I-IV-V (the Three Chord Trick)
I · IV · V
The most fundamental progression in Western music.
Key of Cb
The Key of C♭ Major
The chords in the key of C♭ major are C♭, D♭m, E♭m, F♭, G♭, A♭m and B♭dim.
A theoretical key — B major, written flat.
Below: all seven diatonic chords with guitar shapes and audio, the scale, the key signature (B♭ · E♭ · A♭ · D♭ · G♭ · C♭ · F♭), 8 progressions already transposed into this key, and the keys next door.
Diatonic chords
The 7 chords in the key of C♭ major
Each degree of the C♭ major scale carries one chord. Roman numerals show the degree; the function column tells you what the chord does. Every name links to its full chord page — press play to hear it on guitar.
| Degree | Function | Chord | Guitar shape | Hear it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | TonicTonicHome — rests | C♭B · D♯ · F♯spelled C♭ in Cb major · the chord page is B Major | ||
| ii | SubdominantSupertonicDeparts — sets up the V | D♭mC♯ · E · G♯spelled D♭m in Cb major · the chord page is C♯ Minor | ||
| iii | TonicMediantHome — rests | E♭mE♭ · G♭ · B♭ | ||
| IV | SubdominantSubdominantDeparts — sets up the V | F♭E · G♯ · Bspelled F♭ in Cb major · the chord page is E Major | ||
| V | DominantDominantPulls back to I | G♭F♯ · A♯ · C♯spelled G♭ in Cb major · the chord page is F♯ Major | ||
| vi | TonicSubmediantHome — rests | A♭mG♯ · B · D♯spelled A♭m in Cb major · the chord page is G♯ Minor | ||
| vii° | DominantLeading tonePulls back to I | B♭dimB♭ · D♭ · F♭ |
Want the same chords on another instrument? Every chord page carries piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo shapes — start with piano.
Character
Why songs live in C♭ major
Cb major carries seven flats, including the Fb and Cb that make most readers stop and re-read. It sounds exactly like B major, and it is written this way only when the flat spelling keeps a score readable — arriving from Gb major, say, or as the relative major of Ab minor. Every chord below is labelled in Cb spelling but links to its B-major-spelled page, because those are the same sounds.
Scale
The C♭ major scale
Seven notes, in order from the tonic. Tap any note to hear it, or play the whole scale ascending.
This spelling has no separate scale page — the identical pitches are catalogued under B Major (Ionian).
Key signature
The C♭ major key signature
B♭ · E♭ · A♭ · D♭ · G♭ · C♭ · F♭
C♭ major is written with 7 flats. Every B, E, A, D, G, C and F in the music is played flat unless an accidental says otherwise. Its relative minor, A♭ minor, shares this signature exactly.
Progressions
Chord progressions in C♭ major
The most-used progressions, already transposed into C♭ major. Every chord links to its own page; the progression name opens the full breakdown.
I-V-vi-IV (the Pop Punk Progression)
I · V · vi · IV
The 4-chord pop progression that powers thousands of hits.
vi-IV-I-V (Sensitive Female)
vi · IV · I · V
The minor-flavored sibling of I-V-vi-IV.
I-vi-IV-V (the Doo-Wop)
I · vi · IV · V
The 1950s ballad backbone.
I-IV-I-V
I · IV · I · V
Classic 4-bar phrase with a leading-tone pull on bar 4.
I-♭VII-IV (Mixolydian Rock)
I · ♭VII · IV
Mixolydian flavor; classic rock pull.
12-Bar Blues
I · I · I · I · IV · IV · I · I · V · IV · I · V
The defining blues form. 4 bars I, 2 bars IV, 2 bars I, 1 bar V, 1 bar IV, 1 bar I, 1 bar V (turnaround).
8-Bar Blues
I · V · IV · IV · I · V · I · V
Compressed blues form.
FAQ
Questions about the key of C♭ major
- What chords are in the key of Cb major?
- The key of Cb major contains seven diatonic chords: Cb (I), Dbm (ii), Ebm (iii), Fb (IV), Gb (V), Abm (vi), Bbdim (vii°). Most songs in Cb major lean on Cb, Fb and Gb — the tonic, subdominant and dominant.
- What is the relative minor of Cb major?
- Ab minor is the relative minor of Cb major. Both keys share the same key signature (7 flats) and exactly the same seven notes — Ab minor simply treats Ab as home instead of Cb, which is why you can borrow chords freely between them.
- What are the easiest chords in Cb major to play on guitar?
- Fb is the one open shape in Cb major — no barre required. The rest of the diatonic chords need a barre or a movable grip, so many players capo instead and use familiar open shapes from an easier key.
Learn the theory
Read up on C♭ major
This page is the reference. These are the guides that explain how a key works in the first place — read one and the table above stops needing to be looked up.