Bill Evans, Kind of Blue · ii–V–I in D♭ (C♯) major
The "So What" Voicing 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 |
|---|---|---|
| E♭m11 | E♭ – A♭ – D♭ – G♭ – B♭ | root · 11 · ♭7 · ♭3 · 5 |
| A♭7sus(♯9) | A♭ – D♭ – G♭ – C♭ – E♭ | root · 11 · ♭7 · ♯9 · 5 |
| D♭maj13 | F – B♭ – E♭ – A♭ – C | 3 · 13 · 9 · 5 · 7 |
Why it works
From E♭m11 to A♭7sus(♯9), 5 voices move (E♭3→A♭3, A♭3→D♭4, D♭4→G♭4, G♭4→C♭5, B♭4→E♭5) against 0 held tones. Into D♭maj13, 5 voices settle by step or small leap (total motion of just 15 semitones). Smoothness here is measurable, not a metaphor.
D♭ major puts 12 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 E♭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 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 ballad country: "Body and Soul", the most-recorded standard of them all, lives here, and its opening bars work this exact cadence. Pianists tend to love D♭ — the hand falls naturally across the black keys — while horn players grumble; that tension is why jam-session versions stay put in D♭ and everyone is expected to cope.
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: ← A♭ · D♭ · G♭ →