A buoyant theme whose repeated turnarounds open into a bright E-major bridge. Smoothly connecting those two tonal centres is the tune’s central improvising lesson.
If you study one thing
Make E major sound like a destination, not a mistake.
Studio Harcourt / Wikimedia Commons France · 1939 · Photo credits
Chart keyC major
Form32 bars, AABA; bridge in E major
FeelSwing
Meter4/4
MusicDjango Reinhardt
Guide coverage12 / 12 sections present
Owner content reviewed — 2026-10-05T18:26:39Z by admin. Coverage measures presence, not accuracy. Content review does not certify rights or musical perfection.
See what is here and what is missing
✓ Recording evidence
✓ Key & form
✓ Chart
✓ History
✓ Playing notes
✓ Practice plan
✓ Backing track
✓ Django recording
✓ Django solo study aid
✓ Photograph
✓ Sources
✓ Difficulty
Django's Recordings
Django recordings for this tune. Uploader dates and take labels remain source claims; only an evidenced exact association enables a row’s Listen control.
2 historical recording entries · source text preserved
Entry
Year
Recording / session / release evidence
Listen
01
1941
Swing '42, 11/9/41 , OSW 229-1 ,"Fremeaux FA 311, Classics 877, OR0062, Jazz Time 790560-2, Music Memoria 31005, EMI 780671-2, Mosaic MD6-190(6 CD Set).","Same date - Paris - QHCF - Hubert Rostaing (cl), Django Reinhardt, Eugene Vees (g) Emmanuel Soudieux (b), Pierre Fouad (d)"
—
02
1949
Swing '42, Jan-Feb 1949, CW 47,"Fremeaux FA 317, RCA ND 70929-2, RCA ND 90448, Suisa CD 32"," - Rome - Django Reinhardt (g), Stephane Grappelly (v),Gianni Safred (p), Carlo Pecori (b), Aurelio de Carolis (d)"
—
A dash means no video has been associated with this exact historical recording. Tune-level listening resources remain available above.
History & Listening
The legacy discography dates a recording to 11 September 1941, matrix OSW 229-1, despite the title Swing ’42. It also lists a Rome 1949 version. The recorded date and title year should remain separate fields.
Tune details
Music: Django Reinhardt
Documented in archive: 1941
Original key: Not established
Study level: Intermediate
Melody & head
Keep the head’s repeated cells consistent but allow each answer a different dynamic shape.
Learn the bridge in isolation, then attach the preceding two bars.
Listening task: Keep the head’s repeated cells consistent but allow each answer a different dynamic shape. Count the head before comparing solo choruses.
Session evidence
Swing '42, 11/9/41 , OSW 229-1 ,"Fremeaux FA 311, Classics 877, OR0062, Jazz Time 790560-2, Music Memoria 31005, EMI 780671-2, Mosaic MD6-190(6 CD Set).","Same date - Paris - QHCF - Hubert Rostaing (cl), Django Reinhardt, Eugene Vees (g) Emmanuel Soudieux (b), Pierre Fouad (d)"
Count its form and check its key before joining in. C–Am–Dm–G7 frames the A sections. A7 briefly points to Dm; the bridge shifts the same functional language to E–C♯m–F♯m–B7 before returning through A7 and Dm–G7.
Chart & Form
C–Am–Dm–G7 frames the A sections. A7 briefly points to Dm; the bridge shifts the same functional language to E–C♯m–F♯m–B7 before returning through A7 and Dm–G7.
Chord symbols follow the inherited Djangopedia chart. Slashes are rhythmic marks; chord quality and turnaround choices may differ from the backing track. This is a chord reference, not a melody transcription.
Highest displayed view count among matching backing-track videos returned by relevance and view-count YouTube searches. Not a complete platform-wide ranking.
Performed studies, transcriptions, TAB, notation and lessons for studying Django’s solo. Resources are described by their creator; inclusion does not certify note-for-note accuracy.
Clément Reboul · source-described; accuracy not independently verified
Creator presents a study of Django’s recorded solo. Use it alongside the original recording; exact transcription accuracy has not been independently reviewed.
Checked 2026-10-02
Similar tunes
Follow a shared key, a harmonic idea or a familiar form. Keys refer to this site’s chart editions; other recordings may use a different key.
Chosen as a view of Django from 1939, to place the study beside his changing performing life. The closest dated recording entry here is 1941. This is an editorial pairing; the photograph is not claimed to depict a performance or session of this tune.
A formal Studio Harcourt portrait. The credited studio and year come from the linked file record. The portrait is not a recording-session photograph.
Use C♯ over A7 when it leads to Dm, then resolve to D.
