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Waltz For Debby in E
Waltz for Debby in E: 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: G#m7 – C#7b5 – C#7 – A#m7 – D#7 – E11 – E7 – AMaj7 – D9 – C#m – C#m7/Bb – F#7/a – Adim7 – E6/g – Gdim7 – F#m7 – B9 – B7b9 – E – E69 – C#m7 – B7 – G#7 – G#m7b5 – F#7 – F#m7b5 – B7/Ab – D#7/c – Cm7 – G#Maj7 – Gm7 – Bm7/Eb – F#9 – G7.
Key of 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 G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to C# (ascending unison), C# to A# (descending minor third), A# to D# (ascending perfect fourth), D# to E (ascending half step), E to E (ascending unison), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to C# (descending half step), C# to C# (ascending unison), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to A (ascending minor third), A to E (descending perfect fourth), E to G (ascending minor third), G to F# (descending half step), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to B (ascending unison), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to E (ascending unison), E to C# (descending minor third), C# to B (descending whole step), B to G# (descending minor third), G# to G# (ascending unison), G# to F# (descending whole step), F# to F# (ascending unison), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to D# (ascending major third), D# to C (descending minor third), C to G# (descending major third), G# to G (descending half step), G to B (ascending major third), B to F# (descending perfect fourth), F# to G (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 G to G# by half step.
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.