the Herbie Hancock school · ii–V–I in A♭ major
Upper-Structure Triads in A♭ 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 |
|---|---|---|
| B♭m11 | D♭ – A♭ – A♭ – C – E♭ | ♭3 · ♭7 · ♭7 · 9 · 11 |
| E♭7(♯9♭13) | D♭ – G – C♭ – E♭ – G♭ | ♭7 · 3 · ♭13 · root · ♯9 |
| A♭maj9 | C – G – E♭ – G – B♭ | 3 · 7 · 5 · 7 · 9 |
Why it works
From B♭m11 to E♭7(♯9♭13), 4 voices move (A♭3→G3, A♭4→C♭5, C5→E♭5, E♭5→G♭5) against 1 held tone. Into A♭maj9, 4 voices settle by step or small leap (total motion of just 25 semitones). Smoothness here is measurable, not a metaphor.
A♭ 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 C3 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 E♭ and headed to D♭. Say the chord symbols out loud as you play; naming and hearing are different skills, and you want both.
Where A♭ major lives in the repertoire
A♭ major is the home key of "All the Things You Are" — the tune's long journey ends by cadencing into A♭ — and a favorite resolution point in the bebop songbook. Charlie Parker heads love living a half step above G, and pianists inherit the key whether they like it or not.
About this voicing style
A plain major triad stacked over the guide tones — simple triad, sophisticated colour. Read the full story and get it in all 12 keys →
Listen: Herbie Hancock behind Miles and on "Maiden Voyage"; McCoy Tyner's right-hand triads; Bill Dobbins' pedagogy.
Around the circle
Practice keys in the order bassists walk them — up a fourth: ← E♭ · A♭ · D♭ →