About the G Quartal Scale (Stacked 4ths)
The G quartal scale is a 6-note scale. Built on stacking perfect fourths, modern jazz sound (So What, Herbie Hancock). Its notes are G, C, F, A#, D# and G#, built from the formula 1 4 ♭7 ♭3 ♭6 ♭2.
- Notes
- G – C – F – A# – D# – G#
- Formula
- 1 4 ♭7 ♭3 ♭6 ♭2
- Steps
- 5–5–-7–5–-7–11
- Root
- G
G Quartal Scale (Stacked 4ths) degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | Root |
| 4 | C | Perfect 4th |
| ♭7 | F | Minor 7th |
| ♭3 | A# | Minor 3rd |
| ♭6 | D# | Minor 6th |
| ♭2 | G# | Minor 2nd |
Where to play the G Quartal Scale (Stacked 4ths) on bass
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (E A D G), lowest string first. Root notes (G) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| E1 | 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11 |
| A1 | 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11 |
| D2 | 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10 |
| G2 | 0, 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 |
How to practice the quartal scale
- Practice voicings stacking 4ths on each string set
- Use over sus4, m7, and m11 chords
- Work on McCoy Tyner and Herbie Hancock-style comping
- Try parallel quartal movement up/down the neck
- Great for modal jazz and open, ambiguous harmonies
Scales with the same notes as G Quartal Scale (Stacked 4ths)
These scales share every note with the G quartal scale but start from a different root, so the same shapes work over different chords.
Quartal scale in other keys
Other scales in G
- G Minor Pentatonic
- G Major Pentatonic
- G Mixolydian Pentatonic
- G Natural Minor
- G Major (Ionian)
- G Blues
- G Dorian
- G Mixolydian
- G Phrygian
- G Harmonic Minor
- G Lydian
- G Locrian
- G Diminished (Half-Whole)
- G Diminished (Whole-Half)
- G Whole Tone
- G Augmented (Hexatonic)
- G Altered (Super Locrian)
- G Phrygian Dominant
- G Lydian Dominant
- G Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- G Bebop Dominant
- G Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)