Jazz lead sheet · Intermediate
Misty
A ballad in E♭ by Erroll Garner: a study in ii–V motion and chromatic bass lines.
- Composer
- Erroll Garner
- Form
- AABA, 32 bars
- Key
- E♭ major
- Style
- Ballad
- Length
- 32 bars
A1E♭ major
Imaj7E♭ Ionian
B♭ Dorian
V7/IVE♭ Mixolydian
IVmaj7A♭ Lydian
A♭ Dorian
♭VII7D♭ Lydian ♭7
Imaj7E♭ Ionian
vi7C Aeolian
ii7F Dorian
V7B♭ Mixolydian
G Dorian
V7/iiC Phryg. dom.
ii7F Dorian
V7B♭ Mixolydian
A2
Imaj7E♭ Ionian
B♭ Dorian
V7/IVE♭ Mixolydian
IVmaj7A♭ Lydian
A♭ Dorian
♭VII7D♭ Lydian ♭7
Imaj7E♭ Ionian
vi7C Aeolian
ii7F Dorian
V7B♭ Mixolydian
IE♭ Ionian
IE♭ Ionian
B
IVmaj7A♭ Lydian
IVmaj7A♭ Lydian
A♭ Dorian
♭VII7D♭ Lydian ♭7
G Dorian
V7/iiC Phryg. dom.
ii7F Dorian
V7B♭ Mixolydian
G Dorian
V7/iiC Phryg. dom.
ii7F Dorian
V7B♭ Mixolydian
A3
Imaj7E♭ Ionian
B♭ Dorian
V7/IVE♭ Mixolydian
IVmaj7A♭ Lydian
A♭ Dorian
♭VII7D♭ Lydian ♭7
Imaj7E♭ Ionian
vi7C Aeolian
ii7F Dorian
V7B♭ Mixolydian
IE♭ Ionian
IE♭ Ionian
For students
What to notice
- Nearly every bar is one half of a ii–V: B♭m7–E♭7, A♭m7–D♭7, Gm7–C7 and Fm7–B♭7.
- The bridge starts on A♭maj7 (IV), then A♭m7–D♭7 slides chromatically back toward the tonic.
- The last A returns home and ends on E♭maj7, the classic Misty cadence.
Practice plan
Three steps to improvising
- Play each ii–V pair on its own, then connect them without a gap.
- Play the guide tones through the bridge and circle every half step.
- Improvise with E♭ major, switching to the chord scale for each dominant.
For teachers
Using this chart in class
- Project the chart with Play along running and loop one section while students find the guide tones.
- Choose Practice → Name the numerals for a whole-class quiz: students vote, then reveal the explanation.
- Mixed ensemble? Print the worksheet once per transposition: B♭, E♭, F and bass clef parts all line up bar for bar.
- Share a link: the key, instrument and view you choose are saved in the address bar.
Chord changes are common performance versions written out by Music Theory Lessons. No melodies or lyrics are reproduced. Names of songs and composers are used only to identify each tune.