El Brindis in D

El Brindis in D

Pedro Junco Jr., el compositor de 'Nosotros', escribió 'Soy como quise ser' —conocida también como 'El Brindis'— en 1945, poco antes de morir de tuberculosis a los 24 años. La Sonora Santanera y Roberto Ledesma la popularizaron. La imagen del hombre que brinda por su amor perdido sabiendo que no lo tendrá más tiene una autenticidad trágica que le da al bolero su peso emocional característico.

El Brindis in D

D major is one of guitar's most resonant keys. The open D string acts as a droning root, and the open A string provides the fifth. This gives D-based strumming a wide, ringing quality that flatpicks and fingerpicks love. D is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open D and A strings provide a powerful bass foundation, and the open high E is the 2nd scale degree adding brightness. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through D to A (descending perfect fourth), A to B (ascending whole step), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to G (ascending minor third), G to G (ascending unison), G to B (ascending major third). 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 D by minor third.

Scales for Improvisation

D 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, D Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.