La Comparsa in E
La Comparsa in E
La Comparsa in E: Ernesto Lecuona's minor danzón. Aeolian and Harmonic Minor scales give this groove its characteristic dark edge. Chords: Em11 – E7alt – Am9 – G – F#7alt – B7 – B7/C# – B7b9 – Emi7 – C9 – F6 – C7 – Gm7 – C9sus4 – A# – F – D#9 – D9sus – D7 – Ami7 – D7b9 – Fmaj7 – G#9#11 – D# – G# – G#7 – A#m7 – D#7 – F69 – A#69 – C – C7sus – F#7b5 – E – B7/D – Bdim7.
La Comparsa 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 A (ascending perfect fourth), A to G (descending whole step), G to F# (descending half step), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to B (ascending unison), B to B (ascending unison), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to C (descending major third), C to F (ascending perfect fourth), F to C (descending perfect fourth), C to G (descending perfect fourth), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to A# (descending whole step), A# to F (descending perfect fourth), F to D# (descending whole step), D# to D (descending half step), D to D (ascending unison), D to A (descending perfect fourth), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to F (ascending minor third), F to G# (ascending minor third), G# to D# (descending perfect fourth), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to G# (ascending unison), G# to A# (ascending whole step), A# to D# (ascending perfect fourth), D# to F (ascending whole step), F to A# (ascending perfect fourth), A# to C (ascending whole step), C to C (ascending unison), C to F# (ascending tritone), F# to E (descending whole step), E to B (descending perfect fourth), B to B (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 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.