Jazz Guitar Chords in Fourths

Chords in fourths are made popular by McCoy Tyner (John Coltrane's piano player).

They are very useful in modal music, especially in the minor and dominant key.

I don't use and think about them in the same way that I use chords stacked in thirds. I rather look at quartal voicings as an harmonized scale that can be used as a solo device or to create vamps.

They also come in handy when you're comping and you don't want to take too much space from the soloist or force him in a direction. Quartal voicings behave like a harmonic chameleon and give a lot of freedom to the soloist.

Learn more about jazz guitar chords in fourths.