Video Chat Music Lessons

08/04/2025

08/03/2025

WHAT ARE TETRACHORDS?

TETRACHORDS (Greek for ‘4 strings’) are made up of four adjacent letter notes:

C-D-E-F, D-E-F-G, E-F-G-A, etc.

Using only natural notes (no #’s or b’s) there are four types, based on the order of half-steps & whole-steps:

MAJOR: 1-1-1/2
C-D-E-F and G-A-B-C

MINOR: 1-1/2-1
D-E-F-G and A-B-C-D

PHRYGIAN: 1/2-1-1
E-F-G-A and B-C-D-E

LYDIAN: 1-1-1
F-G-A-B (only one)

Combining these TETRACHORDS to make an octave provides us with seven MODES
(MODES predate SCALES as an earlier means of organizing music):

C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C
Ionian Mode (Major Scale)

D-E-F-G-A-B-C-D
Dorian Mode

E-F-G-A-B-C-D-E
Phrygian Mode

F-G-A-B-C-D-E-F
Lydian Mode

G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G
Mixolydian Mode

A-B-C-D-E-F-G-A
Aeolian Mode (Natural Minor Scale)

B-C-D-E-F-G-A-B
Locrian Mode

Once you understand the basic ‘chemistry’ of TETRACHORDS & MODES it is easy to transpose them to other pitches. In doing this, one must take care to SPELL correctly; never skip or repeat a letter name.

So, for example,

MAJOR TETRACHORD:
C #-D #-E #-F # or Db-Eb-F-Gb
Are both correct, but never
C #-D #-F-F #

Building TETRACHORDS at the piano is a great step towards a deeper understanding of music theory (and working with them is great ear training, too). Fi*****ng will be easy as there are only 4 notes at a time, so just use fingers 1-2-3-4 no matter what. Count half-steps and whole-steps, but remember to start counting AFTER you play the first note.

You can build them on various starting notes, making sure you ‘spell’ correctly — and try singing along with the piano until you can sing them accurately with just the first note.

If you want to be systematic, try following the order of the Circle of 5ths.
Example: build a Major TETRACHORD above each of these notes:

C G D A E B F # Db Ab Eb Bb and F

If this seems easy, do likewise with
Minor, Phrygian, and Lydian TETRACHORDS.

08/03/2025

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Jascha Heifetz Violine Pablo de Sarasate, Zigeunerweisen Op.20

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Support my channel and receive special perks by joining! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5EEcOixvGwVFVsHXWYehHg/joinThe circle of fifths is a unique patter...

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