Toda una Vida in A

Osvaldo Farrés(1946)boleroBolero lento
Do Re MiC D E
A
Instrument
GuitarUkuleleBassPiano
A
A
B
A
A
F♯m
Bm
E7
A
F♯7
Bm
E7
A
F♯m
Bm
E7
A
F♯7
Bm
E7
D
Dm
A
F♯7
Bm7
E7
A
E7
A
F♯m
Bm
E7
A
F♯7
Bm
E7

Chord Diagrams — Toda una Vida in A (Guitar)

Toda una Vida in A

Osvaldo Farrés, el mismo compositor de 'Quizás, Quizás, Quizás', escribió 'Toda una Vida' en 1946. Nat King Cole, Pedro Vargas y Trío Los Panchos la convirtieron en uno de los boleros clave de la era de oro cubana. La frase 'toda una vida estaría contigo' — quizás la declaración de amor más completa del idioma — descansa sobre la progresión I-VI-II-V en Do mayor con esa sombra de Fm que la hace irresistible.

Toda una Vida in A

A major is a rock and blues cornerstone. The open A string delivers a strong root, while both E strings ring as the fifth. Classic A-D-E progressions practically play themselves with open cowboy chords. The open high E is the fifth, reinforcing power. A is a beginner-level key on guitar because the open A string is the root and the open E strings provide the fifth above and below, creating a massive low-end anchor. Beginners will find this key approachable since most chords use open voicings with minimal stretching.

Voice Leading

The bass line moves through A to F# (descending minor third), F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to F# (ascending whole step), F# to D (descending major third), D to D (ascending unison), D to B (descending minor third). 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 B to A by whole step.

Scales for Improvisation

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

bolero4/4 · 32 bars · Form: AABA

Chords: A, F♯m, Bm, E7, F♯7, D, Dm, Bm7.