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So, I've known about quartal voicings for a while, and I can kinda grasp how they are used in more modern tunes, but when it comes to standards, I'm lost. Can anybody help me, maybe refer me to a version of a standard that uses quartal voicings (preferably a guitar playing them).
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There are a lot of books and DVDs about quartal voicings I believe so hopefully others will chime in with links and suggestions.
the chord, from low to high C F Bb Eb
with various root notes, it can work for
Cm7 (works for Cm7b5 too)
Dbmaj7
D7sus4b9
D7b9
Eb6 or Ebma7
F7sus4
Fm7
Gbmaj7
Gm7 (#5)
Ab6 or Abmaj7
A7 "altered"
Am7b5
Bb7sus4
Bbm7
Among others.
All of these chord types show up in standard harmony, so in that sense it's pretty simple to use quartal voicings over standard tunes. Depending on the structure and root note, you just get different extensions/tensions.
That concept covers individual voicings, I guess the next step is planing voicings up a mode. For example, C dorian
C F Bb Eb
D G C F
Eb A D G
F Bb Eb A
etc
Those four voicings in succession are from C dorian, but you could say are from any mode of the Bb major scale - Bb ionian, C dorian, D phrygian, Eb lydian, etc. So in that sense the sequence could work over any chord diatonic to the scale...Bbma7, Cm7(13), Dm7/D7sus4b9, Ebmaj7(#11,) F7/F7sus4, Gm7, Am7b5. In this sense it's just another way of hearing a chord scale.
There are a lot of other applications to quartal harmony over standards. For example, anytime you see a longer stretch of a maj7 chord, you could think of the chord as a lydian mode and use quartal structures from that lydian mode. Similarly, if you see a dominant chord, or even a ii V, you could think of that dominant (or the ii V) as a phrygian environment - a 7sus4b9 - and use quartal structures from the phrygian mode,
So
Dm7 |G7 |Cmaj7 |Cmaj7
could be two bars of quartal structures in G phrygian to two bars of quartal structures in C lydian.
There's a lot more that can be done, I guess that's the most standard stuff to start with.
Last edited by JakeAcci; 01-05-2013 at 06:57 PM.
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Hello Jake...Happy New Year
Thank you for the lesson on quartal voicings. Sounds great...tried several of your suggestions
Earl
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I use it on "Solar"...play first time through kinda straight to the written head....second time more rhythmically (ala Burrell)....
Then use single string method for my improvisation... for "x" amount of times through the changes...
Finish up the way I started.....moderate up tempo...
time on the instrument...
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It's worth mentioning that quartal chords don't actually have to be in 4ths. that they can be in inversion as well. Just as a 7th chord is still a 7th chord when you change the note order, so is a quartal chord. Opens up a whole new way to use them. So...
Easiest way to find yourself a gazillion voicings is if you peruse a stack o' 4ths (C, F, Bb, Eb) you could look at it like a drop 2 Cmin7 chord with the 5th moved down a tone. C,G, Bb, Eb, is now C, F, Bb and Eb. So take all your Cmin7 fingerings and move the 5th down a tone. Voila, quartal chords all over the place.
I hope somebody out there enjoys this one,
Ken Basman
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Or you could start with a min7 or dom7 voicing and raise the 3rd to a 4th (make it a sus4). Quartals opened up for me what I realized I didn't have to only play them "in root position.".
Last edited by BigDaddyLoveHandles; 01-07-2013 at 02:16 PM.
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[ QUOTE=$originalposter]{$pagetext}[/QUOTE]
exactly...
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Grumble, reply with quote is broken...
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hey jake, what do you mean when you say C F Bb Eb can work for any type of D7? isn't the F the minor third there? Am I misunderstanding something?
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Mfa
it is the minor third but could also be considered the #9.
So C F Bb Eb is b7 #9 #5 b9. One chord tone, three common tensions, on a D dominant. Without the major third it is less obvious as a dominant seventh, but it can work in context and if done with conviction.
In the right context, a lot of things can work, depending on a few variables. For example, I sometimes play "dominant" chords with major sevenths.
