the Teddy Wilson school · ii–V–I in E major
Stride Tenths in E Major
The notes
| Chord | Notes (low → high) | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| F♯m9 | F♯ – A – C♯ – E – G♯ | root · ♭3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9 |
| B9 | B – D♯ – F♯ – A – C♯ | root · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9 |
| Emaj9 | E – G♯ – B – D♯ – F♯ | root · 3 · 5 · 7 · 9 |
Why it works
From F♯m9 to B9, 5 voices move (F♯2→B2, A3→D♯4, C♯4→F♯4, E4→A4, G♯4→C♯5) against 0 held tones. Into Emaj9, 5 voices settle by step or small leap (total motion of just 34 semitones). Smoothness here is measurable, not a metaphor.
E major puts 9 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 E2 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 B and headed to A. Say the chord symbols out loud as you play; naming and hearing are different skills, and you want both.
Where E major lives in the repertoire
E major is nearly absent from the classic songbook — which is precisely why it shows up in auditions and why modern composers (and guitarist-led bands) reach for it. Treat this page as insurance: the cadence feels different when the 3rd of the tonic is a black key under your thumb, and you want to have met that feeling before the gig does.
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: ← B · E · A →