Sabiá in E

Tom Jobim / Chico Buarque(1968)bossa-novaBossa nova lenta
Do Re MiC D E
E
Instrument
GuitarUkuleleBassPiano
A
A
B
A
Emaj7
F♯m7
B7
Emaj7
Em7
A7
Dmaj7
B7
Emaj7
F♯m7
B7
Emaj7
Em7
A7
Dmaj7
B7
G♯m7
C♯m7
F♯m7
B7
G♯m7♭5
C♯7
F♯m7
B7
Emaj7
F♯m7
B7
Emaj7
Em7
A7
Dmaj7
B7

Chord Diagrams — Sabiá in E (Guitar)

Sabiá in E

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

bossa-nova4/4 · 32 bars · Form: AABA

Chords: Emaj7, F♯m7, B7, Em7, A7, Dmaj7, G♯m7, C♯m7, G♯m7♭5, C♯7.