Someone to Watch Over Me in B

George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / Howard Dietz(1926)swing
Do Re MiC D E
A
B

Chord Diagrams — Someone to Watch Over Me in B (Guitar)

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Someone to Watch Over Me 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 E (ascending minor third), E to D (descending whole step), D to F# (ascending major third), F# to C (ascending tritone), C to C# (ascending half step), C# to D# (ascending whole step), D# to E (ascending half step), E to F (ascending half step), F to D# (descending whole step), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to E (descending major third), E to D# (descending half step), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to A# (ascending whole step), A# to E (ascending tritone). 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 E to B by perfect fourth.

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 · 26 bars · Form: AB

Chords: B, B7, C♯, Edim, Ddim, F♯7, Cdim, C♯m7, D♯dim, E6, Fm7♭5, D♯7, G♯7, E, D♯m7, G♯m7, A♯7, E7.

Scales for Improvisation B bebop, B bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of B