Siembra in A

Siembra in A

Siembra in A: Rubén Blades's minor salsa. Dorian and Harmonic Minor scales give this groove its characteristic dark edge. Chords: A#m9 – Emaj7#11 – G# – B13sus – G13sus – G13b9 – F13sus – F7alt – D#sus – C#sus – A#sus – G#sus – F#sus – Fsus – A#7sus – C7#9#5 – F9sus – F7#9#5 – F7#5 – D#m9 – C# – Fm7b5 – E – Emaj9 – A#7b9 – Gm7b5 – C13sus – G – D# – C#9 – F#9 – F#13 – A#7b9#5 – E7b9 – G#13sus – Am7#5 – F#13#11 – D#13sus.

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