the Bill Evans school · ii–V–I in D major
Rootless Voicings — A Form in D Major
The audio adds each chord's root in the bass — that's the context these rootless shapes are designed to sit in. The MIDI file is exactly the notation.
The notes
| Chord | Notes (low → high) | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Em9 | G – B – D – F♯ | ♭3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9 |
| A13 | G – B – C♯ – F♯ | ♭7 · 9 · 3 · 13 |
| Dmaj9 | F♯ – A – C♯ – E | 3 · 5 · 7 · 9 |
Why it works
From Em9 to A13, a single voice does all the work: D4 falls a half step to C♯4 while the other 3 notes hold. That stepwise pivot is the engine of the progression. Into Dmaj9, 3 voices settle by step (total motion of just 5 semitones). Smoothness here is measurable, not a metaphor.
In D major, 5 of the 12 notes fall on black keys — a mixed terrain that is exactly why this progression must be practiced in every key, not just C. The lowest note is F♯3 in the octave below middle C; below roughly C3, close intervals start to blur, and this voicing stays clear of that line.
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 A and headed to G. Say the chord symbols out loud as you play; naming and hearing are different skills, and you want both.
Where D major lives in the repertoire
D major is scarcer in the American songbook than its two open guitar strings suggest, but bossa nova adopted it wholeheartedly — Jobim's "Wave" is the canonical D major vehicle, and its final cadence is this progression. It also turns up mid-tune constantly as the ii–V–I of the relative approach to F♯ minor sections.
About this voicing style
The classic four-note left hand: 3–5–7–9 grammar, no root, maximum color. Read the full story and get it in all 12 keys →
Listen: Bill Evans — "Waltz for Debby"; Wynton Kelly on "Freddie Freeloader".
Around the circle
Practice keys in the order bassists walk them — up a fourth: ← A · D · G →