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Every Breath You Take in A
Key of 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 A (ascending unison), A to F# (descending minor third), F# to D (descending major third), D to D (ascending unison), D to E (ascending whole step), E to E (ascending unison), E to C (descending major third), C to B (descending half step), B to B (ascending unison), B to F (ascending tritone), F to G (ascending whole step). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The predominantly stepwise bass motion creates smooth, connected voice leading. When the progression loops, the bass returns from G to A by whole step.
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. Try the major blues scale — adding the flat 3rd as a passing chromatic note gives bends and slides an expressive, soulful quality.