Blue Skies

Ukulele Chords

These and many other chords are covered in the Learn A Chord A Day series of lessons.

C Tuning Chords

In the Daily Ukulele series of book the chords are actually listing in their order of appearance. And, are always the basic open position chords when possible.

Starting Melody Note and 1st Interval

Intervals Legend: Root=note that begins a scale of the starting key; C is C, D is D, Am is A, Em is E, etc… m=minor; M=Major; P=Perfect; D=Diminished; A=Augmented. • ↑ is up/ascending; ↓ is down/descending;

Harmonic Analysis (HA) Worksheet

Visit the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection series of lessons for information on creating your own Harmonic Analysis Worksheet

Blue Skies modulates between in Minor and Relative Major keys of Am/C .

A re-harmonization in Red can stick pretty close the the original composers intentions as we have here and I used on my How About More Uke version of Blues Skies. Or, can go all in and totally change the chords.

Am

E+

C

D7

Fm

I

V

III

IIV7

VIm

Am:

E Whole Tone

D Mix

C

Fm

C

Fm

C

Fm

C

I

IV

I

IV

I

IV

I

C:

Ralph Patt Vanilla Book

Checkout the Ralph Patt Vanilla Book for the Vanilla changes for Blue Skies • The Vanilla Book uncovers the basic (“Vanilla”) chord changes to over 400 of the most commonly played jazz standards to help the jazz player learn the basic changes and allow the player to add embellishments and substitutions on a solid framework.

Embellishments to basic chords such as added 6ths, 9ths, 13ths, flat 5ths etc. are usually determined by the melody notes and the style of music being played and finally your ear.

                                           Pickup    |          A7   |
          [:  Dm        |  Dm maj7     |   Dm7       |  Dm6          |
                                       1.____________________________
          |   F         |  Gm7    C7   |   F         |  Em7b5   A7  :]
          2.________________________
          |   F    Bbm  |  F           |   F         |  Bbm     F    |
          |   Bbm   F   |  Bbm    F    |   F         |  Bbm     F    |
          |   Bbm   F   |  Bbm / F A7 ||   Dm        |  Dm maj7      |
          |   Dm7       |  Dm6         |   F         |  Gm7     C7   |
          |   F         |  F           |
          

The Harmonic Analysis (HA)

A Harmonic Analysis (RMA/HA) and its worksheet are intended to show the function of the chords, the harmonic principles used, the keys and tonalities the song explores. And, can be used for scale selections and chord and scale substitutions.

NOTE: A Harmonic Analysis Worksheet is NOT intended to be a lead leadsheet. Minimal roadmap information such as repeats, fine, D.S., D.C., and codas has been used in preparing the worksheets to somewhat mirror the leadsheet in the Daily Ukulele book.

Sections, Verse, Chorus, 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks …

The worksheets will show 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks, etc. as indicated in the Yellow Book. You should start to recognize that 1st endings typically always return to a previous verse or an section. With a 2nd ending, a transition to a different part of the song, a or chorus. Harmonic Principles are used for these repeats and transitions.

If turnback chords are not indicated for these 1st and 2nd endings in the original Yellow Book leadsheet, recommended chord(s) will be indicated in parentheses or as an alternate harmony in Red . Typically the last measures or turnbacks will be a chord that resolves to and harmonically leads you to the next section or turning you back to the same section. Typically a V or direct substitution of that next chord.

Reference Key

This is the key of the source leadsheet.

• Blue Skies is in 4/4 common time and the Key of Am . Lies really well on ukulele in Key of Em

Harmonic Principles Used:

These are the harmonic principles used in Blue Skies.

• Full Diatonic – Major
• Partial Diatonic • includes Secondary Dominant
• Internal Modulation

Nashville Number System (NNS)

Nashville Numbering System always uses four bars/measures per line, no bar lines, and default is each number of the number of beats per bar/measure based on the time signature. If multiple chords in same bar then they are underlined. It can be as simple as converting the Roman Numerals above to Arabic numbers.

At its simplest you simply replace the roman numbers with Arabic numbers. e.g., I becomes 1 , II becomes 2 , etc. The only exception is the bVII7 chord becomes 7 as this borrowed chord from the Mixolydian tonality is so common and the VII (half-diminished seventh) in a major chord is so rare (actually never). And, you could go as far as saying all the modes are numbered: I II III IV V VI VII — just as in the major scale. So calling it a 7 is not that far out.

Check the definitive book Nashville Number System

Scale Selection

Once a Harmonic Analysis has been completed, scale selections can be made. These scale selections can be either vertical or horizontal choices. And, really, only needed if you are going to take a solo or embellish the melody with added notes.

Scale Abbreviation Legend

Traditional Scales: Maj: Major (Ionian), Nat Min: Natural Minor, Dim: Diminished, WT: Whole Tone, Har Min: Harmonic Minor

Contemporary Scales: Minor Pent: Minor Pentatonic, Pent: Major Pentatonic, Blues

Scale/Mode Names: Ion: Ionian (Major), Dor: Dorian (Minor), Phrygian: Phrygian, Lyd: Lydian, Mix: Mixolydian (Dominant), Aeol: Aeolian (Natural Minor), Loc: Locrian

Altered Scales: Mix+4: Mixolydian Plus 4 / Lydian Dominant, Mix-2-6: Mixolydian flat 2, flat 6

Checkout the Lesson Series: Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection or download the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection book. And the QuickStart Series of Scale and Arpeggio books.

Performance Notes

Links & Resources

• wikiwand Blue Skies
• Will's Ukulele Tutorial - Blue Skies
• Nat King Cole & Patti Page - Blue Skies (1958)
• Ella Fitzgerald Blue Skies High Quality Remastered
• Blue Skies - Playback jazz manouche - Gypsy jazz backing track / play along
• Doris Day-Blue Skies