the McCoy Tyner school · ii–V–I in E♭ major
Quartal Voicings in E♭ Major
The notes
| Chord | Notes (low → high) | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Fm11 | F – C – B♭ – E♭ – A♭ | root · 5 · 11 · ♭7 · ♭3 |
| B♭7sus | B♭ – F – B♭ – E♭ – A♭ | root · 5 · root · 11 · ♭7 |
| E♭6/9 | E♭ – B♭ – G – C – F | root · 5 · 3 · 6 · 9 |
Why it works
From Fm11 to B♭7sus, 2 voices move (F3→B♭2, C4→F3) against 3 held tones. Into E♭6/9, 5 voices settle by step or small leap (total motion of just 19 semitones). Smoothness here is measurable, not a metaphor.
E♭ major puts 9 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 B♭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 B♭ and headed to A♭. Say the chord symbols out loud as you play; naming and hearing are different skills, and you want both.
Where E♭ major lives in the repertoire
E♭ major may be the most standard-dense key in jazz: "Misty" and "There Will Never Be Another You" both call it home, both saturated with exactly this cadence. It is also the key horn players default to, so a rhythm-section pianist ends up comping ii–V–I in E♭ more nights than in any other key. If you drill one non-C key to reflex level, make it this one.
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: ← B♭ · E♭ · A♭ →