Lágrimas Negras in C

Miguel Matamoros(1929)bolero-sonBolero-son moderato
Do Re MiC D E
C
Instrument
GuitarUkuleleBassPiano
A
A
B
B
Cm
G7
Cm
G7
Fm
Cm
G7
Cm
Cm
G7
Cm
G7
Fm
Cm
G7
Cm
D♯
A♯7
D♯
A♯7
G♯
Fm
G7
Cm
D♯
A♯7
D♯
A♯7
G♯
Fm
G7
Cm

Chord Diagrams — Lágrimas Negras in C (Guitar)

Lágrimas Negras in C

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 C

With no sharps or flats, C major is the theoretical home base on guitar. The open G, B, and high E strings all belong to the C major chord, creating natural sustain. C is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open B and high E strings ring within the scale, and every basic chord uses familiar open shapes. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

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

Scales for Improvisation

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

bolero-son4/4 · 32 bars · Form: AABB

Chords: Cm, G7, Fm, D♯, A♯7, G♯.