Quartal Permutations over ii-V7-I Progressions with Melodic Ideas and Comping Suggestions

By 7 b3 = min 3rd interval above root Minor quality voicings: 1 11 b7 (m11) 9 5 1 (m9) 11 b7 b3 (m11) 5 8 11 (m11) 6 9 5 (m13) b7 = min 7th interval above root Dominant 7 quality voicings: 9 5 1 (9th) 3 6 9 (13th) 6 9 5 (13th) #7 = Maj 7th interval above root Major quality voicings: 9 5 1 (Maj9) 3 6 9 (Maj6/9) 6 9 5 (Maj6/9) #7 3 6 (Maj13no11)

ii-V7-I progressions:

C#min 1 11 b7 ( C# F# B ) descend F#7 9 5 1 ( G# C# F# ) ascend Bmaj 9 5 1 ( C# F# B ) C#min 1 11 b7 ( C# F# B ) descend F#7 9 5 1 ( G# C# F# ) descend Bmaj 3 6 9 ( D# G# C# ) C#min 1 11 b7 ( C# F# B ) descend F#7 9 5 1 ( G# C# F# ) same Bmaj 6 9 5 ( G# C# F# ) C#min 1 11 b7 ( C# F# B ) descend F#7 9 5 1 ( G# C# F# ) ascend Bmaj #7 3 6 ( A# D# G# ) C#min 1 11 b7 ( C# F# B ) descend F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) ascend Bmaj 9 5 1 ( C# F# B ) C#min 1 11 b7 ( C# F# B ) descend F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) ascend Bmaj 3 6 9 ( D# G# C# ) C#min 1 11 b7 ( C# F# B ) descend F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) descend Bmaj 6 9 5 ( G# C# F# ) C#min 1 11 b7 ( C# F# B ) descend F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) same Bmaj #7 3 6 ( A# D# G# )

C#min 1 11 b7 ( C# F# B ) ascend F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) descend Bmaj 9 5 1 ( C# F# B ) C#min 1 11 b7 ( C# F# B ) ascend F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) same Bmaj 3 6 9 ( D# G# C# ) C#min 1 11 b7 ( C# F# B ) ascend F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) ascend Bmaj 6 9 5 ( G# C# F# ) C#min 1 11 b7 ( C# F# B ) ascend F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) descend Bmaj #7 3 6 ( A# D# G# ) C#min 9 5 1 ( D# G# C# ) ascend F#7 9 5 1 ( G# C# F# ) ascend Bmaj 9 5 1 ( C# F# B ) C#min 9 5 1 ( D# G# C# ) ascend F#7 9 5 1 ( G# C# F# ) descend Bmaj 3 6 9 ( D# G# C# ) C#min 9 5 1 ( D# G# C# ) ascend F#7 9 5 1 ( G# C# F# ) same Bmaj 6 9 5 ( G# C# F# ) C#min 9 5 1 ( D# G# C# ) ascend F#7 9 5 1 ( G# C# F# ) ascend Bmaj #7 3 6 ( A# D# G# )

C#min 9 5 1 ( D# G# C# ) descend F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) ascend Bmaj 9 5 1 ( C# F# B ) C#min 9 5 1 ( D# G# C# ) descend F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) ascend Bmaj 3 6 9 ( D# G# C# ) C#min 9 5 1 ( D# G# C# ) descend F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) descend Bmaj 6 9 5 ( G# C# F# ) C#min 9 5 1 ( D# G# C# ) descend F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) same Bmaj #7 3 6 ( A# D# G# ) C#min 9 5 1 ( D# G# C# ) same F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) descend Bmaj 9 5 1 ( C# F# B ) C#min 9 5 1 ( D# G# C# ) same F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) same Bmaj 3 6 9 ( D# G# C# ) C#min 9 5 1 ( D# G# C# ) same F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) ascend Bmaj 6 9 5 ( G# C# F# ) C#min 9 5 1 ( D# G# C# ) same F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) descend Bmaj #7 3 6 ( A# D# G# ) C#m 11 b7 b3 ( F# B E ) ascend F#7 9 5 1 ( G# C# F# ) ascend Bmaj 9 5 1 ( C# F# B ) C#m 11 b7 b3 ( F# B E ) ascend F#7 9 5 1 ( G# C# F# ) descend Bmaj 3 6 9 ( D# G# C# ) C#m 11 b7 b3 ( F# B E ) ascend F#7 9 5 1 ( G# C# F# ) same Bmaj 6 9 5 ( G# C# F# )

C#m 11 b7 b3 ( F# B E ) ascend F#7 9 5 1 ( G# C# F# ) ascend Bmaj #7 3 6 ( A# D# G# ) C#m 11 b7 b3 ( F# B E ) ascend F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) ascend Bmaj 9 5 1 ( C# F# B ) C#m 11 b7 b3 ( F# B E ) ascend F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) ascend Bmaj 3 6 9 ( D# G# C# ) C#m 11 b7 b3 ( F# B E ) ascend F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) descend Bmaj 6 9 5 ( G# C# F# ) C#m 11 b7 b3 ( F# B E ) ascend F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) same Bmaj #7 3 6 ( A# D# G# ) C#m 11 b7 b3 ( F# B E ) descend F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) descend Bmaj 9 5 1 ( C# F# B ) C#m 11 b7 b3 ( F# B E ) descend F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) same Bmaj 3 6 9 ( D# G# C# ) C#m 11 b7 b3 ( F# B E ) descend F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) ascend Bmaj 6 9 5 ( G# C# F# ) C#m 11 b7 b3 ( F# B E ) descend F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) descend Bmaj #7 3 6 ( A# D# G# ) C#m 5 8 11 ( G# C# F# ) same F#7 9 5 1 ( G# C# F# ) ascend Bmaj 9 5 1 ( C# F# B ) C#m 5 8 11 ( G# C# F# ) same F#7 9 5 1 ( G# C# F# ) descend Bmaj 3 6 9 ( D# G# C# )

