What is a Tritone?
Musical Examples
Here are practical musical examples to demonstrate the concepts:
A tritone is a musical interval that spans three whole tones, hence the name 'tritone'. It is also known as an augmented fourth (A4) or diminished fifth (d5), depending on the context. The tritone is one of the most dissonant intervals in Western music, creating a tense and unresolved sound that demands resolution.
Historical Context and Musical Significance
The tritone has a fascinating history in music. During the Middle Ages, it was called 'diabolus in musica' (the devil in music) because of its dissonant and unsettling quality. Composers avoided it in sacred music, believing it to be evil. However, by the Romantic era, composers like Wagner embraced the tritone for its dramatic potential. In modern music, the trone is a cornerstone of jazz and blues, adding color and tension to chord progressions.
Technical Construction
The tritone can be constructed in several ways:
- Augmented Fourth (A4): Four half steps above the root (e.g., C to F#)
- Diminished Fifth (d5): Six half steps above the root (e.g., C to Gb)
On the piano, a tritone is exactly half an octave, splitting the scale into two equal parts. On the guitar, it's often played as a interval spanning three frets on adjacent strings.
Practical Applications
Classical Music
The tritone appears in many classical works, often to create tension. A famous example is the opening of Wagner's 'Tristan und Isolde', where the 'Tristan chord' features a prominent tritone.
Jazz and Blues
In jazz, the tritone is essential for dominant 7th chords. The 3rd and 7th of a dominant 7th chord form a tritone (e.g., in G7, B and F). This interval creates the tension that resolves to the tonic chord.
Rock and Pop
Many rock riffs use the tritone for its edgy sound. The opening riff of Black Sabbath's 'Black Sabbath' is built around a tritone, giving it that ominous quality.
Progressive Exercises
Level 1: Identification
Play random intervals on your instrument and identify when you hear a tritone. Start with simple ascending intervals (C to F#) then try descending (F# to C).
Level 2: Resolution Practice
Play a dominant 7th chord (like G7) and resolve the tritone (B-F) properly to C major (B moves to C, F moves to E).
Level 3: Composition
Write a short musical phrase that uses the tritone for tension, then resolves it effectively. Try this in different keys and styles.
Common Usage in Chord Progressions
The tritone substitution is a powerful jazz technique where a dominant 7th chord is replaced by another dominant 7th chord a tritone away. For example, in a II-V-I progression (Dm7-G7-Cmaj7), you can substitute Db7 for G7 because they share the same tritone (B/F in G7 becomes F/B in Db7).
Ear Training Tips
- Associate the tritone with familiar melodies: The opening of 'Maria' from West Side Story ('Ma-ri-a') outlines a tritone.
- Practice singing the interval: Start with a reference note and try to sing the tritone above it.
- Use apps or online tools that quiz you on interval recognition.