Piano · Level 10 · Expert

A neo-soul chord loop in E♭ major on Piano

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THE SHORT ANSWER

Extended chords in a slow, looping progression give the floating sound of neo-soul. This is a test of voicing control and gentle timing.

A♭maj9

A♭ major ninth

Notes: A♭ · C · E♭ · G · B♭

Left hand: A♭2
♭♭♭

Gm7

G minor seventh

Notes: G · B♭ · D · F

Left hand: G2
♭

Cm9

C minor ninth

Notes: C · E♭ · G · B♭ · D

Left hand: C2
♭♭

Fm9

F minor ninth

Notes: F · A♭ · C · E♭ · G

Left hand: F2
♭♭

B♭13

B♭ dominant thirteenth

Notes: B♭ · D · F · A♭ · C · G

Left hand: B♭2
♭♭

E♭maj9

E♭ major ninth

Notes: E♭ · G · B♭ · D · F

Left hand: E♭2
♭♭
1
A♭maj9
2
Gm7
3
Cm9
4
Cm9
5
Fm9
6
B♭13
7
E♭maj9
8
E♭maj9

HOW TO PRACTISE IT

Six steps to a clean loop.

  1. Play each chord on its own: A♭maj9, Gm7, Cm9, Fm9, B♭13 and E♭maj9. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
  2. Keep the right hand curved over the keys and move it as one unit between chords.
  3. Set the tempo to 81 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Play behind the beat with a light touch, and keep every voicing close to the last.
  4. Play the left-hand bass note on beat one and the right-hand chord on every beat.
  5. Raise the tempo to 108 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
  6. Record one take, listen back and check for smooth, connected voicings with a clear top note.

Listen for

Aim for smooth, connected voicings with a clear top note. A common mistake is playing the chords too short or too loud.

Why it works

Starting on IV delays the arrival on I; the extensions blur the chord functions for a dreamy effect.

E♭ major has 3 flats; its relative minor key is C minor.

Questions

What are the chords in IVmaj9–iii7–vi9–ii9–V13 in E♭ major?

In E♭ major the progression is A♭maj9 | Gm7 | Cm9 | Cm9 | Fm9 | B♭13 | E♭maj9 | E♭maj9.

What is the key signature of E♭ major?

E♭ major has 3 flats. Its relative minor is C minor.

Is this lesson right for my level?

This is a level 10 lesson (expert). If it feels too hard, start with “The jazz blues”.

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