Solar — Chord Changes & Harmonic Analysis
- Composer:
- Miles Davis
- Year:
- 1954
- Key:
- C minor
- Form:
- AB (12 bars)
- Style:
- Bebop
- Tempo:
- 120–200 BPM
Solar is a 12-bar minor blues composed by Miles Davis in 1954, though it differs significantly from traditional blues changes. This composition features a descending ii-V pattern and is built on minor ii-V-i progressions, making it an excellent vehicle for developing vocabulary over minor harmony. The compact 12-bar form allows for focused improvisation and harmonic exploration.
About This Standard
Composed by Miles Davis and recorded on the album Walkin' (1954), Solar is a 12-bar minor blues composition with an unusual ABAC structure rather than the standard 12-bar blues. Davis's authorship has been questioned, with some suggesting it was an adaptation of an older tune ("How High the Moon" structure has been proposed). Regardless of origin, it became a post-bop standard.
Notable recordings:
- Miles Davis — Walkin' (1954)
- Bill Evans — (various recordings)
- Widely recorded — (minor blues vehicle)
Chord Changes
Notation
Harmonic Analysis
Solar is a 12-bar minor composition in C minor that is NOT a standard 12-bar blues, despite its 12-bar length. The form is ABAC: Cm (4 bars)→Ebmaj7 Bbmaj7 (2 bars)→Am7b5 D7 Gmaj7 (2 bars)→Gm7 C7 Fmaj7 (2 bars)→Fm7 Bb7 Ebmaj7 Abmaj7 (2 bars), followed by a turnaround. Each phrase resolves to a different major key (Eb, G, F, Eb), creating a series of ii-V-I progressions that cycle through different tonal centers before returning to C minor. This unusual structure rewards careful analysis.