Alice In Wonderland in B

Alice In Wonderland in B

Alice In Wonderland in B: a jazz waltz that transforms the Disney source material into flowing 3/4 bebop. Lydian opens up the major sections; Bebop Major and Dorian navigate the ii-V passages with swing feel. Changes: C#m7 – F#7 – BMaj7 – EMaj7 – A#m7b5 – D#7 – G#m7 – D7 – D#m7 – C#7 – G# – G#7 – Fm7b5 – A#7b9 – G7.

Alice In Wonderland in B

B major mixes barre and open elements. The B chord itself is a barre at fret 2, but E and A are comfortable open chords forming the IV and V. The open B string rings as the root, allowing creative drone-based arrangements. B is a intermediate-level key on guitar because the open B string rings as the root and the open E strings provide the 4th — useful for sus4 voicings and drone effects. This key mixes open and barre shapes, making it a good intermediate challenge that builds fretboard fluency.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A# (ascending tritone), A# to D# (ascending perfect fourth), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to D (ascending tritone), D to D# (ascending half step), D# to C# (descending whole step), C# to G# (descending perfect fourth), G# to G# (ascending unison), G# to F (descending minor third), F to A# (ascending perfect fourth), A# to G (descending minor third). 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 G to C# by tritone.

Scales for Improvisation

B 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, B Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.