In the bridge, introduce G♯ and D♯ clearly so E major is audible.
Use the last Dm–G7 as a confident doorway back to C.
Pitch choices
C major with local dominant alterations in A.
E major in the bridge; arpeggios on the transition chords.
Improvise one eight-bar motif in C and transpose its function into E for the bridge. Record the transition back into C until it no longer sounds pasted on.
Comping & voicings
Compact turnaround voicings work well. Move the same small shapes into E major rather than jumping to unrelated large grips.
Voicing note sets
C6: C–E–A; Dm7: D–F–C; G7: G–B–F.
E6: E–G♯–C♯; F♯m7: F♯–A–E; B7: B–D♯–A.
Keep the accompaniment clear
Start with a quiet, even pulse. Leave an entire phrase unfilled and listen to how the melody breathes.
Continuing C-major vocabulary through the E-major bridge.
Adding dense extensions that obscure the melody or duplicate the pianist’s register.
Practice room
Start at 110–130; build toward 170–210 bpm
Your assignment
Improvise one eight-bar motif in C and transpose its function into E for the bridge. Record the transition back into C until it no longer sounds pasted on.
Loop these changes
C → Am → Dm → G7
E → C♯m → F♯m → B7
E → A7 → Dm → G7
Metronome
Start below the suggested tempo. First hear four quarter-note clicks, then halve the click rate and place clicks on beats 2 and 4. Keep the same phrase length.
Transposition
Move C → Am → Dm → G7 up one whole step by naming each chord’s function before finding a guitar shape.
Return to C major and play the original melody without the chart.
At the session
Swing '42 — C major; 32 bars, AABA; bridge in E major. Agree the tempo, pickup, solo order and ending before the count.
Start together
Use a C turnaround and give a clear pickup cue.
Finish together
Finish the last A on C6; use a tag only after agreeing its length.
Agree on the minor-subdominant colour near the end of A; modern charts vary in their passing chords.
Continuing C-major vocabulary through the E-major bridge.
Arranging the tune
Solo guitar
Use chord melody on the repeated A motives and lighter single notes in the bridge to create contrast.
Trio or larger group
Agree on the minor-subdominant colour near the end of A; modern charts vary in their passing chords.
Vocal considerations
This guide studies an instrumental arrangement. Any later lyric adaptation requires its own credit and chosen key.
Further study
Compare functional transposition with literal transposition of a phrase. The bridge resembles the A-section mechanism but its return cadence has a different job.
Chord symbols follow the inherited Djangopedia chart. Slashes are rhythmic marks; chord quality and turnaround choices may differ from the backing track. This is a chord reference, not a melody transcription.
Compare the session evidence below before attributing one arrangement to every Django performance. The legacy discography dates a recording to 11 September 1941, matrix OSW 229-1, despite the title Swing ’42. It also lists a Rome 1949 version. The recorded date and title year should remain separate fields.
This player guide combines inherited recording evidence and editorial study notes. Musical study notes are editorial suggestions; compare them with the recording.
Django Reinhardt `Swing 42`- played by Joscho Stephan, Sandro Roy and friends!Joscho Stephan, Sandro Roy, Sven Jungbeck, Stefan Berger · Jazz Club Hannover by GartenheimGartenheim SwinGH concert seriesViolin/guitar quartet; no performance date inferred from upload.✓ Featured
Tommy Emmanuel & Frank Vignola - Swing #42 - Backstage: Tennessee ShinesTommy Emmanuel, Frank Vignola · TennesseeShinesBackstage: Tennessee ShinesAcoustic guitar duet; crossover interpretation with established Gypsy Jazz guitarist.Select performance
“Swing 42” – Swan Berger & Mathieu Chatelain (Live) | Jazz Day 2012, ParisSwan Berger, Mathieu Chatelain, Ben Williams, Klaus Doldinger · International Jazz Day2012 · International Jazz Day, ParisOfficial festival source identifies Gypsy Jazz context and performance year.Select performance
Swing 42 by Swing 23 ! Django Reinhardt tribute - gypsy jazz manoucheSwing 23: Eva Slongo, Gustav Lundgren, Edouard Pennes, Julia Hornung · Eva Slongo2024 · Unterfahrt concertViolin, two guitars and bass; personnel and concert year supplied by band.Select performance
Lisa Liu Gypsy Jazz Quartet perform "Swing 42" at Strathmore Concert HallLisa Liu Gypsy Jazz Quartet · Lisa Liu Guitar2021 · Strathmore Concert Hall, Bethesda; 1 September 2021Concert quartet; performance date stated by artist.Select performance