Bill Evans, Kind of Blue · ii–V–I in G♭ (F♯) major
The "So What" Voicing in G♭ 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 |
|---|---|---|
| A♭m11 | A♭ – D♭ – G♭ – C♭ – E♭ | root · 11 · ♭7 · ♭3 · 5 |
| D♭7sus(♯9) | D♭ – G♭ – C♭ – F♭ – A♭ | root · 11 · ♭7 · ♯9 · 5 |
| G♭maj13 | B♭ – E♭ – A♭ – D♭ – F | 3 · 13 · 9 · 5 · 7 |
Why it works
From A♭m11 to D♭7sus(♯9), 5 voices move (A♭2→D♭3, D♭3→G♭3, G♭3→C♭4, C♭4→F♭4, E♭4→A♭4) against 0 held tones. Into G♭maj13, 5 voices settle by step or small leap (total motion of just 15 semitones). Smoothness here is measurable, not a metaphor.
G♭ major puts 11 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 A♭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
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: ← D♭ · G♭ · B →