Do Re MiC D E

The Midnight Sun Never Sets

Quincey Jones / Henri Salvador(1959)4/4ballad

Chord Diagrams — The Midnight Sun Never Sets in G (Guitar)

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The Midnight Sun Never Sets in G

Key of G

G major is the singer-songwriter's key. The open G, B, and D strings spell out the full G major triad with zero fretting. Add the open high E for a Gadd6 shimmer. Nearly every diatonic chord (Em, Am, C, D) has a comfortable open voicing. G is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open G, B, and D strings form a complete G major triad without fretting a single note, and the open low E adds a rich 6th color. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

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

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.

ballad4/4 · 27 bars · Form: AB

Chords: GMaj7, A, E7, Bm7, Am7, D7, CMaj7, G7, Dm7, B7, F♯m7♭5, A7, Em7, Gm7, C7, FMaj7, A♯7, G♯, Cm, D♯7, F7, Daug.

Scales for Improvisation G bebop, G bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of G