Standards
Route 66 chords & key
- Key
- F major
- Form
- A
- Bars
- 12
- Groove
- Medium swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
“Route 66” is a jazz standard by Bobby Troup. It is usually played in F major as a medium swing, and the 12-bar A form repeats as one section. Harmonically it contains no major ii–V–I cadences and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 7 different chords. Its changes follow the 12-bar blues.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — F major
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- F7×5
- B♭7×3
- D7×2
- Gm7×2
- C7×2
- Cm7×1
Characteristics
- 12-bar blues
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| Au Privave 71% | F major |
| Billie's Bounce 71% | F major |
| Now's The Time 71% | F major |
| Pfrancing (No Blues) 71% | F major |
| Walkin' 71% | F major |
| Bags' Groove 67% | F major |
| Sandu 67% | E♭ major |
| Chasin' The Trane 50% | F major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Route 66 in?
Route 66 is usually played in F major. For B♭ instruments that is G major, for E♭ instruments D major.
Who wrote Route 66?
Route 66 was written by Bobby Troup.
What is the form of Route 66?
Route 66 has 1 sections (A) with 12 bars in total.
How fast is Route 66 played?
The usual groove is Medium swing.
What are the chord changes to Route 66?
The opening bars are F7 | Bb7 | F7 | Cm7 F7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.