Below is the lesson for “Take the ‘A’ Train” by Duke Ellington

Helpful Tips

“Take the ‘A’ Train” is a jazz standard. I loved it from the first moment I played it in The Real Book in music college!

This arrangement has a laid-back groove. The rhythm features a repeating pattern that hits on beat 1 and the & of 1. Accenting the & of 1 is key to capturing the tune’s feel.

This arrangement covers just the ‘head’ (the two main melodies of the tune). It follows a standard AABA form, which is 32 bars in length.

Part 1 – Performance

Part 2 – Lesson for Premium Members

Tab Play Along