How Insensitive in B

How Insensitive in B

Jobim's haunting bossa nova featuring a chromatically descending bass line over sustained minor tonality, one of the quintessential Brazilian jazz ballads.

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

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.