / C major bebop (major + b6) |
| E7 (bars 3-4, 9-10, 19-20) | Secondary dominant | A harmonic minor (= E Phrygian dominant / E Mixolydian b9 b13) |
| A7 (bars 5-6, 21-22, 28, 31) | Secondary dominant → Dm7 | D harmonic minor (= A Phrygian dominant) |
| D7 (bars 13-14) | V/V → G7 → C | D Mixolydian (5th mode of G major) |
| Fm7 (bar 26) | Modal interchange — iv minor | F melodic minor |
| Diatonic chords of C | I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi | C major scale |
E7 — Two Possible Resolutions
E7 → Am7 (bars 9-10): Secondary dominant, notated as V/vi. Resolves to the vi chord.
E7 → A7 (bars 3-4, 19-20): Extended dominant, notated as V/VI. Resolves to another dominant chord rather than directly to a diatonic target.
The I → V/VI movement appears in: Someday My Prince Will Come, After You've Gone, Come Rain or Come Shine, I'll Be Seeing You, Basin Street Blues, I Should Care, On a Slow Boat to China.
D7 → G7 → C (V/V → V → I)
The classic secondary dominant in C major. D Mixolydian (5th mode of G major) is the scale of choice.
This V/V → V → I movement appears in: Days of Wine and Roses, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, Just Friends.
Fm7 — Modal Interchange
The iv minor chord (ivm) in C major, borrowed from the parallel minor key (C minor). Creates smooth chromatic voice leading: A (3rd of Fmaj7) → Ab (b3 of Fm7) → G (5th of Cmaj7).
The iv minor appears in: Fly Me to the Moon, How Deep is the Ocean, How High the Moon.
F melodic minor is the scale of choice — it highlights the characteristic Ab (b3) while keeping the natural 6 (D) for a brighter minor sound.
Bebop Scales
Bebop scales add a passing chromatic tone to align chord tones with downbeats in eighth-note lines:
- Major bebop scale: Major scale + b6 (on major chords)
- Dominant bebop scale: Mixolydian mode + natural 7 (on dominant chords)
- Minor bebop scale: Dorian mode + natural 7 (on minor chords)
Solo
Transcribed single-note solo built primarily from arpeggios and bebop scales, keeping the harmony clear and the lines simple.