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Blues / Rock / Jazz · C# / D♭

12-Bar Blues in C#

The defining form of the blues — a 12-bar cycle using I, IV, and V chords. The foundation of blues, rock and roll, and early jazz.

Chords in C# 12-Bar Blues

IDb
IVGb
IDb
VAb
IVGb
IDb
VAb

Hear 12-Bar Blues in C#

12-Bar Blues in All 12 Keys

CC – F – C – G – F – C – GC#D♭Db – Gb – Db – Ab – Gb – Db – AbDD – G – D – A – G – D – AD#E♭Eb – Ab – Eb – Bb – Ab – Eb – BbEE – A – E – B – A – E – BFF – Bb – F – C – Bb – F – CF#G♭F# – B – F# – C# – B – F# – C#GG – C – G – D – C – G – DG#A♭Ab – Db – Ab – Eb – Db – Ab – EbAA – D – A – E – D – A – EA#B♭Bb – Eb – Bb – F – Eb – Bb – FBB – E – B – F# – E – B – F#

Other Progressions in C#

I-IV-V-IDb – Gb – Ab – DbI-V-vi-IVDb – Ab – Bbm – Gbii-V-IEbm – Ab – DbI-vi-IV-VDb – Bbm – Gb – AbIV-I-V-viGb – Db – Ab – BbmI-III-IV-VDb – F – Gb – Ab

Related Progressions

I-IV-V-I in C#Db – Gb – Ab – DbI-V-vi-IV in C#Db – Ab – Bbm – GbI-vi-IV-V in C#Db – Bbm – Gb – AbIV-I-V-vi in C#Gb – Db – Ab – Bbm

12-Bar Blues in C# / D♭

The 12-Bar Blues progression in the key of C# uses the chords Db, Gb, Db, Ab, Gb, Db, Ab. These correspond to the I, IV, I, V, IV, I, V degrees of the C# major scale.

The defining form of the blues — a 12-bar cycle using I, IV, and V chords. The foundation of blues, rock and roll, and early jazz. In C#, this progression has a characteristic sound shaped by the tonal colour of the C# root — also written as D♭ — common in blues / rock / jazz. Practise hearing it until the sequence feels inevitable rather than surprising.