C#m 5 8 11 ( G# C# F# ) same F#7 9 5 1 ( G# C# F# ) same Bmaj 6 9 5 ( G# C# F# ) C#m 5 8 11 ( G# C# F# ) same F#7 9 5 1 ( G# C# F# ) ascend Bmaj #7 3 6 ( A# D# G# ) C#m 5 8 11 ( G# C# F# ) ascend F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) ascend Bmaj 9 5 1 ( C# F# B ) C#m 5 8 11 ( G# C# F# ) ascend F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) ascend Bmaj 3 6 9 ( D# G# C# ) C#m 5 8 11 ( G# C# F# ) ascend F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) descend Bmaj 6 9 5 ( G# C# F# ) C#m 5 8 11 ( G# C# F# ) ascend F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) same Bmaj #7 3 6 ( A# D# G# ) C#m 5 8 11 ( G# C# F# ) descend F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) descend Bmaj 9 5 1 ( C# F# B ) C#m 5 8 11 ( G# C# F# ) descend F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) same Bmaj 3 6 9 ( D# G# C# ) C#m 5 8 11 ( G# C# F# ) descend F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) ascend Bmaj 6 9 5 ( G# C# F# ) C#m 5 8 11 ( G# C# F# ) descend F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) descend Bmaj #7 3 6 ( A# D# G# ) C#m 6 9 5 ( A# D# G# ) descend F#7 9 5 1 ( G# D# F# ) ascend Bmaj 9 5 1 ( C# F# B )

C#m 6 9 5 ( A# D# G# ) descend F#7 9 5 1 ( G# D# F# ) descend Bmaj 3 6 9 ( D# G# C# ) C#m 6 9 5 ( A# D# G# ) descend F#7 9 5 1 ( G# D# F# ) same Bmaj 6 9 5 ( G# C# F# ) C#m 6 9 5 ( A# D# G# ) descend F#7 9 5 1 ( G# D# F# ) ascend Bmaj #7 3 6 ( A# D# G# ) C#m 6 9 5 ( A# D# G# ) same F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) ascend Bmaj 9 5 1 ( C# F# B ) C#m 6 9 5 ( A# D# G# ) same F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) ascend Bmaj 3 6 9 ( D# G# C# ) C#m 6 9 5 ( A# D# G# ) same F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) descend Bmaj 6 9 5 ( G# C# F# ) C#m 6 9 5 ( A# D# G# ) same F#7 3 6 9 ( A# D# G# ) same Bmaj #7 3 6 ( A# D# G# ) C#m 6 9 5 ( A# D# G# ) ascend F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) descend Bmaj 9 5 1 ( C# F# B ) C#m 6 9 5 ( A# D# G# ) ascend F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) same Bmaj 3 6 9 ( D# G# C# ) C#m 6 9 5 ( A# D# G# ) ascend F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) ascend Bmaj 6 9 5 ( G# C# F# ) C#m 6 9 5 ( A# D# G# ) ascend F#7 6 9 5 ( D# G# C# ) descend Bmaj #7 3 6 ( A# D# G# )

Some melodic ideas for quartals! 1. Simple arpeggiation can sound terrific (especially when each chord only gets two beats) 2. Play the following very rapidly in succession over Cm7 Bb F C CGD Eb Bb F FCG GDA Bb F C GDA FCG Eb Bb F CGD Bb F C Immediately obvious to any casual observer is the fact that all of the above notes fall into C dorian. 3. Another way to use quartals in a melodic sense is to utilize the "mega-scale" concept (for those of you unfamiliar with this, please see the "Bopology 101" lesson). What if we had a scale that was all made up of perfect 4ths??? How about this one: EADGC But HEY! Do you notice what I notice? If you rearrange those notes, it's the pentatonic scale! ( C D E G A ). And as all musicians know, YOU CAN USE THE PENTATONIC SCALE OVER ALMOST EVERYTHING!

Here are some great comping ideas for quartals (mostly for keyboard): 1. Play different quartals in the right and left hands (using contrary motion when possible). This gives a fuller chord texture and provides more harmonic interest. example (in C): Dm (ii minor) LH: 9 5 1 ( E A D ) RH: 11 b7 b3 ( G C F ) = 1 b3 5 b7 9 11 G7 (V7 domin) LH: 3 6 9 ( B E A ) RH: 9 5 1 ( A D G ) = 1 3 5 9 13 CMaj7 (Major7) LH: 6 9 5 ( A D G ) RH: 9 5 1 ( D G C ) = 1 5 6 9 2. Rootless chords in one hand - quartals in the other. Mix and match. 3. Subsitute quartals in the left hand instead of rootless chords. 4. If you don't have a bass player, play your standard walking bass in the left hand and the appropriate quartals in the right.
(Above recreated with permission from www.jeffreebrent.com; 7s lesson Quartals)