Por una Cabeza in B

Carlos Gardel / Alfredo Le Pera(1935)swing
Do Re MiC D E
A
A/B
Bm/D
Bm/F♯
C♯7/G♯
C♯7♭9/G

Chord Diagrams — Por una Cabeza in B (Guitar)

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Por una Cabeza in B

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

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.

swing4/4 · 33 bars · Form: A

Chords: B, Bdim, C♯m, Gdim7, F♯, F♯7, A/B, B7, E, Em, C♯7, Bm, F♯m, G, D, Bm/D, Bm/F♯, C♯7/G♯, C♯7♭9/G.

Scales for Improvisation B bebop, B bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of B