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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/Bb – F#m7b5 – FMaj7 – Dm9 – Bm7b5 – E7b9 – B7b5b9 – Em7 – A7b5b9 – Dm7b5 – G7b9 – CMaj7 – Dm7 – C – E7#5 – E7 – Am7 – Gm7 – F#7b9 – G#9 – Gm9 – F#7b5#9 – G7.
Key of 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 B (descending perfect fourth), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to D (ascending whole step), D to C (descending whole step), 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), F# to G# (ascending whole step), G# to G (descending half step), G to F# (descending half step), F# to G (ascending 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 G to A by whole step.
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.