Pedro Navaja in G#

Pedro Navaja in G#

Rubén Blades compuso 'Pedro Navaja' en 1978 para el álbum 'Siembra' con Willie Colón, el disco de salsa más vendido de la historia. La crónica de un machetero y una prostituta que se matan mutuamente en un callejón neoyorquino — con el comentario irónico de un borracho al final — es literatura pura: Gabriel García Márquez la comparó con el mejor periodismo. La progresión Fm-Db-C7 sobre montuno es el pulso de la salsa narrativa.

Pedro Navaja in G#

G# major (or Ab) lives at fret 4 on the low E string. All chords require barre technique, making it less common in guitar-centric songwriting but standard in piano-driven pop. Guitarists often use a capo to access friendlier shapes. G# is a intermediate-advanced-level key on guitar because the open G string is a half step below the root, creating dissonance — avoid letting it ring. Expect to rely on barre chords throughout, which builds hand strength and unlocks the entire fretboard.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through G# to E (descending major third), E to D# (descending half step), D# to B (descending major third), B to F# (descending perfect fourth). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. 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 F# to G# by whole step.

Scales for Improvisation

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