Hi all,

Recently in my guitar studies, my teacher has reminded me of the concept of tetrachords.

After many years of lessons and reading guitar method books, I've often seen the concept of tetrachords for explaining theory under different scales, but not in terms of developing a knowledge of one's instrument through them. Typically, most books give a full scale (on the guitar at least) fingering at least in one octave, or in an entire position (e.g. frets 3 through 5, all notes that fall within the scale).

But recently, the thought has occurred to me that one can mix and match a variety of tetrachords to build a variety of scales and soloing strategies with less mental effort, e.g. easier to combine 2 well understood tetrachords than memorize whole new scale fingerings - of course the outcome is the same (or maybe not ?).

Does anyone apply tetrachords in real time during their soloing, or do you think separate full ocatve scale tones (e.g. 8 for the modes, 5 for the pentatonics, etc.) ?

I was taught the tetrachords years ago when confronting the basic scales.

All Western Music Scales are actually derived from stacking two of the tetrachords in one way or another.

For example, the Major Scale consists of a Tetrachord, in steps, of 1-1-1/2

Followed by - 1 - 1-1-1/2

Notice that it begins and ends with the same tetrachord and that there is only a Whole Step in between the two.

The rest of the scales, minor in its three guises of Natural, Melodic and Harmonic, simply follow suit, but of course with different note spacings in most of the two spots.

Now here's the deal about using the tetrachords in improvisation, etc. -- We have to become familiar with them by rote practicing them until they are internalized. At that point, I'm not really thinking consciously about the thing much of the time, for there may not be time enough for that. Internalizing them means that we can select them rapidly, kind of like calling a MACRO in our brain, where we are not thinking about those steps and half steps in realtime, we just call it and go.

Then, we must practice all of those scales as well, always striving to make music out of them at the same time rather than rote up and down, up and down, try adding dynamics, try changing meter, etc. try playing the scales in Even and then in Swing, all sorts of rhythms and patterns, always striving to make them sound musical.

And at some point the entire scale then becomes a MACRO event as well. You don't have time to be thinking about which Tetrachord is matched with which in the heat of improvisation.

Tetrachords are but one aspect, though, it is very important not to try to use it as a crutch or shortcut in and of itself, that typically results in, well, bad results.

Ear Training, practicing playing well known to you melodies in all 12 keys without making mistakes, the actual transcribing of solos from recordings (do your own transcription if you really want to get there, purchasing printed transcriptions of solos only helps the person that originally did the transcribing...), developing an efficient practice regimen and endeavoring to keep at it on at least some sort of permanent basis, and, of course a heaping helping of Deep Desire are the only ways I know to "get there".


--Mac

Hi Joe,

Hmmm, I've never thought about tetrachords while improvising, maybe it would help me if I did. I've internalized my scales to the point where I can play them anywhere and in any key. That's not as hard as it might sound, though. If you practice anything enough it will become second nature.

To me, the key (at this point in time, anyway) is using chord tones to define the changes. Not for EVERY chord, but enough to define where the progression is going. One goal to work towards is to be able to arpeggiate every scale without thinkng about what notes you're playing. This will open up your ears, man, and make the journey even more exciting.

Hi Joe

The only problem I see in using tetrachords as a basis for solos is that your focus will still be on pre-determined blocks of notes that you consciously impose on the material you're playing, albeit ones of smaller length.

The issue is that improvisation isn't just about using conscious strategies or pre thought ideas/notes to fill in or delineate the harmony of the moment so much an attempt to expand on the direction the tune is taking intervallically and in terms of important target points of resolution and of course it's all important emotional properties. This is the total structure of the tune that you have to get down and its a far more organic and liberating strategy than dividing up tunes into chords and scales that you deal with in isolation.

Often with the latter you often get results that are obsessively focussed on patterns, disjunct in terms of melodic and rhythmic flow of ideas and a feeling of the improvisation not 'breathing' or flowing naturally out of the tune. Knowing the deeper structure and properties of the tune allows your subconscious free reign and the possibility of surprise or spontaneity to make itself felt in your 'choices' for want of a better word. It's actually the music itself that 'chooses' at this point.

Another thing about tetrachords. Due to the fact they are constructed mostly in half or whole steps it can limit your view of the fret board and if you're looking to expand your awareness of all the intervals it would be better to internalise the basic scales as others have said. Then you can learn all the 3 and 4 note combinations the scale plays through. Play them and hear them over and over sequencing them throughout the scale and you'll develop a palette of interval moves your ear and memory guides you towards quite naturally of having to think about it.

The only problem is that this stuff never leaves you and it still becomes a 'muscle memory nervous tic' as it were. This can be variously viewed as a 'personal signature' or a limitation depending on how you view improvisation.

For me improvisation is best when you're not looking to play something that isn't suggested by the melody. it's about opening yourself up to tune letting it and your emotional response dicate the direction of your playing as much as any analytical standpoint.


Regards


Alan