Do Nothing till You Hear from Me in D

Duke Ellington / Bob Russell(1940)swing
Do Re MiC D E
A
B
D13
C9♯11
B7♯5
A13
A7sus4
D/A
F13
E13
A13
D13
B7♯5
A13
D/A
A7sus4

Chord Diagrams — Do Nothing till You Hear from Me in D (Guitar)

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Do Nothing till You Hear from Me in D

Key of D

D major is one of guitar's most resonant keys. The open D string acts as a droning root, and the open A string provides the fifth. This gives D-based strumming a wide, ringing quality that flatpicks and fingerpicks love. D is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open D and A strings provide a powerful bass foundation, and the open high E is the 2nd scale degree adding brightness. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

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

Scales for Improvisation

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

swing4/4 · 26 bars · Form: AB

Chords: DMaj7, Am7, D13, GMaj7, Gm7, C9♯11, B7♯5, E7, A13, D, G, G♯dim7, A7sus4, D/A, Cm9, F13, A♯Maj7, A♯7, Bm7, B9, E13.

Scales for Improvisation D bebop, D bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of D