In a Sentimental Mood in C

Duke Ellington, Irvin Mills, Manny Kurtz()swing
Do Re MiC D E
A
B
G♯aug/F
G7♯5
D♯69
G7♯5
D♯69
F♯13
B/D♯
D13
A♯7sus4
G7♯5
D♯aug/G
G♯aug/F
G7♯5
D♯69

Chord Diagrams — In a Sentimental Mood in C (Guitar)

Display
FingerNoteDegree
Cm
EADGBEx3214
3frEADGBE1113425frEADGBE1142xx8frEADGBE111134
CmMaj7
EADGBEx31x
3frEADGBE1114238frEADGBE11113210frEADGBExx1342
Cm7
EADGBEx2134x
3frEADGBE1111324frEADGBExx23148frEADGBE111113
Cm6
EADGBE11x324
3frEADGBEx13x247frEADGBE2222x18frEADGBE111234
Fm7
EADGBE111113
3frEADGBExx14238frEADGBE1111329frEADGBExx2314
G♯aug/F
EADGBE11432x
4frEADGBE1x423x5frEADGBE11xx2x9frEADGBE11x32x
Fm6
EADGBE1x234
3frEADGBE11xx326frEADGBE11x3249frEADGBExx2314
G7♯5
EADGBE4312
EADGBE1x234x5frEADGBExx142310frEADGBE11x432
Gm7
3frEADGBE111113
5frEADGBE11x4238frEADGBE11x23410frEADGBE111132
C9
EADGBE222221
7frEADGBE1123447frEADGBE1113249frEADGBExx2143
A♯7♭9
EADGBEx123
4frEADGBE3241xx6frEADGBE111x2312frEADGBE11x234
D♯69
EADGBExx234
EADGBE1111x25frEADGBE11x23410frEADGBE111234
Dm7
EADGBExx312
5frEADGBE1111326frEADGBExx231410frEADGBE111113
C♯m9
EADGBE2222x1
5frEADGBE222x147frEADGBE333x129frEADGBE111134
F♯13
EADGBE2314
EADGBE1112347frEADGBEx42319frEADGBE111134
BMaj7
EADGBE111324
4frEADGBE111xx47frEADGBE1114239frEADGBE11333x
G♯m7
4frEADGBE111113
6frEADGBE11x4239frEADGBE11x23x11frEADGBE111132
F♯7
EADGBE111132
4frEADGBE11x3247frEADGBEx3241x9frEADGBE111134
EMaj7
EADGBE312
EADGBE333xx14frEADGBE111x437frEADGBE111324
B/D♯
EADGBE111234
4frEADGBE111xx47frEADGBE1113429frEADGBE11x243
D13
EADGBExx412
5frEADGBE1111348frEADGBE423110frEADGBE1x234x
C♯m7
4frEADGBE111x32
5frEADGBExx23149frEADGBE11111411frEADGBExx1423
D♯m7
EADGBExx1423
6frEADGBE1111327frEADGBExx231411frEADGBE111114
A♯7sus4
EADGBE111x34
EADGBE1122xx6frEADGBE1111348frEADGBExx1324
A♯7
EADGBE111x34
6frEADGBE1111328frEADGBE11x32411frEADGBEx3241x
Cm9
EADGBE2222x1
EADGBEx12436frEADGBE333x128frEADGBE111134
D♯aug/G
3frEADGBExx4231
4frEADGBE11x32x8frEADGBE11432x11frEADGBE1x423x
D7
EADGBExx213
3frEADGBEx3241x5frEADGBE11113410frEADGBE111132
Am7♭5
EADGBEx23x
4frEADGBE2x341x5frEADGBE1112347frEADGBE222xx1
G♯Maj7
4frEADGBE111423
6frEADGBE11x3339frEADGBEx3241x11frEADGBE111324

In a Sentimental Mood 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 C (ascending unison), C to C (ascending unison), C to C (ascending unison), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to G# (ascending minor third), G# to F (descending minor third), F to G (ascending whole step), G to G (ascending unison), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to A# (descending whole step), A# to D# (ascending perfect fourth), D# to D (descending half step), D to C# (descending half step), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to G# (descending minor third), G# to F# (descending whole step), F# to E (descending whole step), E to B (descending perfect fourth), B to D (ascending minor third), D to C# (descending half step), C# to D# (ascending whole step), D# to A# (descending perfect fourth), A# to A# (ascending unison), A# to C (ascending whole step), C to D# (ascending minor third), D# to D (descending half step), D to A (descending perfect fourth), A to G# (descending half step). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The predominantly stepwise bass motion creates smooth, connected voice leading. When the progression loops, the bass returns from G# to C by major third.

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 · 26 bars · Form: AB

Chords: Cm, CmMaj7, Cm7, Cm6, Fm7, G♯aug/F, Fm6, G7♯5, Gm7, C9, A♯7♭9, D♯69, Dm7, C♯m9, F♯13, BMaj7, G♯m7, F♯7, EMaj7, B/D♯, D13, C♯m7, D♯m7, A♯7sus4, A♯7, Cm9, D♯aug/G, D7, Am7♭5, G♯Maj7.

Scales for Improvisation C bebop minor, C bebop.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of C