La Comparsa in A

La Comparsa in A

La Comparsa in A: Ernesto Lecuona's minor danzón. Aeolian and Harmonic Minor scales give this groove its characteristic dark edge. Chords: Am11 – A7alt – Dm9 – C – B7alt – E7 – E7/C# – E7b9 – Ami7 – F9 – A#6 – F7 – Cm7 – F9sus4 – D# – A# – G#9 – G9sus – G7 – Dmi7 – G7b9 – A#maj7 – C#9#11 – G# – C# – C#7 – D#m7 – G#7 – A#69 – D#69 – F – F7sus – B7b5 – A – E7/D – Edim7.

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