Stormy Weather in E
Stormy Weather in E
Harold Arlen's torch-song standard blends blues and jazz harmony, drawing Dorian and Blues language into a deeply expressive E setting. Bebop Major lines add forward motion and brightness against the inherently dark emotional weight. Work through the E – Fdim7 – F#m7 – B9 – C#7 – B7#5b9 – A – G#m7 – B7b9 – Bm7 – E7 – F# – AMaj7 – EMaj7 – A#dim7 – G#7 – C#m7 – F#7 – B7 changes to develop seamless transition between blues intensity and swinging forward drive.
Stormy Weather in E
E major is arguably guitar's most powerful key. The open low E and high E strings ring sympathetically as the root, while the open B provides the fifth. This triple reinforcement gives E-based riffs and chords unmatched depth and volume. E is a beginner-level key on guitar because both the low E and high E strings ring as the root, and the open B is the fifth — three open strings reinforce the tonic chord. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.
Voice Leading
The bass line moves through E to F (ascending half step), F to F# (ascending half step), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to C# (ascending whole step), C# to B (descending whole step), B to A (descending whole step), A to G# (descending half step), G# to B (ascending minor third), B to B (ascending unison), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to F# (ascending whole step), F# to A (ascending minor third), A to E (descending perfect fourth), E to A# (ascending tritone), A# to G# (descending whole step), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The mix of stepwise and leap motion balances smoothness with harmonic drive. When the progression loops, the bass returns from B to E by perfect fourth.
Scales for Improvisation
E 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, E Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.