“How Deep Is the Ocean?” was written by Irving Berlin in 1932. Its lyric is a series of questions, and its harmony moves between minor and major in a way jazz players love. Bill Evans, Miles Davis and many singers have recorded it.
The form is a 32-bar ABAC, usually in Eb major, though it opens in the relative minor area (C minor) with a ii-V. The harmony moves through minor ii-Vs, major ii-Vs and secondary dominants, creating a questioning, searching mood that matches the lyric.
For improvisation, practice minor ii-V-i patterns in C minor and major ii-V-Is in Eb. Make the shifts between minor and major clear in your lines. Bill Evans’s versions are full of beautiful harmonic ideas.
Practice slowly with a play-along. Learn the melody from a vocal recording to understand its phrasing.
Section by section: the opening phrase moves through a minor ii-V into C minor, so use C harmonic minor over the dominant. The middle section moves to Eb major with ii-Vs; brighten your lines by targeting the major third. The final section blends minor and major colors before resolving. Bill Evans’s versions show how to reharmonize the tune with rich voicings.
Practice tip: practice minor ii-V-i and major ii-V-I licks in the tune’s keys, then alternate between them. This tune trains your ear to hear the difference between minor and major resolutions instantly.
How to use this How Deep Is the Ocean Lead Sheet PDF: print it or keep it on a tablet, mark the form sections and key centers in pencil, and write the guide tones you want to target above the tricky bars. Revisit those notes after each practice session so the tune gets easier every week.
Is it hard to play? It’s intermediate. Recordings to study: Bill Evans’s trio versions, Miles Davis’s 1953 recording and vocal versions. Learn more about the composer on Irving Berlin’s Wikipedia page, and find more standards on Minedit.