My Funny Valentine in A
My Funny Valentine in A
The A reading of My Funny Valentine: built on a descending chromatic bass over a static minor tonic, one of jazz's most haunting devices. Aeolian and Dorian blend naturally; Harmonic Minor is essential over the V7. Changes: Am – E7/b – Am7/G – F#m7b5 – FMaj7 – Dm9 – Bm7b5 – E7b9 – CMaj7 – Dm7 – Em7 – C – E7#5 – E7 – Am7 – Gm7 – F#7b9.
My Funny Valentine in A
A major is a rock and blues cornerstone. The open A string delivers a strong root, while both E strings ring as the fifth. Classic A-D-E progressions practically play themselves with open cowboy chords. The open high E is the fifth, reinforcing power. A is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open A string is the root and the open E strings provide the fifth above and below, creating a massive low-end anchor. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.
Voice Leading
The bass line moves through A to E (descending perfect fourth), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to F# (descending minor third), F# to F (descending half step), F to D (descending minor third), D to B (descending minor third), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to C (descending major third), C to D (ascending whole step), D to E (ascending whole step), E to C (descending major third), C to E (ascending major third), E to E (ascending unison), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to G (descending whole step), G to F# (descending half 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 F# to A by minor third.
Scales for Improvisation
A 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, A Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.