La Cumparsita in B

La Cumparsita in B

Gerardo Matos Rodríguez compuso 'La Cumparsita' en 1917 siendo estudiante universitario en Montevideo. Es el tango más conocido del mundo: la melodía de Sol menor ha sido grabada más de 2.000 veces. Roberto Firpo, Gardel y Piazzolla la interpretaron. El título viene de 'comparsa', el desfile de carnaval: una procesión de melancolía rioplatense.

La Cumparsita 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 F# (descending perfect fourth), F# to D (descending major third), D to E (ascending whole step). 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 E 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.