tetrachord: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical / Academic
Quick answer
What does “tetrachord” mean?
A series of four musical notes spanning a perfect fourth.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A series of four musical notes spanning a perfect fourth.
In music theory, a fundamental building block of scales and melodies, particularly in ancient Greek music and the development of Western scales. It can also refer to a four-stringed instrument or the interval of a perfect fourth itself.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Identical technical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare and specialised in both British and American English, confined to music theory contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “tetrachord” in a Sentence
The [scale] is composed of two [adjective] tetrachords.The [composer] employed a descending tetrachord in the [bass/ melody].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “tetrachord” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The tetrachordal structure was evident in the melody.
American English
- The tetrachordal structure was evident in the melody.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in musicology, historical music theory, and ethnomusicology papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Not used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Core term in music theory for describing scale construction, especially in ancient Greek music and early Western modal theory.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “tetrachord”
- Mispronouncing it as 'tetra-chord' (like 'guitar chord') instead of 'tet-ra-kord'.
- Using it to mean any four chords in a progression.
- Confusing it with 'tetrad', which can mean a four-note chord.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A tetrachord is a series of four *consecutive* notes (like a scale fragment), not a harmonic chord where notes are played simultaneously.
Primarily in academic music theory, historical musicology, and in the study of non-Western musical systems that use similar structural units.
Yes. The bassline of the 'Crucifixus' from Bach's Mass in B Minor famously uses a descending chromatic tetrachord (B-A♯-A-G♯-G).
A tetrachord is a component of a scale. Many scales, like the major scale, are constructed by joining two tetrachords together.
A series of four musical notes spanning a perfect fourth.
Tetrachord is usually technical / academic in register.
Tetrachord: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtet.rə.kɔːd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈte.trə.kɔːrd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a TETRA-pack (four) of guitar strings (CHORDS) – a tetrachord is a set of four notes.
Conceptual Metaphor
A BUILDING BLOCK or MODULE for constructing larger musical scales.
Practice
Quiz
In ancient Greek music theory, what did a tetrachord primarily define?