About A Quarter To Nine in C

Harry Warren / Al Dubin(1935)swing
Do Re MiC D E
A
B
D♯/A♯
Fm7/A♯
Fm6/G♯
D♯7/A♯
Cdim/A
D♯7/A♯
Cdim/D♯
G♯/C
Cm/A
G♯/C
D♯7/A♯
Cdim/A
D♯7/A♯

Chord Diagrams — About A Quarter To Nine in C (Guitar)

Display
FingerNoteDegree
Cm
EADGBEx3214
3frEADGBE1113425frEADGBE1142xx8frEADGBE111134
G7
EADGBE321
3frEADGBE1111325frEADGBE11x32410frEADGBE111134
Fm
EADGBE111134
3frEADGBExx13428frEADGBE11134210frEADGBE1142xx
Fm7♭5
EADGBE1x23x
EADGBE222xx18frEADGBEx1324x11frEADGBE2134x
D♯/A♯
8frEADGBE111xx4
EADGBExx12433frEADGBE11x4326frEADGBE11x234
Fm7/A♯
EADGBE111113
3frEADGBExx14238frEADGBE1111329frEADGBExx2314
A♯7
EADGBE111x34
6frEADGBE1111328frEADGBE11x32411frEADGBEx3241x
D♯
EADGBExx1243
3frEADGBE11x4326frEADGBE11x2348frEADGBE111xx4
Fm6/G♯
EADGBE1x234
3frEADGBE11xx326frEADGBE11x3249frEADGBExx2314
Gaug
EADGBE321x
3frEADGBE1x423x4frEADGBE11xx2x8frEADGBE11x32x
D7
EADGBExx213
3frEADGBEx3241x5frEADGBE11113410frEADGBE111132
Dm7♭5
EADGBE111xx
3frEADGBE11x3425frEADGBEx1324x8frEADGBEx1432
D♯7
EADGBExx1324
6frEADGBE111x348frEADGBE111xx211frEADGBE111132
G♯
EADGBE11132x
4frEADGBE1113426frEADGBE11x2438frEADGBE111432
A♯m7
EADGBE111x32
EADGBExx23146frEADGBE1111138frEADGBE11x423
Bdim
EADGBEx3x2
EADGBEx1243x5frEADGBE31x42x9frEADGBExx12x3
D♯7/A♯
8frEADGBE111xx2
EADGBExx13246frEADGBE111x3411frEADGBE111132
Cdim/A
EADGBEx41x23
3frEADGBEx1243x6frEADGBE31x42x10frEADGBExx12x3
Cdim/D♯
EADGBEx41x23
3frEADGBEx1243x6frEADGBE31x42x10frEADGBExx12x3
G♯/C
8frEADGBE111432
EADGBE11132x4frEADGBE1113426frEADGBE11x243
B7
EADGBEx2134
EADGBE1111344frEADGBE111xx27frEADGBE111132
E
EADGBE231
2frEADGBExx12434frEADGBE1114327frEADGBE111234
C♯m
EADGBEx4213x
4frEADGBE1113426frEADGBE1132x49frEADGBE111134
Cm/A
EADGBEx3214
3frEADGBE1113425frEADGBE1142xx8frEADGBE111134
Gm
EADGBE2134
3frEADGBE1111345frEADGBExx134210frEADGBE111342
Gm7
3frEADGBE111113
5frEADGBE11x4238frEADGBE11x23410frEADGBE111132
C7
EADGBEx3241
3frEADGBE1111345frEADGBE111xx28frEADGBE111132
F7
EADGBE111132
3frEADGBE11x3248frEADGBE11113410frEADGBE111xx2
Cdim
EADGBEx41x23
3frEADGBEx1243x6frEADGBE31x42x10frEADGBExx12x3

About A Quarter To Nine in C

Key of C

With no sharps or flats, C major is the theoretical home base on guitar. The open G, B, and high E strings all belong to the C major chord, creating natural sustain. C is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open B and high E strings ring within the scale, and every basic chord uses familiar open shapes. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through C to G (descending perfect fourth), G to F (descending whole step), F to F (ascending unison), F to D# (descending whole step), D# to F (ascending whole step), F to A# (ascending perfect fourth), A# to D# (ascending perfect fourth), D# to F (ascending whole step), F to G (ascending whole step), G to D (descending perfect fourth), D to D (ascending unison), D to D# (ascending half step), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to A# (ascending whole step), A# to B (ascending half step), B to D# (ascending major third), D# to C (descending minor third), C to C (ascending unison), C to G# (descending major third), G# to B (ascending minor third), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to C# (descending minor third), C# to C (descending half step), C to G (descending perfect fourth), G to G (ascending unison), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to C (descending perfect fourth). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The root motion by larger intervals (fourths and fifths) gives each chord change a strong, decisive character. When the progression loops, the bass returns from C to C by unison.

Scales for Improvisation

C major pentatonic works because every note is either a chord tone or a safe passing tone — there are no avoid notes. For soloing, this means you can play freely without clashing. Over dominant seventh chords, C Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.

swing2/2 · 41 bars · Form: AB

Chords: Cm, G7, Fm, Fm7♭5, D♯/A♯, Fm7/A♯, A♯7, D♯, Fm6/G♯, Gaug, D7, Dm7♭5, D♯7, G♯, A♯m7, Bdim, D♯7/A♯, Cdim/A, Cdim/D♯, G♯/C, B7, E, C♯m, Cm/A, Gm, Gm7, C7, F7, Cdim.

Scales for Improvisation C bebop minor, C bebop.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of C