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"For example, I sometimes play "dominant" chords with major sevenths"
A sound I particularly love. First brought to my ear by Bill Evans in the head from Funkallero. In the scales that produce these sounds, like the double harmonic (C Db E F G Ab B C) the apparent 7th chord is actually an augmented 6th chord, which of course sounds like a 7th chord but behaves differently.
Check the II chord of the double harmonic scale. Db F Ab C, but as an extension you have a B natural available (and an E natural to truly spice things up). In the context of the scale it is a gorgeous sound IMHO
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Cool Ken, that is interesting.
I haven't heard of the double harmonic scale before but have seen that pitch collection used melodically (Miserlou!)
A few Qs:
1. Could you expand on where the augmented sixth chord is in this scale? (The Db7?)
2. Could you give any examples that utilize the B (or E) extension on the Dbmaj7?
I see it's your third post...welcome aboard! Glad to have you here, as I was expecting to be met with incredulousness about the maj7 over dominant comment.
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Hi there,
the augmented 6th is an interval (and an important one). It is the B natural in the Db chord. Sounds like a seventh, acts differently. The augmented 6th sounds are studied extensively in classical harmony, but remain kind of undefined in jazz harmony and especially with chord symbols. Here is where things can become problematic. Some people study enough harmony to understand that the minor 7th interval generally resolves by falling to a note in the next chord, right? So how do you explain an F7 in a C blues? the Eb clearly "wants" to go back up to E natural when the chord goes back to C7. That's because it is a D# and not an Eb. F to D# is an augmented 6th. Augmented intervals want to keep on augmenting/expanding. Another example is Db7 as the b5 sub for G7 in C major. The "active" interval is the "Db to B" another augmented 6th which again sounds like a minor 7th except that the B natural is asking to resolve up to C. So you might ask, why be so picky? Because a lot of students learn a very basic subset of harmonic rules and can get frustrated when they can't "resolve that minor 7th on an F7 chord when they go back to C7" or other things.
This brings me to the point of you saying about being met with incredulousness about your major 7th on a 7th chord idea. I am 54 now and remember quite distinctly in my earlier years coming across things that sounded cool to my ear but didn't match with my understanding of harmony at the time. All I can say is that if you think you have a good harmonic sense, then trust your ear. The rule you think you are breaking is probably due to not having come across the technical justification for it yet. If you build the 7 different chords on the double harmonic scale (Misirlou, Hava Nagila) you will probably find all kinds of inside/outside sounds that you suspected as being cool but couldn't back up with harmonic knowledge.
2) try playing the scale a couple of times to get it in your ear, then play 6th string G, 5th string C, 4th string E, 3rd string B and complete it with the open B and E strings. Then slide the fingered notes up a fret to Ab,Db,F and C. Keep the two high strings open. Pretty cool sound, right? Try writing it as a chord symbol! LOL I guess it would be Dbmaj7(#9,#13). Another gorgeous chord out of that scale is one that Keith Jarrett uses sometimes and that would be what looks like an F minor chord with an E triad on top. 6th string F, 5th string C, 4th string F, third string Ab, second string open B, 1st string open E. Want some Ben Monder? transpose it to A double harmonic and play 6th string F, 5th string Bb, 4th string D, 3rd string A, 2nd string C#, 1st string E. I guess that one could come from D harmonic minor as well, but in the double harmonic you could then lower the 3rd string to a G# keeping the rest of the notes intact. Cool sound, right? Stravinsky on the guitar...
3) sick of playing the same chromatic arpeggios in the beginning vamp of a bossa? You know the Cmaj7 to Dbmaj7 type thing. Well, the double harmonic scale has both those chords in it and with care (lot's of care) you can use the one scale over both chords and get some really exotic Richie Bierach kind of sounds...
thanks for the warm invite Jake. hope I din't rattle on for too long,
Ken
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s...t Jake. I wrote a page long response to your questions and it seems to have gotten lost in cyberspace. What a drag. I will get on it again as soon as I get a chance. Does that happen much here on this forum?
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ok here goes...
Hi Jake. Thanks for the welcome.
1) the augmented 6th is the B natural in relation to the Dbma7 chord. Sounds like a b7, but is actually an augmented 6th. In this case, it gives you the chance to have what sounds like a b7 and a major 7 in the same chord.
