A Media Luz in E

Edgardo Donato / Carlos Lenzi(1925)tangoTango moderato
Do Re MiC D E
E
Instrument
GuitarUkuleleBassPiano
A
A
B
A
Em
B7
Em
B7
Am
Em
B7
Em
Em
B7
Em
B7
Am
Em
B7
Em
G
D7
G
D7
C
G
B7
Em
Em
B7
Em
B7
Am
Em
B7
Em

Chord Diagrams — A Media Luz in E (Guitar)

A Media Luz in E

Edgardo Donato compuso 'A Media Luz' en 1925 con letra de Carlos Lenzi; es uno de los tangos más evocadores de la Buenos Aires porteña: un apartamento de Corrientes, media luz, almohadones, bizcochitos y aquella nota de Jardín Oriental. Carlos Gardel la grabó en 1931 y la eternizó. La atmósfera se construye en Gm: la oscuridad media del título no necesita dramatismo, sólo tensión contenida. El puente en Bb mayor lleva la memoria hacia la luz antes de que el Gm la devuelva a la penumbra.

A Media Luz 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 E to B (descending perfect fourth), B to A (descending whole step), A to G (descending whole step), G to D (descending perfect fourth), D to C (descending whole step). The predominantly stepwise bass motion creates smooth, connected voice leading. When the progression loops, the bass returns from C to E 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.

tango4/4 · 32 bars · Form: AABA

Chords: Em, B7, Am, G, D7, C.