PianoChords.studio

How Blue Can You Get by B.B. King

Piano chords, voicings & structure breakdown · 17 steps · 4 unique chords · 1960s

Expert transcription. These chords come from a published research transcription of the original recording by trained musicians. A second independent transcription to cross-check against isn't available (or differs in places), so this page isn't marked verified.
IntroStep 1 of 17

D7

LeftD2, A2RightC4, F♯4, A4
D2A2C4A4F♯4
Left hand Right hand Middle C (C4)

Harmonic Analysis & Structure

Overview

Key: D major · Chords used: 4 · Sections: 4

Form: Intro → Verse → Verse → Bridge

Where these chords come from: an expert transcription of the original recording made for the McGill Billboard Project (Burgoyne, Wild & Fujinaga, 2011). This page shows that transcription as-is: the analysis below is generated directly from it by code, not written by AI. Consecutive repeats of a chord are shown once, and the piano voicings are our playable arrangement of each chord symbol, not a note-for-note transcription.

Section by section

Intro

  • D7 – G7 – D7 – A7
    I7 – IV7 – I7 – V7

Verse 1

  • D7 – G7 (×2)
    I7 – IV7
  • D7 – A7 – G7 – D7 – A7
    I7 – V7 – IV7 – I7 – V7

Verse 2

Same chords as Verse 1.

Bridge

  • D7 – A7 – G7 (×2)
    I7 – V7 – IV7
  • D7 – A7 – D9
    I7 – V7 – I9

Chord vocabulary

ChordRoman numeralRoleHeard in
D7I7Outside the key (chromatic)Intro, Verse, Bridge
G7IV7Outside the key (chromatic)Intro, Verse, Bridge
A7V7In the keyIntro, Verse, Bridge
D9I9Outside the key (chromatic)Bridge

Sources & accuracy

  • Chords and sections: the McGill Billboard Project (Burgoyne, Wild & Fujinaga, 2011). Expert transcription by trained musicians (song 0510, CC0), via ChoCo.
  • Not verified: only one expert transcription of this song is available so far.
  • Rhythm and chord durations aren't shown; each step is one chord change.

Sources & Accuracy

Every chord on this page comes from the expert transcription listed first below. Piano voicings are our arrangement of the reported chord symbols, not a note-for-note transcription.

All Piano Voicings

#SectionChordLeft handRight handSources
1IntroD7D2, A2C4, F♯4, A4—
2IntroG7G2, D3D4, F4, B4—
3IntroD7D2, A2C4, F♯4, A4—
4IntroA7A2, E3C♯4, E4, G4—
5Verse 1, part 1 (×2)D7D2, A2C4, F♯4, A4—
6Verse 1, part 1 (×2)G7G2, D3D4, F4, B4—
7Verse 1, part 2D7D2, A2C4, F♯4, A4—
8Verse 1, part 2A7A2, E3C♯4, E4, G4—
9Verse 1, part 2G7G2, D3B3, D4, F4—
10Verse 1, part 2D7D2, A2A3, C4, F♯4—
11Verse 1, part 2A7A2, E3G3, C♯4, E4—
12Bridge, part 1 (×2)D7D2, A2A3, C4, F♯4—
13Bridge, part 1 (×2)A7A2, E3G3, C♯4, E4—
14Bridge, part 1 (×2)G7G2, D3B3, D4, F4—
15Bridge, part 2D7D2, A2A3, C4, F♯4—
16Bridge, part 2A7A2, E3G3, C♯4, E4—
17Bridge, part 2D9D2, A2F♯3, A3, C4, E4—