Blue In Green in A

Miles Davis, Bill Evans(1959)balladSlowly
Do Re MiC D E
A
Gmaj7♯11
F♯7♯5♯9
Bm69
C♯7♯5♯9
Gmaj7♯11
Bm69

Chord Diagrams — Blue In Green in A (Guitar)

Display
FingerNoteDegree

Blue In Green in A

Miles Davis and Bill Evans's impressionistic miniature from Kind of Blue creates a suspended harmonic atmosphere through Lydian color on the major chords, Dorian voicing on the minor tonic, and Altered dominant tension that never fully resolves. The circular ten-bar form resists conventional phrase structure, rewarding improvisers who can sustain mood over motion. One of jazz's most harmonically poetic compositions.

Blue In Green in A

A major is a rock and blues cornerstone. The open A string delivers a strong root, while both E strings ring as the fifth. Classic A-D-E progressions practically play themselves with open cowboy chords. The open high E is the fifth, reinforcing power. A is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open A string is the root and the open E strings provide the fifth above and below, creating a massive low-end anchor. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through G to F# (descending half step), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to A# (descending half step), A# to A (descending half step), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to F# (descending half step), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to C# (ascending whole step), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to F# (ascending unison). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The predominantly stepwise bass motion creates smooth, connected voice leading. When the progression loops, the bass returns from F# to G by half step.

Scales for Improvisation

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

ballad4/4 · 13 bars · Form: A

Chords: Gmaj7♯11, F♯7♯9, Bm9, A♯7, Am9, D7♭9, GMaj7, F♯7♯5♯9, Bm69, C♯7♯5♯9, F♯m9, F♯7♭9.

Scales for Improvisation A lydian, A dorian, A altered, A bebop major, A major pentatonic.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of A