Dream A Little Dream Of Me in Re

Fabian Andre, Wilbur Schwandt(1931)balladMedium Slow

Dream A Little Dream Of Me in Re

A vintage pop standard with jazz potential, offering Mixolydian and Dorian color over a warm D harmonic backdrop. Bebop Major vocabulary gives soloists a natural pathway through the changes with swing and sophistication. The DMaj7 – B7 – Em7 – A7 – F#m7 – Gm6 – Bm7 progression is approachable but rewarding for players working on modal major language.

Dream A Little Dream Of Me in Re

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 B (descending minor third), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to F# (descending minor third), F# to G (ascending half step), G to B (ascending major third). 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 D by minor third.

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.

ballad4/4 · 32 bars · Form: AABA

Chords: ReMaj7, Si7, Mim7, La7, Fa♯m7, Solm6, Sim7.

Scales for Improvisation Re major, Re mixolydian, Re dorian, Re bebop major, Re major pentatonic.