The fourth is quite the peculiar interval. While the interval of a 4th doesn't appear as "material" until the mid sixties (if anyone can correct that statement, please do) and primarily (most awesomely) in the work of McCoy Tyner and Alice Coltrane.
the below just isn't for the keyboard players in the group....we all should be able to make our way on the piano.
In the key of C, they note F is a 4th away. a Perfect 4th away.
The distance of a 4th is also the same as two whole steps (C - D , D - E) and one half step (E - F)
quickly, the interval of a 4th can be used as material much in the same way as the interval of a third--namely stacked:
C - F - Bb
Yes, it's a triad (a three note chord), but there is no third. There is, however a dominant 7th--another story for another time.
If you dig the sound of two fourths stacked, then pass them through the progressions! All four ways!
Also, try putting in an Augmented fourths--or space 3 whole steps! (C - D , D - E, E - F#) both in the beginning:
C - F# - B
As well as in the middle
C - F - B
and why not...hold up...is that a 4th at the end?
C - F# - Bb
put them through all the progressions! What do you have to loose?
The 4th, when paired with the diminished arpeggio sounds especially cool
C - F - C ... Eb - Ab - Eb ... F# - B - F# ... A - D - A ...
F - C ... Ab - Eb .. B - F# ... D - A ...
this "diminished material" is priceless....
The Fourth as progression is also priceless. Movement by the interval of a 4th has been a mainstay in western music for at least 400 years.
If you have heard of a progression called a "two-five-one" (or ii-V-I) you probably have heard of it in a context like "the ii-V-I is the most frequent heard three chords in Jazz" or something equally spectacular.
Believe the hype and then some!
Lets look at movement by 4th.
C - F - Bb - Eb - Ab - Db/C# - F# - B - E - A - D - G - (and back to) C
it is perhaps because one can start at any note, move in one direction by 4ths and end up at the original note, 11 notes later that this phenomena is given the name "circle" as in
THE CIRCLE OF FOURTHS
No matter--it could be called the hotdog-hamburger of 4ths--you just need to apply ALL MATERIAL to this progression (movement by fourths) until it is fluid.
C - B - C ... F - E - F .... Bb - A - Bb (etc)
D - C ... G - F ... C - Bb ... (etc)
C - D - C - B - C ... F - G - F - E - F .... Bb - C - Bb - A - Bb (etc)
D - B - C ... G - E - F .... C - A - Bb ... (etc)
D - C# - C ... G - F# - F ... C - B - Bb ... (etc)
Here's another completely and totally vital exercise!
1. Take 3 consecutive 4ths
D - G - C
2. play a minor triad on D
3. play a major triad on G and C
4 put that three note pattern through the progressions, following steps 2 and 3.
so...
Eb - Ab - Db = Eb minor triad ... Ab Major triad ... Db Major triad
E - A - D = E minor triad ... A Major triad ... D Major triad
and so forth.
Here is a similar sounding exercise which is of extreme mega importance. Can you write the instructions?
D - E - F - D .... G - A - B - G .... C - D - E - C ..... then
G - A - Bb - G ... C - D - E - C ... F - G - A - F ..... then
C - _ - _ - C ... _ - G - _ - _ .... Bb - _ - D - Bb then
then
then
then........................
There is a CIRCLE OF FIFTHS as well. It goes like this
C - G - D - A - E - B - F# - C #/Db - Ab - Eb - Bb - F - C
If you look carefully, you'll find it is the CIRCLE OF FOURTHS in the opposite direction.
That said, you'll find (hear) a distinct difference when you play notes separated by a Perfect fifth as contrasted with notes separated by a Perfect fourth.
As with fourths, you can play fifths stacked on top of one another
C - G - D ... C# - G# - D# ... D - A - E ...
though that sound did not find it's way into jazz history, it could be it is a sound waiting to become a part of music history going forward.
do put it through all the progressions, give it all the treatment, go wild!
What I would like to point out about the 5th is that it is the "other end" of a triad.
If we look at a Major triad
C - E - G
we see that the outer notes ( C - - G) are a Perfect 5th apart.
that is the same for the minor triad
C - Eb - G
It is not the same for the Augmented triad
C - E - G#
(C - - G#) are an Augmented 5th apart
nor is it the same for the diminished triad
C - Eb - Gb
(C - - Gb) are a diminished 5th apart.
...but they are all the interval of a 5th.
Here's a super fun project for the Holiday break!
1. Take a Major triad (C - E - G)
2. Add a Major 2nd or, in this case a D (C - D - E - G)
3. Take that new material (C - D - E - G) and put it through the progression of movement by 4th
C - D - E - G .... F - G - A - C .... Bb - C - D - F .... Eb - F - G - Bb
Next, do the same with a minor triad
1. Take a minor triad (C - Eb - G)
2. Add a Major 2nd or, in this case a D (C - D - Eb - G)
3. Take that new material (C - D - Eb - G) and put it through the progression of movement by 4th
Next, movement by 5th
Then, movement by minor 3rd (and heck, major 3rd too)
C - D - Eb - G .... Eb - F - Gb - Bb ... F# - G# - A - C# ... A - B - C - E
Then, movement by whole step
Then, movement by half step .
These two materials (C - D - E - G) and (C - D - Eb - G) are of ultra mega central importance...as are all the many variations (C - Eb - F - G for instance) and permutations (like C - G - E - D)
We'll get deep into that situation upon your return!
Have a great holiday be safe and practice practice practice!
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