In a Sentimental Mood in D

Duke Ellington, Irvin Mills, Manny Kurtz()swing
Do Re MiC D E
A
B
A♯aug/G
A7♯5
F69
A7♯5
F69
G♯13
C♯/F
E13
C7sus4
A7♯5
Faug/A
A♯aug/G
A7♯5
F69

Chord Diagrams — In a Sentimental Mood in D (Guitar)

Display
FingerNoteDegree
Dm
EADGBExx231
5frEADGBE1113426frEADGBEx4231x10frEADGBE111134
DmMaj7
EADGBExx231
2frEADGBE11x425frEADGBE11142310frEADGBE111132
Dm7
EADGBExx312
5frEADGBE1111326frEADGBExx231410frEADGBE111113
Dm6
EADGBExx21
3frEADGBE11x3245frEADGBEx13x249frEADGBE2222x1
Gm7
3frEADGBE111113
5frEADGBE11x4238frEADGBE11x23410frEADGBE111132
A♯aug/G
EADGBEx1423x
3frEADGBE11432x6frEADGBExx42317frEADGBE11xx2x
Gm6
EADGBE2222x1
3frEADGBE1112345frEADGBE111x328frEADGBE11x324
A7♯5
EADGBEx321
EADGBE11x235frEADGBE11x237frEADGBExx1423
Am7
EADGBEx21
EADGBEx23145frEADGBE1111137frEADGBE11x423
D9
4frEADGBE222221
7frEADGBEx12349frEADGBE11234x10frEADGBE111324
C7♭9
EADGBE11x234
6frEADGBE3241xx8frEADGBE111x239frEADGBExx3142
F69
EADGBE123
EADGBExx21345frEADGBE1111x27frEADGBE11x234
Em7
EADGBE2
EADGBE114237frEADGBE1111328frEADGBExx2314
D♯m9
4frEADGBE2222x1
7frEADGBExx24139frEADGBE333x1211frEADGBE111134
G♯13
EADGBE111432
4frEADGBE1113244frEADGBE11123410frEADGBE44x213
C♯Maj7
EADGBE111x43
4frEADGBE1113246frEADGBE11xxx39frEADGBE1x342x
A♯m7
EADGBE111x32
EADGBExx23146frEADGBE1111138frEADGBE11x423
G♯7
EADGBE111xx2
4frEADGBE1111326frEADGBE11x32411frEADGBE111134
F♯Maj7
EADGBE111423
4frEADGBE11x3336frEADGBE111x439frEADGBE111324
C♯/F
EADGBE11x432
4frEADGBE1112346frEADGBE1113249frEADGBE111342
E13
EADGBE213
EADGBE1235frEADGBE13427frEADGBE111134
D♯m7
EADGBExx1423
6frEADGBE1111327frEADGBExx231411frEADGBE111114
Fm7
EADGBE111113
3frEADGBExx14238frEADGBE1111329frEADGBExx2314
C7sus4
EADGBE11x234
3frEADGBE1111345frEADGBE11xx238frEADGBE111134
C7
EADGBEx3241
3frEADGBE1111345frEADGBE111xx28frEADGBE111132
Dm9
EADGBE132
3frEADGBE2222x15frEADGBEx142310frEADGBE111134
Faug/A
EADGBExx4231
6frEADGBE11x32x8frEADGBEx1x34210frEADGBE11432x
E7
EADGBE21
5frEADGBEx3241x7frEADGBE1111349frEADGBE111xx2
Bm7♭5
EADGBEx1324x
6frEADGBE2x341x7frEADGBE1112349frEADGBE222xx1
A♯Maj7
EADGBE11x324
3frEADGBE111xx46frEADGBE1114238frEADGBE11333x

In a Sentimental Mood in D

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

swing4/4 · 26 bars · Form: AB

Chords: Dm, DmMaj7, Dm7, Dm6, Gm7, A♯aug/G, Gm6, A7♯5, Am7, D9, C7♭9, F69, Em7, D♯m9, G♯13, C♯Maj7, A♯m7, G♯7, F♯Maj7, C♯/F, E13, D♯m7, Fm7, C7sus4, C7, Dm9, Faug/A, E7, Bm7♭5, A♯Maj7.

Scales for Improvisation D bebop minor, D bebop.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of D