Siembra in D

Siembra in D

Siembra in D: Rubén Blades's minor salsa. Dorian and Harmonic Minor scales give this groove its characteristic dark edge. Chords: D#m9 – Amaj7#11 – C# – E13sus – C13sus – C13b9 – A#13sus – A#7alt – G#sus – F#sus – D#sus – C#sus – Bsus – A#sus – D#7sus – F7#9#5 – A#9sus – A#7#9#5 – A#7#5 – G#m9 – F# – A#m7b5 – A – Amaj9 – D#7b9 – Cm7b5 – F13sus – C – G# – F#9 – B9 – B13 – D#7b9#5 – A7b9 – C#13sus – Dm7#5 – B13#11 – G#13sus.

Siembra in D

D major is one of guitar's most resonant keys. The open D string acts as a droning root, and the open A string provides the fifth. This gives D-based strumming a wide, ringing quality that flatpicks and fingerpicks love. D is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open D and A strings provide a powerful bass foundation, and the open high E is the 2nd scale degree adding brightness. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

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

Scales for Improvisation

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