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My Funny Valentine in E
The E 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: Em – B7/b – Em7/Bb – C#m7b5 – CMaj7 – Am9 – F#m7b5 – B7b9 – F#7b5b9 – Bm7 – E7b5b9 – Am7b5 – D7b9 – GMaj7 – Am7 – G – B7#5 – B7 – Em7 – Dm7 – C#7b9 – D#9 – Dm9 – C#7b5#9 – D7.
Key of E
E major is arguably guitar's most powerful key. The open low E and high E strings ring sympathetically as the root, while the open B provides the fifth. This triple reinforcement gives E-based riffs and chords unmatched depth and volume. E is a beginner-level key on guitar because both the low E and high E strings ring as the root, and the open B is the fifth — three open strings reinforce the tonic chord. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.
Voice Leading
The bass line moves through E to B (descending perfect fourth), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to C# (descending minor third), C# to C (descending half step), C to A (descending minor third), A to F# (descending minor third), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to F# (descending perfect fourth), F# to B (ascending 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 A (ascending whole step), A to G (descending whole step), G to B (ascending major third), B to B (ascending unison), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to D (descending whole step), D to C# (descending half step), C# to D# (ascending whole step), D# to D (descending half step), D to C# (descending half step), C# to D (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 D to E by whole step.
Scales for Improvisation
E 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, E Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.