I've arranged “Ebb Tide" using my 2+2 chord-arranging style for solo piano.
"Ebb Tide" was written by Robert Maxwell, with lyrics by Carl Sigman; its melody was intended to evoke the feeling of the sea’s tide and quickly became a romantic pop and jazz standard. It has been recorded by many major singers, notably Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and the duo The Righteous Brothers, whose dramatic version renewed its popularity. Jazz pianists have also interpreted the tune, including Oscar Peterson.
In 2+2 chord arranging, each hand plays two notes: the left hand anchors the harmony (usually Root and 7th or Root and 3rd, and sometimes Root and 5th on tonic chords when the root is in the lead), while the right-hand thumb fills in whichever tone (3rd or 7th) the left hand leaves out, and the remaining fingers carry the melody.
This approach creates a hand‑friendly, balanced, and versatile texture. The left hand alone can provide a sufficient accompaniment and further add rhythmic movement, while the right hand is free to shape the melody, add fills, or improvise without feeling cramped. With time and practice, 2+2 stops feeling like a “method” and becomes an instinctive way to hear and play chord changes.
I’ve arranged 1,400 arrangements of standards and produced 65 tutorials, all available at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas
I was also the technical editor for Mark Levine’s The Jazz Theory Book and a contributor to The Jazz Piano Book.
