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Waltz For Debby in G
Waltz for Debby in G: 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: Bm7 – E7b5 – E7 – C#m7 – F#7 – G11 – G7 – CMaj7 – F9 – Em – Em7/Bb – A7/a – Cdim7 – G6/g – A#dim7 – Am7 – D9 – D7b9 – G – G69 – Em7 – D7 – B7 – Bm7b5 – A7 – Am7b5 – D7/Ab – F#7/c – D#m7 – BMaj7 – A#m7 – Dm7/Eb – A9 – A#7.
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 B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to E (ascending unison), E to C# (descending minor third), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to G (ascending half step), G to G (ascending unison), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to E (descending half step), E to E (ascending unison), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to C (ascending minor third), C to G (descending perfect fourth), G to A# (ascending minor third), A# to A (descending half step), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to D (ascending unison), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to G (ascending unison), G to E (descending minor third), E to D (descending whole step), D to B (descending minor third), B to B (ascending unison), B to A (descending whole step), A to A (ascending unison), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to F# (ascending major third), F# to D# (descending minor third), D# to B (descending major third), B to A# (descending half step), A# to D (ascending major third), D to A (descending perfect fourth), A to A# (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 A# to B by half step.
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.