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Dolphin Dance in E
Dolphin Dance in E: Herbie Hancock's semi-modal gem balances tonal and modal thinking across its unpredictable harmonic landscape. Lydian brightens the major chords, Dorian colors the minor sections, and Bebop Major lines stitch it together. Chords: Emaj7 – Dmaj7/Eb – D#m7b5 – G#7b9 – C#m7 – Amaj7#11 – A#m7 – D#7 – G#maj7 – Am7 – F#m7 – G#7#5 – G#7sus4 – A#/G – Emaj7#11/G – F#7sus4 – F#13b9 – Fm7 – A#7 – E7 – Cm7 – F7 – D#m7 – Dm7 – G7 – D#maj7/E – C#maj7/E – B13b9/Eb – Amaj7#5/Eb.
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 D (descending whole step), D to D# (ascending half step), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to A (descending major third), A to A# (ascending half step), A# to D# (ascending perfect fourth), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to A (ascending half step), A to F# (descending minor third), F# to G# (ascending whole step), G# to G# (ascending unison), G# to A# (ascending whole step), A# to E (ascending tritone), E to F# (ascending whole step), F# to F# (ascending unison), F# to F (descending half step), F to A# (ascending perfect fourth), A# to E (ascending tritone), E to C (descending major third), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to D# (descending whole step), D# to D (descending half step), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to D# (descending major third), D# to C# (descending whole step), C# to B (descending whole step), B to A (descending whole step). 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 A 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.