Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love

Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love in E

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

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.