La Valentina in B
La Valentina in B
La Valentina es un corrido revolucionario mexicano cuyo origen se disputa entre Jalisco y Sinaloa, popularizado durante la Revolución Mexicana de 1910. 'Valentina, Valentina / yo te quisiera decir / que por Dios me estoy muriendo / pero no es por ti'. La paradoja —muero pero no es por ti— es el humor negro del corrido: machismo, amor y muerte mezclados con guitarras. El C-G7-F es el corrido en su forma más desnuda: tres acordes, una historia, un pueblo entero que la canta.
La Valentina 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 E (descending whole step), E to G# (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 G# to B by minor third.
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.