Bess You Is My Woman

Bess You Is My Woman in E

Key of E

E major is arguably guitar's most powerful key. The open low E and high E strings ring sympathetically as the root, while the open B provides the fifth. This triple reinforcement gives E-based riffs and chords unmatched depth and volume. E is a beginner-level key on guitar because both the low E and high E strings ring as the root, and the open B is the fifth — three open strings reinforce the tonic chord. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

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

Scales for Improvisation

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