the McCoy Tyner school · ii–V–I in G♭ (F♯) major
Quartal Voicings in G♭ Major
The notes
| Chord | Notes (low → high) | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| A♭m11 | A♭ – E♭ – D♭ – G♭ – C♭ | root · 5 · 11 · ♭7 · ♭3 |
| D♭7sus | D♭ – A♭ – D♭ – G♭ – C♭ | root · 5 · root · 11 · ♭7 |
| G♭6/9 | G♭ – D♭ – B♭ – E♭ – A♭ | root · 5 · 3 · 6 · 9 |
Why it works
From A♭m11 to D♭7sus, 2 voices move (A♭2→D♭2, E♭3→A♭2) against 3 held tones. Into G♭6/9, 5 voices settle by step or small leap (total motion of just 19 semitones). Smoothness here is measurable, not a metaphor.
G♭ major puts 13 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 D♭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 D♭ and headed to B. Say the chord symbols out loud as you play; naming and hearing are different skills, and you want both.
Where G♭ major lives in the repertoire
G♭ major is the deep end: six flats, almost no standards natively in the key, and a spelling quirk — the voicing here may contain C♭ or F♭, which sit on white keys despite the flats. Players who work through G♭ report the same surprise Irving Berlin institutionalized: the black-key terrain is actually comfortable once the eye stops panicking. This is the key that proves you really know the shape.
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: ← D♭ · G♭ · B →