Bill Evans, Kind of Blue · ii–V–I in B major
The "So What" Voicing in B 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 |
|---|---|---|
| C♯m11 | C♯ – F♯ – B – E – G♯ | root · 11 · ♭7 · ♭3 · 5 |
| F♯7sus(♯9) | F♯ – B – E – A – C♯ | root · 11 · ♭7 · ♯9 · 5 |
| Bmaj13 | D♯ – G♯ – C♯ – F♯ – A♯ | 3 · 13 · 9 · 5 · 7 |
Why it works
From C♯m11 to F♯7sus(♯9), 5 voices move (C♯3→F♯3, F♯3→B3, B3→E4, E4→A4, G♯4→C♯5) against 0 held tones. Into Bmaj13, 5 voices settle by step or small leap (total motion of just 15 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 C♯3 in the octave below middle C.
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
Three fourths plus a major third on top. One grip, planed across all three chords. Read the full story and get it in all 12 keys →
Listen: Miles Davis — "So What" (Evans behind the theme); Herbie Hancock — "Maiden Voyage".
Around the circle
Practice keys in the order bassists walk them — up a fourth: ← G♭ · B · E →