I just recently recorded a Live-to-Library lesson on Advanced Quartals and Pentatonics. Not only was this our most popular Live-to-Library course to date, it was also filled with a bunch of questions from students!
So many students wanted to know the next steps in how to use these quartals and pentatonic scales in their playing that I decided to offer a second Live-to-Library lesson on this topic.
Part 2 of Advanced Quartals and Pentatonics will be held live on Friday, May 29th at 9pm ET. Learn more about this upcoming lesson.
Quartals – 4th Voicings
A quartal is just an interval of a 4th. So moving from C to F, then F to Bb.
Another way of finding quartals is by moving counter-clockwise on the Circle of 5ths. This produces the Circle of 4ths (which is also dominant motion)
We can create a McCoy Tyner sound at the piano by first hitting the root and 5th of the chord (this establishes your “root motion”) then by creating a quartal built UP from the root or the 9th. Here is an example:
Mini Lesson On Quartals & Pentatonics
Since so many students were interested in this topic, I created a short mini lesson on how to use quartals in your piano playing. Be sure to check out the end of the video because I will share with you 2 things to practice.
What to Practice:
- Practice form #1 of the Minor Chord Quartals on C-7. Set the metronome between 70-90 BPM.
- Practice the C minor Pentatonic scale (C-Eb-F-G-Bb-C)…notice this is one note shy of a C Blues scale (just missing the F#)
- Add the C minor pentatonic lick (from the video 7:01) to the left hand quartal voicing
Please share your comments on the lesson below…
