Dile a Catalina in E
Dile a Catalina in E
Dile a Catalina in E: Arsenio Rodríguez, arr. Irakere's son cubano. Mixolydian and Major Pentatonic scales bring out the groove and energy of these changes. Chords: E – A – B – F#m11 – Amaj7 – G#m7 – F#m7 – Emaj7 – D#m7b5 – G#7b9 – C#m7 – F#13 – B13 – E6 – E69 – A69 – D#7 – G#7 – C#m9 – F#13#11 – Cb13 – A13.
Dile a Catalina 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 A (ascending perfect fourth), A to B (ascending whole step), B to F# (descending perfect fourth), F# to A (ascending minor third), A to G# (descending half step), G# to F# (descending whole step), F# to E (descending whole step), E to D# (descending half step), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to E (ascending unison), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to D# (ascending tritone), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to Cb (ascending tritone), Cb to A (descending minor third). 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 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.