Só Danço Samba in E

Só Danço Samba in E

Só Danço Samba in E — Antonio Carlos Jobim / Vinicius de Moraes's samba classic. Explore Bebop Major and Major Pentatonic scales over these sophisticated changes. Chords: E6/9 – A9 – F#9 – F#m9 – B9 – Bm7 – E9 – Amaj7 – A6 – C#m7 – B7.

Só Danço Samba 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 A (ascending perfect fourth), A to F# (descending minor third), F# to F# (ascending unison), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to B (ascending unison), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to A (ascending unison), A to C# (ascending major third), C# to B (descending whole step). 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.