Satin Doll in B

Satin Doll in B

B Satin Doll: Ellington's chain of ii-V pairs moving through multiple key areas in a single phrase. Dorian over the iim7 chords, Mixolydian over the dominants — textbook bebop vocabulary. Changes: C#m7 – F#7 – D#m7 – G#7 – G#m9 – C#9 – Gm9 – C9 – B – E7 – F#m7 – B7 – B7b9 – EMaj7 – G#m7 – Am7 – C#7 – C#7b9.

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

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.