the Teddy Wilson school · ii–V–I in B major
Stride Tenths in B Major
The notes
| Chord | Notes (low → high) | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| C♯m9 | C♯ – E – G♯ – B – D♯ | root · ♭3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9 |
| F♯9 | F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – E – G♯ | root · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9 |
| Bmaj9 | B – D♯ – F♯ – A♯ – C♯ | root · 3 · 5 · 7 · 9 |
Why it works
From C♯m9 to F♯9, 5 voices move (C♯2→F♯2, E3→A♯3, G♯3→C♯4, B3→E4, D♯4→G♯4) against 0 held tones. Into Bmaj9, 5 voices settle by step or small leap (total motion of just 34 semitones). Smoothness here is measurable, not a metaphor.
B 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 B1 in octave 1.
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
The swing-era left hand: root and third spread a tenth apart, under a right-hand chord. Read the full story and get it in all 12 keys →
Listen: Teddy Wilson with Billie Holiday; Art Tatum's left hand; Fats Waller's stride.
Around the circle
Practice keys in the order bassists walk them — up a fourth: ← G♭ · B · E →