View source for Quartal Harmony

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{{Advanced Lesson Crumbs|12}}

<u>Quartal Harmony</u> uses chords built on 4th intervals, rather than the common 3rds (called <u>Tertian Harmony</u>).  For example, a common C major triad is (C E G), featuring a M3 between C and E and a m3 between E and G.  A quartal chord would instead appear similar to (C F B{{b}}) - a P4 between C and F and another P4 between F and B{{b}}.  Not only can we use the P4, but also the d4 and A4 intervals.

== Theory ==
Quartal chords often first appear simply as variations of other common chords, either inverted or with a note (or several) missing or altered.  For example, (C F B{{b}}) features the same notes as Fsus4 in 2nd inversion.  What sets them apart from traditional analysis is their contextual failure to fit into the harmonic functions of the chords they would be interpreted as being.  For example, we'd often expect Fsus4 to resolve to F or Fm.  If it does not, we may more easily describe this as quartal harmony.

Quartal chords do not have any set harmonic function.  They tend to sound similar to suspended chords, feeling dreamy and even atonal when played in sequence.  For example, let's take all the 3 note quartal chords in C Major:

{|class="wikitable"
! 1st Note !! 2nd Note !! 3rd Note !! 1st Interval !! 2nd Interval !! Interval Sum
|-
| C || F || B || P4 || A4 || M7
|-
| D || G || C || P4 || P4 || m7
|-
| E || A || D || P4 || P4 || m7
|-
| F || B || E || A4 || P4 || M7
|-
| G || C || F || P4 || P4 || m7
|-
| A || D || G || P4 || P4 || m7
|-
| B || E || A || P4 || P4 || m7
|}

For 5/7 root notes, you get the exact same chord, consisting of 2 stacked P4 intervals, which is enharmonically equivalent to a 2nd inversion suspended 4th chord.  Normally we rely upon our diatonic chord built upon the 5th scale degree to produce the most tension, containing the leading tone, and forming a clearly dominant function (containing a diminished triad) when adding the 7th (the only diatonic dominant 7th chord).  Here, it does ''not'' contain the leading tone and shares the same intervallic relationship as most of the other diatonic 3-note quartal chords.  If you play the above chords exclusively in any order, it will be difficult to feel any clear tonality towards C.

Thus, quartal chords are not used in the same theoretical foundations of harmony as tertian chords.  Rather than have tension-release urges, they simply have their own sound.  They can be interspersed in progressions consisting mostly of diatonic tertian chords, momentarily interrupting or suspending the natural direction of the progression.  They can also be used liberally in atonal pieces.

== Chord Shapes ==
=== 3 Note ===
{|class="wikitable"
! !!(R P4 m7) !! (R P4 M7) !! (R A4 M7)
|-
! G B E<br>Strings
|
<pre>
|-|m|-|-|
|-|m|-|-|
|i|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
</pre>
|
<pre>
|-|-|r|-|
|-|m|-|-|
|i|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
</pre>
|
<pre>
|-|-|r|-|
|-|-|r|-|
|i|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
</pre>
|-
! D G B<br>Strings
|
<pre>
|-|-|-|-|
|-|m|-|-|
|i|-|-|-|
|i|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
</pre>
|
<pre>
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|r|-|
|i|-|-|-|
|i|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
</pre>
|
<pre>
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|r|-|
|-|m|-|-|
|i|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
</pre>
|-
! A E G or<br>E A D<br>Strings
|
<pre>
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|i|-|-|-|
|i|-|-|-|
|i|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
</pre>
|
<pre>
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|m|-|-|
|i|-|-|-|
|i|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
</pre>
|
<pre>
|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|r|-|-|
|-|m|-|-|
|i|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
</pre>
|}

=== 4 Note ===
{|
|
<pre>
|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|
|i|-|-|
|i|-|-|
|i|-|-|
|i|-|-|
</pre>
|
<pre>
|-|-|-|
|-|m|-|
|i|-|-|
|i|-|-|
|i|-|-|
|-|-|-|
</pre>
|
<pre>
|-|r|-|
|-|m|-|
|i|-|-|
|i|-|-|
|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|
</pre>
|-
|
<pre>
|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|
|-|m|-|
|i|-|-|
|i|-|-|
|i|-|-|
</pre>
|
<pre>
|-|-|-|
|-|-|r|
|i|-|-|
|i|-|-|
|i|-|-|
|-|-|-|
</pre>
|
<pre>
|-|-|r|
|-|m|-|
|i|-|-|
|i|-|-|
|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|
</pre>
|-
|
<pre>
|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|
|-|r|-|
|-|m|-|
|i|-|-|
|i|-|-|
</pre>
|
<pre>
|-|-|-|
|-|-|r|
|-|m|-|
|i|-|-|
|i|-|-|
|-|-|-|
</pre>
|
<pre>
|-|-|p|
|-|-|r|
|i|-|-|
|i|-|-|
|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|
</pre>
|-
|
<pre>
|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|
|-|m|-|
|-|m|-|
|-|m|-|
|i|-|-|
</pre>
|
<pre>
|-|-|-|
|-|-|p|
|-|r|-|
|-|m|-|
|i|-|-|
|-|-|-|
</pre>
|
<pre>
|-|-|p|
|-|-|r|
|-|m|-|
|i|-|-|
|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|
</pre>
|}

=== 5 Note ===
 |i|-|-|-|
 |)|m|-|-|
 |i|-|-|-|
 |i|-|-|-|
 |i|-|-|-|
 |-|-|-|-|

== Quintal Harmony ==
Just as there is Quartal Harmony built on 4ths, there is <u>Quintal Harmony</u> built on 5ths.  However, I do not feel there is any necessity to explore it here, as it is essentially the inverse of Quartal Harmony.  For example, look at the following chords:

{|class="wikitable"
! Quartal Chord !! Equivalent<br>Quintal Chord
|-
|
<pre>
Bb|-|m|-|-|
F |-|m|-|-|
C |i|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|
   5
</pre>
|
<pre>
C |-|-|-|-|-|p|
F |-|-|-|r|-|-|
Bb|i|-|-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|-|-|
   3
</pre>
|-
|
<pre>
B |-|-|r|-|
F#|-|-|r|-|
C |i|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|
   5
</pre>
|
<pre>
C |-|-|-|-|p|
F#|-|-|-|r|-|
B |i|-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|-|
  |-|-|-|-|-|
   4
</pre>
|}

The note names simply ascend/descend in the opposite order.
* P4 inverts to a P5
* d4 inverts to an A5
* A4 inverts to enharmonically equivalent d5
* m7 inverts to M2
* M7 inverts to m2

Quintal harmony may space notes further apart, which may be preferable for playing in lower registers.  However, since quartal/quintal harmonies are more typically associated with Jazz which uses a fairly register for guitar, this is usually a moot point.

And since standard guitar tuning using 4ths, this makes quartal chords significantly eaiser to finger than quintal chords.


[[Category:Guitar]]
[[Category:Lessons]]
[[Category:Advanced]]
[[Category:Harmony]]