What is a tetrachord in music? How to sing gamma tetrachord?

Tetrahord - This is a Greek word. It is composed of two roots: tetra in translation means "four", chord - "string". If we comprehend these two roots in a single connection, it turns out that the tetrachord is four strings or a four-stringed musical instrument. Do you know any four string instruments? Probably, in response to this question, you remember the violin, the cello, someone remembers the bass guitar.

The second part of the word - "chord" - can be adapted in another terminological way. We can replace the "string" with a step, and then the tetrachord will be for us a series of sounds from four musical steps. This definition for those who go to solfeggio lessons will be more understandable, familiar and relevant. Let's voice again.

So, tetrachord - a scale of four steps that go one after anotherand that can be played or sung up or down. I will give examples: do, re, mi, fa - tetrachord, and la, si, do, re - also tetrachord, or la, sol, fa, mi - another tetrachord. Think up to fix a couple more examples for yourself.

Practical application of knowledge about tetrachords

What did the ancient Greeks need tetrachords for? They put frets out of them. Why do we need tetrachords with you? Surprisingly, we will need them for singing scales.

How to sing gamma tetrachord?

Any range can be divided into two tetrachords: lower and upper. The lower tetrachord consists of the first four stages of the scale - I, II, III, and IV, and the upper - the remaining four stages - V, VI, VII and I at the top (repetition of tonic).

In the figure, gamma G major is divided into tetrachords. The lower tetrachord here are the sounds of salt, la, si and do; Upper tetrachord - re, mi, F-sharp and salt. The tetrachords themselves are indicated by square brackets:

Now, about how the whole thing is sung, and why it is needed. The fact is that in the scales of high pitch, such as G major or A major, notes from the second octave appear that are uncomfortable for us to sing. This is normal - we are not coloratura soprani, most of us, especially at the beginning of learning music, have a small range.

It is in such cases that the ability to divide a range by tetrachords helps a lot. We can sing the lower tetrachord where it is written, without straining our voice, and we simply let the high sounds from the upper tetrachord down an octave. Here is what it will look like:

Play this example on the piano, at least on the virtual. Does it sound funny? That's the way you need to sing the scale! Minor scales can also be divided into tetrachords. As an example, take F in a harmonic form:

And now, let me wish you happiness and let you go about your business. About tetrachords to you, as beginning solfeges, what I have told here is enough to know. Enjoy your "music love"!