Minor Swing is written in the key of A minor.

Apart from the brief introduction and final

coda or playout, there is no discernable melody, just a repeated sequence of chord
changes over which the key players improvise continuously until by some mutual
agreement the end is decided and the playout performed. The introduction comprises a
set of partial arpeggios over the chords Am/Dm/Am/Dm/Am/Dm/E7, followed by the main
changes which are Am/-/Dm/-/E7/-/Am/-/ which are followed by Dm/-/Am/-/E7/-/Am/E7/,
then the cycle begins again, until the playout which comprises some set arpeggios
following the pattern of the first half of the tune with one repeat. In some modern
treatments, the E7 in the middle of the second stanza may be replaced with Bb7
(a tritone substitution) and/or the second stanza sometimes replaced with a cycle of
fifths based treatment for effect, i.e. Dm7/G7/Cmaj7/Fmaj7/Bø/E7/Am (etc.).[2]Although
the chord changes may appear unremarkable and the entire structure somewhat
repetitive, in live performance it is a well known vehicle which permits the soloist or
soloists to demonstrate their virtuosity and musical skill for creating interesting melodic
and rhythmic excursions over the familiar chord patterns, as well as the opportunity to
quote from Django's own recorded melodic inventions over his own tune.