the McCoy Tyner school · ii–V–I in B major
Quartal Voicings in B Major
The notes
| Chord | Notes (low → high) | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| C♯m11 | C♯ – G♯ – F♯ – B – E | root · 5 · 11 · ♭7 · ♭3 |
| F♯7sus | F♯ – C♯ – F♯ – B – E | root · 5 · root · 11 · ♭7 |
| B6/9 | B – F♯ – D♯ – G♯ – C♯ | root · 5 · 3 · 6 · 9 |
Why it works
From C♯m11 to F♯7sus, 2 voices move (C♯3→F♯2, G♯3→C♯3) against 3 held tones. Into B6/9, 5 voices settle by step or small leap (total motion of just 19 semitones). Smoothness here is measurable, not a metaphor.
B major puts 10 of the 15 notes on black keys, so the hand rides high on the keyboard — many players find these grips easier to grab here, the way Irving Berlin could only play in F♯. The lowest note is F♯2 in the low register.
Practice tip: play the progression rubato first and listen for the held tones, then put the metronome on 2 and 4 at a slow tempo. When the grab is automatic, move around the circle of fourths — you are coming from G♭ and headed to E. Say the chord symbols out loud as you play; naming and hearing are different skills, and you want both.
Where B major lives in the repertoire
B major barely exists in the pre-war songbook, then Coltrane made it unavoidable: it is one of the three key centers of "Giant Steps", and post-Coltrane harmony visits it constantly. Five sharps look forbidding on paper, but the hand discovers what Chopin told his students — the long fingers belong on the black keys. Meet this key before a Coltrane tune introduces you the hard way.
About this voicing style
Stacked fourths over open fifths — the modern, open, modal sound. Read the full story and get it in all 12 keys →
Listen: McCoy Tyner — "Passion Dance"; Chick Corea — "Matrix" comping.
Around the circle
Practice keys in the order bassists walk them — up a fourth: ← G♭ · B · E →