El Gran Varón in D
El Gran Varón in D
Willie Colón y Rubén Blades compusieron 'El Gran Varón' en 1989 como crónica social sobre un padre que rechaza a su hijo gay y lo pierde para siempre. Fue la primera canción de salsa en abordar el tema del SIDA y la homosexualidad con humanidad y sin sensacionalismo. Causó controversia y fue censurada en varios países, pero se convirtió en un hito de la salsa comprometida: música que enseña y duele.
El Gran Varón 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 G (ascending perfect fourth), G to A (ascending whole step), A to F (descending major third), F to C (descending 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 C to D by whole step.
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.