Quartal Chords: Harmonic Contexts
Now we’ll take a look at what happens when we put different roots underneath each quartal chord. While slash chords with triads are quite obvious, not every quartal chord/root combination results in a clear harmonic structure. Choose some combinations you find interesting and use them on suitable chord progressions. Again, take your time to allow the sounds to sink in.
Perfect Quartal Chord 4-4 (C-F-Bb)
| Root | Implied Chord | Scale Degrees |
|---|---|---|
| C | C7sus4 | 1 11 b7 |
| Db | Dbmaj13 | 7 3 13 |
| D | Dm7(b13) | b7 b3 b13 |
| Eb | Eb6/9 Ebm6/9 | 13 9 5 |
| E | E7alt | b13 b9 #11 |
| F | Fsus4 | 5 1 11 |
| Gb | Gbmaj7(#11) | #11 7 3 |
| G | Gm11 | 11 b7 b3 |
| Ab | Ab6/9 | 3 13 9 |
| A | A7alt Am7(b9/b13) | b3 b13 b9 |
| Bb | Bbmaj9 Bb9 Bb9sus4 Bbm9 | 9 5 1 |
| B | Bmaj7(b9/#11)? | b9 #11 7 |
Perfect-Augmented Quartal Chord 4-#4 (C-F-B)
| Root | Implied Chord | Scale Degrees |
|---|---|---|
| C | Cmaj7(add4) Cm(maj7/11) | 1 11 7 |
| Db | ? | 7 3 b7 |
| D | Dm13 | b7 b3 13 |
| Eb | Ebmaj13(#5) | 13 9 #5 |
| E | E7(b9/b13) | b13 b9 5 |
| F | Fmaj7(#11) | 5 1 #11 |
| Gb | ? | #11 7 11 |
| G | G7(add4) | 11 b7 3 |
| Ab | Ab7(b9/13) | 3 13 b3 |
| A | Am9(b13) | b3 b13 9 |
| Bb | ? | 9 5 b9 |
| B | B7alt | b9 #11 1 |
Augmented-Perfect Quartal Chord #4-4 (C-F#-B)
| Root | Implied Chord | Scale Degrees |
|---|---|---|
| C | Cmaj7(#11) | 1 #11 7 |
| Db | ? | 7 11 b7 |
| D | D13 | b7 3 13 |
| D# | B7(b9)/D# | b9 5 1 |
| E | E9(b13) | b13 9 5 |
| F | F7(b9/13) | 5 b9 #11 |
| Gb | Gbm7(b5) | b5 1 11 |
| G | Gmaj7(add11) | 11 7 3 |
| Ab | Ab7(#9) | 3 b7 b3 |
| A | Am6/9 | b3 13 9 |
| Bb | ? | 9 b13 b9 |
| B | Bmaj7(b9) | b9 5 1 |
Augmented-Diminished Quartal Chord #4-b4 (C-F#-Bb)
| Root | Implied Chord | Scale Degrees |
|---|---|---|
| C | C7#11 | 1 #11 b7 |
| Db | Dbmaj7(add11) | 7 11 13 |
| D | D7(b13) | b7 3 b13 |
| Eb | Ebm6 | 13 b3 5 |
| E | E7(9/b13) E7(#5) | b13 9 #11 |
| F | Fsus4(b9) Fm11(b9) | 5 b9 11 |
| Gb | Gbmaj7(#11) Gb7(#11) | #11 1 3 |
| G | Gm/maj7(11) | 11 7 b3 |
| Ab | Ab7 | 3 b7 9 |
| A | A7(b9/13) Am7(b9/13) | b3 13 b9 |
| Bb | Bb9(#5) Bbmaj9(#5) Bbm9(b13) | 9 b13 1 |
| B | B7(b9) | b9 5 7 |
Diminished-Augmented Quartal Chord b4-#4 (C-E-Bb)
| Root | Implied Chord | Scale Degrees |
|---|---|---|
| C | C7 | 1 3 b7 |
| Db | Dbm(maj7) | 7 b3 13 |
| D | Dm9(b13) D9(b13) | b7 9 b13 |
| Eb | Eb7(b9/13) | 13 b9 5 |
| E | E7alt | b13 1 #11 |
| F | Fmaj7(add11) | 5 7 11 |
| Gb | Gb7(#11) | #11 b7 3 |
| G | Gm7(11/13) | 11 13 b3 |
| Ab | Abmaj9(#5) Ab9(#5) Abm9(b13) | 3 b13 9 |
| A | Am7(b9) | b3 5 b9 |
| Bb | Bbmaj9(#11) Bb9(#11) | 9 #11 1 |
| B | Bmaj7(b9/11)? | b9 11 7 |
