About the G#/Ab Quartal Scale (Stacked 4ths)
The G#/Ab 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#, B, E and A, built from the formula 1 4 ♭7 ♭3 ♭6 ♭2.
- Notes
- G# – C# – F# – B – E – A
- Formula
- 1 4 ♭7 ♭3 ♭6 ♭2
- Steps
- 5–5–-7–5–-7–11
- Root
- G#/Ab
G#/Ab Quartal Scale (Stacked 4ths) degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | G# | Root |
| 4 | C# | Perfect 4th |
| ♭7 | F# | Minor 7th |
| ♭3 | B | Minor 3rd |
| ♭6 | E | Minor 6th |
| ♭2 | A | Minor 2nd |
Where to play the G#/Ab 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 (G#) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| B0 | 0, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12 |
| E1 | 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12 |
| A1 | 0, 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 12 |
| D2 | 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11 |
| G2 | 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 11 |
| C3 | 1, 4, 6, 8, 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 G#/Ab Quartal Scale (Stacked 4ths)
These scales share every note with the G#/Ab 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#/Ab
- G#/Ab Minor Pentatonic
- G#/Ab Major Pentatonic
- G#/Ab Mixolydian Pentatonic
- G#/Ab Natural Minor
- G#/Ab Major (Ionian)
- G#/Ab Blues
- G#/Ab Dorian
- G#/Ab Mixolydian
- G#/Ab Phrygian
- G#/Ab Harmonic Minor
- G#/Ab Lydian
- G#/Ab Locrian
- G#/Ab Diminished (Half-Whole)
- G#/Ab Diminished (Whole-Half)
- G#/Ab Whole Tone
- G#/Ab Augmented (Hexatonic)
- G#/Ab Altered (Super Locrian)
- G#/Ab Phrygian Dominant
- G#/Ab Lydian Dominant
- G#/Ab Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- G#/Ab Bebop Dominant
- G#/Ab Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)