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My Romance in A#
Rodgers and Hart's classic ballad offers a rich harmonic canvas that supports Bebop Major lines on the tonic, Dorian phrasing over ii chords, and Mixolydian color on the dominants. The unhurried structure gives improvisers room to develop melodic ideas without harmonic pressure. An ideal vehicle for learning to sing through chord changes rather than merely outlining them.
Key of A#
A# (Bb) major requires barre chords rooted at fret 1 on the A string or fret 6 on the E string. Despite the barre demands, it is a common key in funk, New Orleans R&B, and brass band music. The open D string can ring as the major third for added color. A# is a intermediate-level key on guitar because the open D string is the major 3rd of Bb, adding a bright color if allowed to ring. Expect to rely on barre chords throughout, which builds hand strength and unlocks the entire fretboard.
Voice Leading
The bass line moves through A# to C (ascending whole step), C to D (ascending whole step), D to C# (descending half step), C# to F (ascending major third), F to G# (ascending minor third), G# to G (descending half step), G to G (ascending unison), G to G (ascending unison), G to G (ascending unison), G to A# (ascending minor third), A# to D# (ascending perfect fourth), D# to E (ascending half step), E to E (ascending unison), E to D# (descending half step), D# to C# (descending whole step), C# to G (ascending tritone), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to D# (ascending minor third), D# to C (descending minor third), C to A (descending minor third), A to G# (descending half step), G# to F# (descending whole step), F# to A# (ascending major third), A# to C (ascending whole step), C to A# (descending whole step). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The predominantly stepwise bass motion creates smooth, connected voice leading. When the progression loops, the bass returns from A# to A# by unison.
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.