I Won't Dance in B

Jerome Kern / Oscar Hammerstein / Otto Harbach /Dorothy Fields(1934)swing
Do Re MiC D E
A
B

Chord Diagrams — I Won't Dance in B (Guitar)

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I Won't Dance in B

Key of B

B major mixes barre and open elements. The B chord itself is a barre at fret 2, but E and A are comfortable open chords forming the IV and V. The open B string rings as the root, allowing creative drone-based arrangements. B is a intermediate-level key on guitar because the open B string rings as the root and the open E strings provide the 4th — useful for sus4 voicings and drone effects. This key mixes open and barre shapes, making it a good intermediate challenge that builds fretboard fluency.

Voice Leading

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

Scales for Improvisation

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

swing2/2 · 50 bars · Form: AB

Chords: BMaj7, C♯m7, F♯7, B, B7, EMaj7, Em, F♯7♭9, B6, D♯m7, Am7, D7, G, G7, C, C7, A♯, A♯7, D♯7, G♯m7, C♯m9, G♯7, C♯m7/F♯.

Scales for Improvisation B bebop, B bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of B