Ojalá in E

Ojalá in E

Silvio Rodríguez compuso 'Ojalá' en 1969, una de las más complejas y hermosas canciones de la Nueva Trova Cubana. La letra es un contrafactual poético del desamor: 'ojalá que la lluvia deje de ser milagro que baja por tu cuerpo'. Sobre Re menor con una guitarra austera, Silvio construyó uno de los monumentos de la canción latinoamericana del siglo XX.

Ojalá in E

E major is arguably guitar's most powerful key. The open low E and high E strings ring sympathetically as the root, while the open B provides the fifth. This triple reinforcement gives E-based riffs and chords unmatched depth and volume. E is a beginner-level key on guitar because both the low E and high E strings ring as the root, and the open B is the fifth — three open strings reinforce the tonic chord. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

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

Scales for Improvisation

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