'Round Midnight in Sol#

'Round Midnight in Sol#

Round Midnight in G#: Monk's late-night masterpiece chains minor key areas with brooding ii-V motion. Dorian and Harmonic Minor define the tonality while Locrian shadows the half-diminished chords — play it slow and let the dissonance breathe. Chords: Cm – Cm/D – Cm/Db – Adim7 – Fm7 – A#7 – Am7b5 – G#m7 – C#7 – Gm7 – C7 – D7b9 – G#7 – G7 – Dm7b5.

'Round Midnight in Sol#

G# major (or Ab) lives at fret 4 on the low E string. All chords require barre technique, making it less common in guitar-centric songwriting but standard in piano-driven pop. Guitarists often use a capo to access friendlier shapes. G# is a intermediate-advanced-level key on guitar because the open G string is a half step below the root, creating dissonance — avoid letting it ring. Expect to rely on barre chords throughout, which builds hand strength and unlocks the entire fretboard.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through C to C (ascending unison), C to C (ascending unison), C to A (descending minor third), A to F (descending major third), F to A# (ascending perfect fourth), A# to A (descending half step), A to G# (descending half step), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to G (ascending tritone), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to D (ascending whole step), D to G# (ascending tritone), G# to G (descending half step), G to D (descending perfect fourth). 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 C by whole step.

Scales for Improvisation

G# 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, G# Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.