Blues For Alice in Mi

Blues For Alice in Mi

Blues for Alice in E: Bird's reharmonized blues subs rapid ii-V motion through every bar. Bebop Major and Major Blues scales navigate the descending cycle — Mixolydian anchors the tonic bars. Chords: EMaj7 – D#m7b5 – G#7b9 – C#m7 – F#7 – Bm7 – E7 – A7 – Am7 – D7 – G#m7 – C#7 – Gm7 – C7 – F#m7 – B7.

Blues For Alice in Mi

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

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.