Lesson Goal: To start internalizing Quartal Harmony…. by ear, intellect, eye, and muscles…
Table of Contents
Prerequisites
Basic music reading skills… the LOVE of music… and the discipline to study and practice.
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Why Study Quartal Harmony?
Because Quartal Harmony expands your capacity to create soundscapes beyond major, minor, modal, and blues.
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An Introduction to Quartal Harmony
Who says that chords can only be built by stacking major and minor thirds? Why not chords built by stacking perfect fourths?
Let’s build such a chord one-note-at-a-time using low C as our bass note…
Step 1. Play a low C…
Step 2. Add F (a perfect 4th above C)…
Step 3. Add Bb (a perfect 4th above F)…
Step 4. Add Eb (a perfect 4th above Bb)…
Step 5. Add Ab (a perfect 4th above Eb)…
Step 6. Add Db (a perfect 4th above Ab)…
Step 7. Add Gb (a perfect 4th above Db)…
Step 8. Add B (A perfect 4th above Gb)…
Step 9. Add E (a perfect 4th above B)…
Step 10. Add A (a perfect 4th above E)…
Step 11. Add D (a perfect 4th above A)…
Step 12. Add G (a perfect 4th above D)…
Step 13. Add C (a perfect 4th above G)…
Which brings us back to the note C–having used all 12 possible tones along the way. Interesting, huh?
Now let’s put it all together–and notice the uniquely dissonant, unstable, spacey, dreamy, “out there” sound-feeling created by this mutant chromatic scale-chord/chord-scale… that defines and contains its own very special kind of music. Used sparingly and with intent, it is a super hip and distinct soundscape to add to your bag.
Quartal Triads, All Keys
One way to voice a Q3 Chord (Quartal Triad) is play the root in the left hand and 1-4-b7 in the right hand, which fits the natural size and shape of your hand! As always, don’t just passively listen to these. Study and practice them using all four musical intelligences: ears, intellect, eyes, and muscles. If you do, they will magically start to show up in your improvisations–guaranteed!
CQ3 Chord
Notes = C-F-Bb
C#Q3 (DbQ3) Chord
Notes = C#-F#-B
DQ3 Chord
Notes = D-G-C
D#Q3 (EbQ3) Chord
Notes = D#-G#-C# or Eb-Ab-Db
EQ3 Chord
Notes = E-A-D
FQ3 Chord
Notes = F-Bb-Eb
F#Q3 (GbQ3) Chord
Notes – F#-B-E or Gb-Cb-Fb
GQ3 Chord
Notes = G-C-F
G#Q3 (AbQ3) Chord
Notes = G#-C#-F# or Ab-Db-Gb
AQ3 Chord
Notes = A-D-G
A#Q3 (BbQ3) Chord
Notes = A#-D#-G# of Bb-Eb-Ab
BQ3 Chord
Notes = B-E-A
Quartal Harmony Improvisation Ideas
Listen to Frank play a short improvisation where the basic idea is to play power chords in the left hand with simple 1-4-b7 voicings in the right hand and to see what happens.
And notice the uniquely dissonant, unstable, spacey, dreamy, and “out there” sound-feeling created.
learn more… Jazz Piano School
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