My Favorite Things in B

My Favorite Things in B

My Favorite Things in B: Coltrane transformed Rodgers & Hammerstein's waltz into a modal exploration alternating Dorian and major sections. Harmonic Minor and Aeolian frame the minor parts — sustain the pedal tones and let the modes expand. Chords: G#m7 – A#m7 – EMaj7 – C#m7 – F#7 – BMaj7 – A#m7b5 – D#7 – C#7 – B6.

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

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.