Along Came Betty in C

Benny Golson(1958)swing
Do Re MiC D E
A
C♯7♭9♯5
B13
B7♯5
CMaj9

Chord Diagrams — Along Came Betty in C (Guitar)

Display
FingerNoteDegree
Dm7
EADGBExx312
5frEADGBE1111326frEADGBExx231410frEADGBE111113
D♯m7
EADGBExx1423
6frEADGBE1111327frEADGBExx231411frEADGBE111114
G♯7
EADGBE111xx2
4frEADGBE1111326frEADGBE11x32411frEADGBE111134
C♯7♭9
EADGBE11x234
4frEADGBEx12347frEADGBE3241x9frEADGBExx1324
C7
EADGBEx3241
3frEADGBE1111345frEADGBE111xx28frEADGBE111132
BMaj7
EADGBE111324
4frEADGBE111xx47frEADGBE1114239frEADGBE11333x
A♯7
EADGBE111x34
6frEADGBE1111328frEADGBE11x32411frEADGBEx3241x
A♯m7
EADGBE111x32
EADGBExx23146frEADGBE1111138frEADGBE11x423
Bm7
EADGBE111132
3frEADGBExx23147frEADGBE1111139frEADGBE11x423
E7
EADGBE21
5frEADGBEx3241x7frEADGBE1111349frEADGBE111xx2
E9
EADGBE213
EADGBE113x426frEADGBE2222219frEADGBE11112
AMaj7
EADGBEx213
EADGBE111x45frEADGBE1114237frEADGBE333x1
C♯7♭9♯5
C♯ - F - A - B - D
F♯m7
EADGBE111113
4frEADGBExx14239frEADGBE11113210frEADGBExx2314
B13
EADGBE44x213
EADGBE1111344frEADGBE1114327frEADGBE111234
B7♯5
EADGBEx2134
2frEADGBEx2137frEADGBE1x234x9frEADGBExx1423
Em7
EADGBE2
EADGBE114237frEADGBE1111328frEADGBExx2314
A7♭9
EADGBE11x23
5frEADGBE1114236frEADGBE11xx2311frEADGBE11x234
C♯m7♭5
4frEADGBEx1324x
5frEADGBE11xx248frEADGBE2x341x11frEADGBE222xx1
F♯7♭9
EADGBE2134
3frEADGBE11xx238frEADGBE11x23412frEADGBE3241xx
G♯m7♭5
EADGBExx13
EADGBE2x341x6frEADGBE222xx111frEADGBEx1324x
Am7
EADGBEx21
EADGBEx23145frEADGBE1111137frEADGBE11x423
D7
EADGBExx213
3frEADGBEx3241x5frEADGBE11113410frEADGBE111132
G♯9
EADGBE11234x
4frEADGBE1113245frEADGBExx214310frEADGBE222221
Em7♭5
EADGBE33312
7frEADGBEx1324x8frEADGBE11xx2411frEADGBE2x341x
A7
EADGBEx23
EADGBE111x25frEADGBE1111327frEADGBEx1324
Dm7♭5
EADGBE111xx
3frEADGBE11x3425frEADGBEx1324x8frEADGBEx1432
G7♯9
EADGBE3241
3frEADGBE1144324frEADGBE44x2319frEADGBEx2134x
CMaj9

Along Came Betty 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 D to D# (ascending half step), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to C (descending half step), C to B (descending half step), B to A# (descending half step), A# to A# (ascending unison), A# to B (ascending half step), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to E (ascending unison), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to C# (ascending major third), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to B (ascending unison), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to C# (ascending major third), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to G# (ascending whole step), G# to A (ascending half step), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to G# (ascending tritone), G# to E (descending major third), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to C (ascending 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 D by whole step.

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.

swing4/4 · 34 bars · Form: A

Chords: Dm7, D♯m7, G♯7, C♯7♭9, C7, BMaj7, A♯7, A♯m7, Bm7, E7, E9, AMaj7, C♯7♭9♯5, F♯m7, B13, B7♯5, Em7, A7♭9, C♯m7♭5, F♯7♭9, G♯m7♭5, Am7, D7, G♯9, Em7♭5, A7, Dm7♭5, G7♯9, CMaj9.

Scales for Improvisation C bebop, C bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of C