Pedro Navaja in E

Pedro Navaja in E

Pedro Navaja in E: Rubén Blades's minor salsa. Dorian and Harmonic Minor scales give this groove its characteristic dark edge. Chords: Esus4 – Dsus4 – F#m7 – G#7 – Gmaj7 – F# – E6 – C#7 – B7 – C7 – F6 – D7 – Gm7 – F#6 – D#7 – G#m7 – G6 – E7 – Am7 – G#6 – F7 – A#m7.

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

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.