In a Sentimental Mood

In a Sentimental Mood in D

In a Sentimental Mood in D: Ellington's ballad moves between minor and major with aching beauty, favoring Dorian over minor chords and Melodic Minor over the tonic. Harmonic Minor colors the cadential V7 moments. Chords: Dm – DmMaj7 – Dm7 – Dm6 – Gm – GmMaj7 – Gm7 – Em7b5 – A7 – D7 – C7b9 – Fmaj7 – F6 – D#m7 – G#7 – C#maj7 – A#m7 – C#6 – A#7#5 – D#7 – C7.

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