Siembra in B

Siembra in B

Siembra in B: Rubén Blades's minor salsa. Dorian and Harmonic Minor scales give this groove its characteristic dark edge. Chords: Cm9 – F#maj7#11 – A# – C#13sus – A13sus – A13b9 – G13sus – G7alt – Fsus – D#sus – Csus – A#sus – G#sus – Gsus – C7sus – D7#9#5 – G9sus – G7#9#5 – G7#5 – Fm9 – D# – Gm7b5 – F# – F#maj9 – C7b9 – Am7b5 – D13sus – A – F – D#9 – G#9 – G#13 – C7b9#5 – F#7b9 – A#13sus – Bm7#5 – G#13#11 – F13sus.

Siembra in B

B major mixes barre and open elements. The B chord itself is a barre at fret 2, but E and A are comfortable open chords forming the IV and V. The open B string rings as the root, allowing creative drone-based arrangements. B is a intermediate-level key on guitar because the open B string rings as the root and the open E strings provide the 4th — useful for sus4 voicings and drone effects. This key mixes open and barre shapes, making it a good intermediate challenge that builds fretboard fluency.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through C to F# (ascending tritone), F# to A# (ascending major third), A# to C# (ascending minor third), C# to A (descending major third), A to A (ascending unison), A to G (descending whole step), G to G (ascending unison), G to F (descending whole step), F to D# (descending whole step), D# to C (descending minor third), C to A# (descending whole step), A# to G# (descending whole step), G# to G (descending half step), G to C (ascending perfect fourth), C to D (ascending whole step), D to G (ascending perfect fourth), G to G (ascending unison), G to G (ascending unison), G to F (descending whole step), F to D# (descending whole step), D# to G (ascending major third), G to F# (descending half step), F# to F# (ascending unison), F# to C (ascending tritone), C to A (descending minor third), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to A (descending perfect fourth), A to F (descending major third), F to D# (descending whole step), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to G# (ascending unison), G# to C (ascending major third), C to F# (ascending tritone), F# to A# (ascending major third), A# to B (ascending half step), B to G# (descending minor third), G# to F (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 F to C by perfect fourth.

Scales for Improvisation

B 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, B Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.