What Is This Thing Called Love in La
What Is This Thing Called Love in La
Cole Porter's composition builds dramatic tension through a minor bridge that introduces Locrian and Harmonic Minor color, contrasting sharply with the Bebop Major vocabulary of the major sections. The abrupt shift to the parallel minor key on the bridge is one of the most striking harmonic moves in the standard repertoire. This contrast between major-key swing and minor-key gravity is the tune's defining dramatic arc.
What Is This Thing Called Love in La
A major is a rock and blues cornerstone. The open A string delivers a strong root, while both E strings ring as the fifth. Classic A-D-E progressions practically play themselves with open cowboy chords. The open high E is the fifth, reinforcing power. A is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open A string is the root and the open E strings provide the fifth above and below, creating a massive low-end anchor. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.
Voice Leading
The bass line moves through E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to B (descending minor third), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to B (ascending whole step), B to E (ascending perfect fourth). 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 E to E by unison.
Scales for Improvisation
A 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, A Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.