the Bud Powell school · ii–V–I in B major
Shell Voicings in B Major
The notes
| Chord | Notes (low → high) | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| C♯m7 | C♯ – B | root · ♭7 |
| F♯7 | F♯ – A♯ | root · 3 |
| Bmaj7 | B – A♯ | root · 7 |
Why it works
From C♯m7 to F♯7, 2 voices move (C♯3→F♯3, B3→A♯3) against 0 held tones. Into Bmaj7, 1 voice settles by step or small leap (total motion of just 7 semitones). Smoothness here is measurable, not a metaphor.
B major puts 4 of the 6 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 B2 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
Two notes per chord — root plus 3rd or 7th. The bebop left hand. Read the full story and get it in all 12 keys →
Listen: Bud Powell — "Celia"; Thelonious Monk's left hand on "Straight, No Chaser".
Around the circle
Practice keys in the order bassists walk them — up a fourth: ← G♭ · B · E →