Angel Eyes in Sol

Matt Dennis(1946)balladBallad

Angel Eyes in Sol

Angel Eyes in G — a dark, brooding ballad with sustained minor tension. Dorian suits the extended minor vamp; Harmonic Minor tightens the cadential moments; blues inflections add emotional weight. Changes: Gm – Cm7 – F7 – A#Maj7 – Em7b5 – A7b9 – Dm7 – G7 – D7 – GMaj7 – Am7 – Em7 – A7.

Angel Eyes in Sol

G major is the singer-songwriter's key. The open G, B, and D strings spell out the full G major triad with zero fretting. Add the open high E for a Gadd6 shimmer. Nearly every diatonic chord (Em, Am, C, D) has a comfortable open voicing. G is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open G, B, and D strings form a complete G major triad without fretting a single note, and the open low E adds a rich 6th color. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

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

Scales for Improvisation

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

ballad4/4 · 32 bars · Form: AABA

Chords: Solm, Dom7, Fa7, La♯Maj7, Mim7♭5, La7♭9, Rem7, Sol7, Re7, SolMaj7, Lam7, Mim7, La7.

Scales for Improvisation Sol dorian, Sol harmonic minor, Sol minor blues, Sol minor pentatonic, Sol bebop minor, Sol bebop.