Aquarela do Brasil in E

Aquarela do Brasil in E

Aquarela do Brasil in E — Ary Barroso's samba classic. Explore Bebop Major and Major Pentatonic scales over these sophisticated changes. Chords: E6 – Em6 – C#7(b9) – C#7(#9) – F#m9 – B9 – EMaj7 – F#m7 – A#7b9 – A#(b5) – E7 – D#7 – D7 – C#7 – G#MI7(b5) – F#mi – F#mi(#5) – F#mi6 – F#mi7 – D9 – D#7(#9)/G# – G#MI7 – C#Maj7 – F#9 – EMaj9 – B7(#9).

Aquarela do Brasil in 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 E to E (ascending unison), E to C# (descending minor third), C# to C# (ascending unison), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to F# (ascending whole step), F# to A# (ascending major third), A# to A# (ascending unison), A# to E (ascending tritone), E to D# (descending half step), D# to D (descending half step), D to C# (descending half step), C# to G# (descending perfect fourth), G# to F# (descending whole step), F# to F# (ascending unison), F# to F# (ascending unison), F# to F# (ascending unison), F# to D (descending major third), D to D# (ascending half step), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to E (descending whole step), E to B (descending perfect fourth). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The predominantly stepwise bass motion creates smooth, connected voice leading. When the progression loops, the bass returns from B to E by perfect fourth.

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.