Aquarela do Brasil in A

Ary Barroso(1939)sambaSamba
Do Re MiC D E
A
B
C
D
E

Chord Diagrams — Aquarela do Brasil in A (Guitar)

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Aquarela do Brasil in A

Aquarela do Brasil in A — Ary Barroso's samba classic. Explore Bebop Major and Major Pentatonic scales over these sophisticated changes. Chords: A6 – Am6 – F#7b9#5 – F#7b9 – Bm9 – E9 – Amaj9 – Bm7 – Amaj7 – D#9b5 – A7 – G#7 – G7 – F#7 – C#m7b5 – Bm – Bm#5 – Bm6 – G9 – G#7#9 – C#m7 – F#m7 – B9 – E7b9.

Aquarela do Brasil in A

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

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.

samba4/4 · 51 bars · Form: ABCDE

Chords: A6, Am6, F♯7♭9♯5, F♯7♭9, Bm9, E9, Amaj9, Bm7, Amaj7, D♯9♭5, A7, G♯7, G7, F♯7, C♯m7♭5, Bm, Bm♯5, Bm6, G9, G♯7♯9, C♯m7, F♯m7, B9, E7♭9.

Scales for Improvisation A bebop, A bebop major.

Diatonic chords: See all chords in the key of A