The augmented 6th is studied in depth in classical harmony and is sorely missing in jazz harmony and completely non-existent with chord symbols. The augmented 6th interval sounds like a minor 7th but behaves differently. So for the typical jazz student that is so carefully trying to resolve all his minor 7ths falling a step to the next chord, the aug 6ths need to be taken note of. An F7 in a C blues for example, is actually an Faug6. the Eb is a D# and behaves like a D#. It wants to rise back up to the E natural of the C7 chord. It has no downward tendency at all. Augmented interval want to keep on augmenting/expanding. A Db7 chord as the b5 sub in C major is another Aug 6th chord. Db to B natural. That B natural wants to resolve up to C. There are 3 traditional Aug 6th structures. IV, bII and bVI. all look like 7th chords on the surface but resolve differently. It's good to clarify this because there are probably students that try and resolve the aug 6th as if it were a 7th and although it doesn't necessarily sound bad doing that, it's not the natural tendency of the note
2) Here are some sweet examples of things that happen in the double harmonic scale. I would first like to mention that I am 54 and when I was in my formative years I heard lot's of sounds that didn't coincide with my harmonic knowledge at the time. The result being that I figured I was just hearing wrong. I learnt better later. I mean how can you have a major 7th on a 7th chord, right? or a major third on a minor chord, or a flat 9 on a major 7th chord etc etc. I think you might be in a similar place and the double harmonic scale (misirlou, hava nagila) is a great place to hear some of these enharmonic wonders. Last bit…if you think you have a good harmonic ear, but some of the structures you like don't make sense to your level of harmonic training, trust your ear. you'll find the harmonic justification out there.
ok, some examples
1st run the scale a few times to get it in your ear. then play G 6th stg, C 5th stg, E 4th stg, B 3rd stg, 2nd stg open B, !st stg open E. Then leave the 2 open strings sounding and slide the chord up a fret. You should have Ab,Db F, C, B and E. Pretty cool sound, right? Try writing a chord symbol for that. LOL I guess it would be Dbmaj7(#9,#13)
Another cool chord from that scale is something Keith Jarrett uses at times. It sounds like an F minor on the bottom and an E major triad on top. Voiced 6th stg F, 5th stg C, 4th stg F, 3rd stg Ab, 2nd stg B, 1st stg E
want some Ben Monder? Transposing to A double harmonic we could have F 6th stg, Bb 5th stg, open D 4th stg, A 3rd stg, C#, second string and e open 1st tag. I guess this chord appears in D harmonic minor as well, but in double harmonic you could, after striking the chord, move the 3rd string A down to an Ab and it get's all Stravinsky on ya!
How about those kinda boring chromatic arpeggios that we play in a boss vamp between Cma7 and Dbma7. Well the double harmonic scale has both those chords in it occurring naturally so with some care (a lot of care) you can use the one scale over both chords and get some Richie Bierach kinda stuff going on. Out, but sweet.
If you build the 7 different chord structures on the scale you will find a whole bunch of enharmonic goodies.
BTW, I wrote this answer to your questions way better the 1st time. Having it get lost when I pressed post kinda knocked the wind outta my sails. I hope you enjoy it anyways...
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I posted it again and this time I got the message that it is waiting for approval from the powers that be. If you shoot me your email i can send you a copy. or get in touch with me on facebook. Ken Basman.
cheers,
Ken
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oops. it posted both replies. LOL.
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Ken, excellent stuff, thank you so much for taking the time (twice!) to explain. Clear as day. An interesting scale to explore for sure. I'll have to add that to my never ending list of things to study.
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Great stuff Ken thank you
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you're welcome. As well as the 2nd chord of funkallero by bill evans which uses a maj7 7th on a "7th chord", Also check out the B section of "The Peacocks". There's a couple of them in there as well...
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oh MAN those tunes are great to come back to for a deeper listen. I happened to check Bill with a tenor and guitar on Funkallero.. but couldnt quickly see it in my Getz discog..maybe another horn player but love hearing these harmonies in harmoic and melodic context
but Getz on The Peacocks oh man...the one with Bill Live/Belgium........just devastating ESP that bridge.
Thanks for the Ears Ken!
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