Alice In Wonderland in Re

Sammy Fain(1951)waltzMedium Waltz
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A
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Chord Diagrams — Alice In Wonderland in Re (Guitar)

Alice In Wonderland in Re

Alice In Wonderland in D: 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: Em7 – A7 – DMaj7 – GMaj7 – C#m7b5 – F#7 – Bm7 – F7 – Gm7 – C7 – FMaj7 – A#Maj7 – Bm7b5 – E7 – Am7 – D7.

Alice In Wonderland in Re

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 E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to C# (ascending tritone), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to F (ascending tritone), F to G (ascending whole step), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to A# (ascending perfect fourth), A# to B (ascending half step), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to D (ascending perfect fourth). 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 D to E by whole step.

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.

waltz3/4 · 64 bars · Form: AABA

Chords: Mim7, La7, ReMaj7, SolMaj7, Do♯m7♭5, Fa♯7, Sim7, Fa7, Solm7, Do7, FaMaj7, La♯Maj7, Sim7♭5, Mi7, Lam7, Re7.

Scales for Improvisation Re major, Re dorian, Re lydian, Re bebop major, Re major pentatonic.