This page is for jazz guitar exercises and soloing on the chord changes of “On Green Dolphin Street.” I will be periodically updating this page with new lessons and guitar tabs. Tutorials include arpeggio exercises, scale patterns, melodic cells, chords, triads, etudes, soloing examples and more. For beginner and intermediate guitar players.
Guitar tabs with chord diagrams available for download as PDFs.
On Green Dolphin Street
The song was composed by Bronislaw Kaper (lyrics by Ned Washington) for the 1947 MGM film Green Dolphin Street, based on a 1944 novel of the same name by Elizabeth Goudge. Later, in 1958, after Miles Davis covered the song, it became a jazz standard. In 1986, Ella Fitzgerald, accompanied by guitarist Joe Pass released the song on the 1986 studio album Easy Living.
Chords and Rhythm
In the video below, I play the chords over the melody of “On Green Dolphin Street.”
A Sections
The form of the song is ABAC.
In the example below, I use a fingerpicking pattern. I also emphasize the bass notes to give a Latin feel.
- My thumb plays pedal-tone “C” note on the 6th string.
- My index finger is plucking the fourth string.
- And my middle and ring fingers are on the 3rd and 2nd strings.
* A pedal tone is a note that is sustained through several changes of harmony.
B & C Sections
For the B and C sections, I used chord substitutes, alterations and/or embellishments. I also played it with a swing feel.
Here is an example of the first 4 bars of the C section.
Guitar Tab – Chords
The complete guitar tab (3 pages) for the chords and rhythmic ideas demonstrated in the video above is available for download as a PDF.
The tab is complete and free in the video. But I offer the PDF for your convenience and to support the website. Thank you for your purchases.
Download the Chords and Rhythm (3 pages) as a PDF.
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Soloing Over the Changes
In this video, I am soloing over the chord changes of the entire song.
Bars 1 – 4
I start with a simple lick that starts before the first bar of the chord changes. In the second bar, I outline the C major 7th before landing on the flat 7 of the C minor 7th. I’m using arpeggios and making up little licks in between them.
In bar 4, I’m playing a C minor 7th arpeggio starting on the and of the 2nd beat. And this leads into the next chord.
Next 4 Bars
The note that lands on the D chord is “A” This is the 5th of D major. I continue arpeggiating the chords through Db/C and land on the 5th of C major.
Finally, I play a diminished run on A7. The diminished scale works well over this particular A7.
Guitar Tab – Soloing
The complete guitar tab (2 pages) for the soloing demonstrated in the video above is available for download as a PDF.
The tab is complete and free in the video. But I offer the PDF for your convenience and to support the website. Thank you for your purchases.
$4.99Add to cart