Sabiá in B

Sabiá in B

Tom Jobim y Chico Buarque compusieron 'Sabiá' en 1968 y ganó el Festival Internacional da Canção en Brasil —una victoria polémica que el público abucheó porque prefería a Caetano Veloso. Un sabiá es un tordo americano, ave símbolo de la añoranza del Brasil distante. La modulación Ebm7-Ab7-Dbmaj7 en la sección A —un ii-V-I que baja un semitono al bVI— es el giro jobimiano por excelencia: una caída armónica que lleva la melancolía exactamente adonde la letra la necesita.

Sabiá 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 C# (ascending whole step), C# to F# (ascending perfect fourth), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to D# (ascending tritone), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth), G# to D# (descending perfect fourth), D# to G# (ascending perfect fourth). 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 G# to B by minor third.

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.