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Wave in D
Wave in D — Jobim at his most harmonically refined, with elegant chromatic voice leading throughout. Lydian mode suits the floating tonic sections; Lydian Dominant captures the characteristic altered dominant sound. Changes: Dmaj7 – A#dim7 – Am7 – D7b9 – Gmaj7 – Gm6 – F#13 – F#7b13 – B9 – B7b9 – E9 – A#7 – A7 – Dm7 – G7 – Gm7/Bb – C7/Bb – Fmaj7/A – Fm7/Ab – A#7/Ab – D#maj7/G – A7b9.
Key of D
D major is one of guitar's most resonant keys. The open D string acts as a droning root, and the open A string provides the fifth. This gives D-based strumming a wide, ringing quality that flatpicks and fingerpicks love. D is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open D and A strings provide a powerful bass foundation, and the open high E is the 2nd scale degree adding brightness. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.
Voice Leading
The bass line moves through D to A# (descending major third), A# to A (descending half step), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to G (ascending unison), G to F# (descending half step), F# to F# (ascending unison), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to B (ascending unison), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A# (ascending tritone), A# to A (descending half step), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to G (ascending unison), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to F (ascending unison), F to A# (ascending perfect fourth), A# to D# (ascending perfect fourth), D# to A (ascending tritone). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The root motion by larger intervals (fourths and fifths) gives each chord change a strong, decisive character. When the progression loops, the bass returns from A to D by perfect fourth.
Scales for Improvisation
D major pentatonic works because every note is either a chord tone or a safe passing tone — there are no avoid notes. For soloing, this means you can play freely without clashing. Over dominant seventh chords, D Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.