Blue In Green in La

Miles Davis, Bill Evans(1959)balladBallad
A

Chord Diagrams — Blue In Green in La (Guitar)

Blue In Green in La

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 La

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 A to G# (descending half step), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to C (descending half step), C to B (descending half step), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to D# (descending half step), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth). 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 G# to A 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 · 10 bars · Form: A

Chords: LaMaj7♯11, Sol♯7♯9, Do♯m7, Do7♯11, Sim7, Mi7, Re♯7, Sol♯m7.

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