the Teddy Wilson school · ii–V–I in G♭ (F♯) major
Stride Tenths in G♭ Major
The notes
| Chord | Notes (low → high) | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| A♭m9 | A♭ – C♭ – E♭ – G♭ – B♭ | root · ♭3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9 |
| D♭9 | D♭ – F – A♭ – C♭ – E♭ | root · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9 |
| G♭maj9 | G♭ – B♭ – D♭ – F – A♭ | root · 3 · 5 · 7 · 9 |
Why it works
From A♭m9 to D♭9, 5 voices move (A♭1→D♭2, C♭3→F3, E♭3→A♭3, G♭3→C♭4, B♭3→E♭4) against 0 held tones. Into G♭maj9, 5 voices settle by step or small leap (total motion of just 34 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 G♭1 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 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
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: ← D♭ · G♭ · B →