Mambo No. 5 in B

Dámaso Pérez Prado(1949)mamboMambo vivo
Do Re MiC D E
B
Instrument
GuitarUkuleleBassPiano
A
A
B
A
Section A
B
B
F♯7
F♯7
B
E
F♯7
B
Section A
B
B
F♯7
F♯7
B
E
F♯7
B
Section B
E
E
B
B
F♯7
F♯7
B
F♯7
Section A
B
B
F♯7
F♯7
B
E
F♯7
B

Chord Diagrams — Mambo No. 5 in B (Guitar)

B
EADGBE111234
4frEADGBE111xx47frEADGBE1113429frEADGBE11x243
F♯7
EADGBE111132
4frEADGBE11x3247frEADGBEx3241x9frEADGBE111134
E
EADGBE231
2frEADGBExx12434frEADGBE1114327frEADGBE111234

Mambo No. 5 in B

Dámaso Pérez Prado, el 'Rey del Mambo', compuso 'Mambo No. 5' en La Habana en 1949. En 1999, Lou Bega lo revivió con una letra nueva y lo convirtió en uno de los singles más vendidos del siglo. El mambo — fusión de son cubano con big band jazz — es el antepasado de la salsa: energía pura en Si bemol mayor con metales que disparan como cañones.

Mambo No. 5 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). The mix of stepwise and leap motion balances smoothness with harmonic drive. 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.

mambo4/4 · 32 bars · Form: AABA

Chords: B, F♯7, E.

Related Standards

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