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Waltz For Debby in D
Waltz for Debby in D: Bill Evans's jazz waltz blossoms through lush upper-structure voicings and subtle harmonic extensions. Bebop Major and Lydian scales trace the major chord color — Dorian enriches the minor ii passages. Chords: F#m7 – B7b5 – B7 – G#m7 – C#7 – D11 – D7 – GMaj7 – C9 – Bm – Bm7/Bb – E7/a – Gdim7 – D6/g – Fdim7 – Em7 – A9 – A7b9 – D – D69 – Bm7 – A7 – F#7 – F#m7b5 – E7 – Em7b5 – A7/Ab – C#7/c – A#m7 – F#Maj7 – Fm7 – Am7/Eb – E9 – F7.
Key of D
D major is one of guitar's most resonant keys. The open D string acts as a droning root, and the open A string provides the fifth. This gives D-based strumming a wide, ringing quality that flatpicks and fingerpicks love. D is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open D and A strings provide a powerful bass foundation, and the open high E is the 2nd scale degree adding brightness. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.
Voice Leading
The bass line moves through F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to B (ascending unison), B to G# (descending minor third), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to D (ascending half step), D to D (ascending unison), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to B (descending half step), B to B (ascending unison), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to G (ascending minor third), G to D (descending perfect fourth), D to F (ascending minor third), F to E (descending half step), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to A (ascending unison), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to D (ascending unison), D to B (descending minor third), B to A (descending whole step), A to F# (descending minor third), F# to F# (ascending unison), F# to E (descending whole step), E to E (ascending unison), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to C# (ascending major third), C# to A# (descending minor third), A# to F# (descending major third), F# to F (descending half step), F to A (ascending major third), A to E (descending perfect fourth), E to F (ascending half step). 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 F to F# by half step.
Scales for Improvisation
D 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, D Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.