I Didn't Know About You in C

Duke Ellington / Bob Russell(1944)swing
Do Re MiC D E
A
B
CMaj9
G13
A♯9♯11
G7sus4
C13
C13♭9
C9♯5
A♯13
D♯69
D7♯5
G7♭9♯5
CMaj9
G7sus4
G13♭9

Chord Diagrams — I Didn't Know About You in C (Guitar)

Display
FingerNoteDegree
Dm9
EADGBE132
3frEADGBE2222x15frEADGBEx142310frEADGBE111134
G7♭9
EADGBE11324
EADGBE111x234frEADGBE11xx239frEADGBE11x234
CMaj9
C6
EADGBEx4231
3frEADGBE3333x17frEADGBE2x143x8frEADGBE11x324
F7
EADGBE111132
3frEADGBE11x3248frEADGBE11113410frEADGBE111xx2
E7
EADGBE21
5frEADGBEx3241x7frEADGBE1111349frEADGBE111xx2
A♯9
EADGBEx1234
5frEADGBE11234x6frEADGBE11132412frEADGBE2222x1
A7♭9
EADGBE11x23
5frEADGBE1114236frEADGBE11xx2311frEADGBE11x234
D7♯11
EADGBExx123
4frEADGBE11x2347frEADGBEx31429frEADGBE111234
D7
EADGBExx213
3frEADGBEx3241x5frEADGBE11113410frEADGBE111132
Dm7
EADGBExx312
5frEADGBE1111326frEADGBExx231410frEADGBE111113
G13
EADGBE321
3frEADGBE11x2343frEADGBE1113249frEADGBE222x14
Em7
EADGBE2
EADGBE114237frEADGBE1111328frEADGBExx2314
A♯9♯11
EADGBEx123
5frEADGBE11123x8frEADGBExx123412frEADGBE11x234
G7sus4
EADGBE1123
3frEADGBE1111348frEADGBE11x23410frEADGBE111134
D♯dim
EADGBExx12x3
4frEADGBEx41x236frEADGBEx1243x9frEADGBE31x42x
C/E
EADGBEx321
3frEADGBE1112345frEADGBE111xx48frEADGBE111342
Gm9
EADGBE2341
3frEADGBE1111346frEADGBE11xx28frEADGBE2222x1
C13
2frEADGBE44x213
3frEADGBE1111346frEADGBE2223418frEADGBE111324
C13♭9
2frEADGBE44x213
3frEADGBE1111346frEADGBE2223418frEADGBE111324
FMaj7
EADGBExx321
EADGBE1114233frEADGBE11x3338frEADGBE111324
C9♯5
EADGBE222x14
3frEADGBEx12435frEADGBE1112347frEADGBE11234x
F6
EADGBE11x324
3frEADGBE111x346frEADGBEx4231x8frEADGBE113333
Fm7
EADGBE111113
3frEADGBExx14238frEADGBE1111329frEADGBExx2314
A♯7
EADGBE111x34
6frEADGBE1111328frEADGBE11x32411frEADGBEx3241x
Fm9
EADGBE111134
EADGBEx12346frEADGBE2222x111frEADGBE22221
A♯13
EADGBE44x12
4frEADGBE11326frEADGBE11123412frEADGBE44x213
D♯69
EADGBExx234
EADGBE1111x25frEADGBE11x23410frEADGBE111234
D7♯5
EADGBExx412
4frEADGBEx213x45frEADGBE11x43210frEADGBE1x234x
G7♭9♯5
G - B - D♯ - F - A♭
D9
4frEADGBE222221
7frEADGBEx12349frEADGBE11234x10frEADGBE111324
G13♭9
EADGBE321
3frEADGBE11x2343frEADGBE1113249frEADGBE222x14
C
EADGBEx321
3frEADGBE1112345frEADGBE111xx48frEADGBE111342

I Didn't Know About You 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 G (ascending perfect fourth), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to C (ascending unison), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to E (descending half step), E to A# (ascending tritone), A# to A (descending half step), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to D (ascending unison), D to D (ascending unison), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to E (descending minor third), E to A# (ascending tritone), A# to G (descending minor third), G to D# (descending major third), D# to C (descending minor third), C to G (descending perfect fourth), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to C (ascending unison), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to C (descending perfect fourth), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to F (ascending unison), F to A# (ascending perfect fourth), A# to F (descending perfect fourth), F to A# (ascending perfect fourth), A# to D# (ascending perfect fourth), D# to D (descending half step), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to D (descending 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.

swing2/2 · 27 bars · Form: AB

Chords: Dm9, G7♭9, CMaj9, C6, F7, E7, A♯9, A7♭9, D7♯11, D7, Dm7, G13, Em7, A♯9♯11, G7sus4, D♯dim, C/E, Gm9, C13, C13♭9, FMaj7, C9♯5, F6, Fm7, A♯7, Fm9, A♯13, D♯69, D7♯5, G7♭9♯5, D9, G13♭9, C.

Scales for Improvisation C bebop, C bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of C