Progression: Bb7sus — Eb/G — Ebm6/Gb
This MIDI loop captures the Modal Gospel essence of the Donny Hathaway sound. By transitioning from a bright Bb7sus into the Minor iv (Ebm6), this progression provides the "spiritual weight" and dark-to-light resolution characteristic of classic gospel-soul piano.
The sequence follows a soulful minor-subdominant turnaround:
| Bar | Chord | Harmonic Function | Root Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bar 1 | Bb7sus | I7 (Suspended Tonic) – The Church Start | Bb |
| Bar 2.1 | Eb/G | IV (Subdominant) – The Major Lift | G |
| Bar 2.2 | Ebm6/Gb | iv (Minor Subdominant) – The Soulful Turn | Gb |
"The secret to the Donny Hathaway sound is the 'Gospel Spread'—staggering the notes of the right-hand chord by 8–14 ticks so they roll into each other rather than hitting all at once."
