Nefertiti in B
Chord Diagrams — Nefertiti in B (Guitar)
Nefertiti in B
Wayne Shorter's through-composed masterpiece from Miles Davis's second quintet, where the melody repeats while the rhythm section improvises freely.
Nefertiti 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 A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to G# (ascending tritone), G# to C# (ascending perfect fourth), C# to C (descending half step), C to C (ascending unison), C to B (descending half step), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to F (ascending half step), F to D# (descending whole step), D# to A (ascending tritone), A to F (descending major third), F to B (ascending tritone). 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 B to A by whole step.
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.