About the C#/Db Quartal Scale (Stacked 4ths)
The C#/Db quartal scale is a 6-note scale. Built on stacking perfect fourths, modern jazz sound (So What, Herbie Hancock). Its notes are C#, F#, B, E, A and D, built from the formula 1 4 ♭7 ♭3 ♭6 ♭2.
- Notes
- C# – F# – B – E – A – D
- Formula
- 1 4 ♭7 ♭3 ♭6 ♭2
- Steps
- 5–5–-7–5–-7–11
- Root
- C#/Db
C#/Db Quartal Scale (Stacked 4ths) degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C# | Root |
| 4 | F# | Perfect 4th |
| ♭7 | B | Minor 7th |
| ♭3 | E | Minor 3rd |
| ♭6 | A | Minor 6th |
| ♭2 | D | Minor 2nd |
Where to play the C#/Db Quartal Scale (Stacked 4ths) on 6-string bass
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (B E A D G C), lowest string first. Root notes (C#) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| B0 | 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12 |
| E1 | 0, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12 |
| A1 | 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12 |
| D2 | 0, 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 12 |
| G2 | 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11 |
| C3 | 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 11 |
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 C#/Db Quartal Scale (Stacked 4ths)
These scales share every note with the C#/Db quartal scale but start from a different root, so the same shapes work over different chords.
Quartal scale in other keys
Other scales in C#/Db
- C#/Db Minor Pentatonic
- C#/Db Major Pentatonic
- C#/Db Mixolydian Pentatonic
- C#/Db Natural Minor
- C#/Db Major (Ionian)
- C#/Db Blues
- C#/Db Dorian
- C#/Db Mixolydian
- C#/Db Phrygian
- C#/Db Harmonic Minor
- C#/Db Lydian
- C#/Db Locrian
- C#/Db Diminished (Half-Whole)
- C#/Db Diminished (Whole-Half)
- C#/Db Whole Tone
- C#/Db Augmented (Hexatonic)
- C#/Db Altered (Super Locrian)
- C#/Db Phrygian Dominant
- C#/Db Lydian Dominant
- C#/Db Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- C#/Db Bebop Dominant
- C#/Db Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)