Lágrimas Negras in A

Miguel Matamoros(1929)bolero-sonBolero-son moderato
Do Re MiC D E
A
Instrument
GuitarUkuleleBassPiano
A
A
B
B
Am
E7
Am
E7
Dm
Am
E7
Am
Am
E7
Am
E7
Dm
Am
E7
Am
C
G7
C
G7
F
Dm
E7
Am
C
G7
C
G7
F
Dm
E7
Am

Chord Diagrams — Lágrimas Negras in A (Guitar)

Lágrimas Negras in A

Miguel Matamoros compuso 'Lágrimas Negras' en Santiago de Cuba en 1929. El Trío Matamoros la grabó; décadas después Bebo Valdés y Diego El Cigala la versionaron en 2003 en un álbum que ganó el Grammy Latino y revivió el interés global por el bolero-son cubano. La letra es un prodigio de paradoja: 'lloro sin que te enteres / lloro con alegría'. El tránsito Bm→D —menor al relativo mayor— es el llanto que se disfraza de sonrisa.

Lágrimas Negras in A

A major is a rock and blues cornerstone. The open A string delivers a strong root, while both E strings ring as the fifth. Classic A-D-E progressions practically play themselves with open cowboy chords. The open high E is the fifth, reinforcing power. A is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open A string is the root and the open E strings provide the fifth above and below, creating a massive low-end anchor. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through A to E (descending perfect fourth), E to D (descending whole step), D to C (descending whole step), C to G (descending perfect fourth), G to F (descending whole step). The predominantly stepwise bass motion creates smooth, connected voice leading. When the progression loops, the bass returns from F to A by major third.

Scales for Improvisation

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

bolero-son4/4 · 32 bars · Form: AABB

Chords: Am, E7, Dm, C, G7, F.