How Insensitive in E

How Insensitive in E

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

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.