When Sunny Gets Blue in D

Marvin Fisher / Jack Segal(1956)swing
Do Re MiC D E
A
B

Chord Diagrams — When Sunny Gets Blue in D (Guitar)

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When Sunny Gets Blue in D

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 E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to G (descending whole step), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to D (ascending whole step), D to F# (ascending major third), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to G# (descending minor third), G# to D (ascending tritone), D to F (ascending minor third), F to A# (ascending perfect fourth), A# to G (descending minor third), G to B (ascending major third), B to C# (ascending whole step), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to D# (ascending major third), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to B (ascending minor third), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A (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 A to E by perfect fourth.

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.

swing4/4 · 27 bars · Form: AB

Chords: Em7, A7, Gm7, C7, DMaj7, F♯m7, B7, G♯m7♭5, DMaj7/F♯, Fm7, A♯7, G7, B7♭9, C♯m7, F♯7♭9, BMaj7, D♯m7, G♯7♯9, Bm7, E7, AMaj7.

Scales for Improvisation D bebop, D bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of D