Talk:Tetrad (music)

Contrary usage example

Re: "When these four notes form a tertian chord they are more particularly and more commonly referred to as a seventh chord, after the diatonic interval from the root of the chord to its fourth note (in root position close voicing).":

More commonly and more particularly, but below is an example of the term tetrad applied to a conventional four-note tertian chord. I'm putting it here for now while I decide whether to include it in the article proper. From The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, reprinted 1996, page 924:

"Strictly these [Co and Cdim] simply indicate a diminished triad with pitches a minor 3rd and a diminished 5th from the root. In practice, however, jazz musicians render this triad as a tetrad [my emphasis], adding a diminished seventh above the root, for which strictly the symbols would be Co7 Cdim7." TheScotch 05:03, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

Additional citations

Why and where does this article need additional citations for verification? What references does it need and how should they be added? Hyacinth (talk) 04:52, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

Out-of-date banner, I would say. I've removed the last challenged statement, which has been stagnating for nearly two years. I shall now remove the banner, as well.—Jerome Kohl (talk) 05:19, 9 November 2011 (UTC)

Tetrad was defined in 1881

Tetrad is a well defined concept as far back as 1881. "The genesis of harmony; an enquiry into the laws which govern musical composition ... By Hugh Carleton" (1881) is available as PD scanned ebook at "UR Research > Eastman School of Music - Sibley Music Library > Musical Scores". See the definitions of terms on physical book page 96 (ebook pdf page 112). Carleton's text is aimed directly at the mistakes of the existing (then existing, and still existing) limitations aka idiocy of harmonic theory, insisting that calling something a "seventh chord" should not be done. There are monochords (1 tone), triads (1, 3, 5), tetrads (1, 3, 5, 7), pentads (1, 3, 5, 7, 9), and double chords (tetrad + triad). 1881, people. That was a long, long time ago and still music theorists/students can't figure out what four notes are called. He also defines "great chord" as 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13. 68.224.171.150 (talk) 07:34, 18 April 2020 (UTC) ([User:jcline0])

Very interesting historical observation, thank you for pointing this out. Of course, Carleton's definition corresponds strictly to what we ordinarily call "seventh chords", whereas the use of the term "tetrad" by later writers, as pointed out in this article, often or even usually refers to other types four-note collections.—Jerome Kohl (talk) 00:50, 19 April 2020 (UTC)

Further observation: 1881 seems to have been a very special year for this term. Checking the OED, the earliest cited example of its use in a musical context is John Broadhouse, The Student's Helmholtz: Musical Acoustics; or, The Phenomena of Sound as Connected with Music … With More Than One Hundred Illustrations (London: William Reeves, 1881), p. 332. It is not clear in what precise sense Broadhouse is using the term, since he refers to the music of Palestrina. Further investigation is indicated.—Jerome Kohl (talk) 01:04, 19 April 2020 (UTC)

Music?

Four-note chords are often formed of intervals other than thirds in 20th- and 21st-century music

This sentence needs further clarification. What music is talked about here? Pop and Rock music? Jazz? Metal? Traditional Japanese music? Film Scores? Gamelan? Because then it's questionable that the statement holds true. 79.201.162.248 (talk) 08:58, 5 July 2021 (UTC)