Standards

Daybreak chords & key

Key
E♭ major
Form
ABAC
Bars
32
Groove
Medium swing
Time signature
4/4

“Daybreak” is a jazz standard by Adamson-Grofe. Most bands play it in E♭ major, medium swing; the tune runs 32 bars in ABAC form. Harmonically it contains 3 major ii–V–I cadences and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 18 different chords and moves between the key centres E♭ major, A♭ major and F minor. In this atlas it appears on 1 album track.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

A
E♭maj7
B♭7
E♭maj7
C7
Fm7
B♭7
A♭maj7
B7B♭7
B
E♭maj7
E♭m7A♭7
B♭maj7/F
Em7A7
Cm7
F7
Fm7
B♭7
A
E♭maj7
B♭7
E♭maj7
C7
Fm7
B♭7
A♭maj7
B7B♭7
C
B♭m7
E♭7
A♭maj7
D♭7
Gm7C7
Fm7B♭7
E♭6
Fm7B♭7

Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.

Harmonic analysis

3Major ii–V–I
1Minor ii–V–i
10ii–V moves
0Tritone substitutions
0Dominant chains
18Different chords

Most used chords

  • B♭7×9
  • E♭maj7×5
  • Fm7×5
  • C7×3
  • A♭maj7×3
  • B7×2

Key centres reached by ii–V

E♭ major, A♭ major and F minor

Characteristics

  • ABAC song form

Recorded on these albums

Historic 78 rpm recordings

  • DAYBREAK ROBERTO INGLEZ & HIS ORCHESTRA · Grofé · Inglez archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
The Joker 32% Lee Morgan E♭ major AABA · 32 Medium swing
The Lady is a Tramp 31% Richard Rodgers C major AABC · 48 Medium swing
Dancing On The Ceiling 29% Richard Rodgers F major AABA · 32 Ballad
If I Knew Then (What I Know Now) 29% Jurgens-Howard E♭ major AB · 32 Medium swing
I May Be Wrong 27% Henry Sullivan E♭ major AABC · 32 Medium swing
Why Do I Love You? 27% Jerome Kern A♭ major AA · 32 Medium swing
You've Changed 27% Carl Fisher E♭ major AABA · 32 Ballad
Deed I Do 26% Hirsch-Rose C major AABA · 32 Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Daybreak in?

Daybreak is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.

Who wrote Daybreak?

Daybreak was written by Adamson-Grofe.

What is the form of Daybreak?

Daybreak has 4 sections (ABAC) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Daybreak played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to Daybreak?

The opening bars are Ebmaj7 | Bb7 | Ebmaj7 | C7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.