Just Friends in B
Just Friends in B
Just Friends in B: a swinging 32-bar form with brief tonicizations that test your ability to track key centers. Bebop Major handles the home key; Dorian and Mixolydian navigate the secondary dominant moves. Changes: EMaj7 – Em7 – A7 – BMaj7 – Dm7 – G7 – C#m7 – F#7 – D#m7 – G#m7 – C#7 – F7 – B6 – F#m7 – B7.
Just Friends in 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 E to E (ascending unison), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to B (ascending whole step), B to D (ascending minor third), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to C# (ascending tritone), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to D# (descending minor third), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to F (ascending major third), F to B (ascending tritone), B to F# (descending perfect fourth), F# to B (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 B to E by perfect fourth.
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.