Berimbau in B

Berimbau in B

Baden Powell y Vinícius de Moraes crearon el afro-samba (1963) fundiendo música de Candomblé con samba y jazz. 'Berimbau' toma el nombre del instrumento de arco de la capoeira: el ostinato Dm–C imita su ritmo hipnótico. El puente B, modal y oscuro (Gm→Em7b5→A7b9), es puro misticismo afrobrasileño.

Berimbau 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 B to A (descending whole step), A to F# (descending minor third), F# to E (descending whole step), E to C# (descending minor third), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth). 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 F# to B by perfect fourth.

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.