What key is Come Rain Or Come Shine in?

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

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.

swing4/4 · 32 bars · Form: AB

Chords: ReMaj7, Sol♯m7♭5, Do♯m7♭5, Fa♯7♭9, Sim7, Mi9, Mim7, La7, Re7, Lam7, Solm7, Rem, Solm, Mim7♭5, La7♭5, La75, La7♯5, Sim7♭5, Mi7♭9, Lam, Dom7, Fa♯m7, La♯m7♭5, Re♯m7, Sol♯7, Fa♯7, Sol7, Si7, DoMaj7, Mi7, Fa9, Mi7/f.

Scales for Improvisation Re bebop, Re bebop major.