Pianist Barry Harris’ method which outlines a more summarized, yet in-depth, approach to jazz harmony. He and Barry have been very successful with the diminished approach. I’ve outlined a few ideas from what I heard in B.Hi Alan. Scale-tone sevenths here start out as normal but quickly run into that added note G# (#5 or b6) so the chord qualities start to change quickly from that of the scale-tone sevenths in the pure major scale. This approach has a very similar effect to the C6 Ddim toggling-polarity application mentioned earlier, yet they sounded different and interesting. While paying strict attention to voice leading, each of the four voices, leads to the next note in the scale, creating a very interesting take on the bebop scale. I chanced upon a youtube video of Barry Harris working with (astonished) students and he did a similar thing except he played them over the bebop major scale. The scale: in C major: C D E F G G# A B C.įor starters, most jazz players these days will study the scale-tone sevenths of at least four or five different scale types, so most are familiar with playing scale-tone sevenths for example, in major scales in a step-wise root motion as in C major:ĬMa7 Dmi7 Emi7 FMa7 G7 Ami7 Bmi7(b5) CMa7 and learning the modes that are often associated with those chords. OK, then comes Barry Harris (a well known jazz piano/educator) who instructs us with some mysterious sounding, but not necessarily rocket-science, ideas for the bebop scale. So check that out and you’ll see a few examples of some ideas for expanding upon that idea. I have outlined the tonic/dominant (IMa6 iiDim) polarity in an earlier blog (March, 2012). The major bebop scale has been in common knowledge for decades.
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You can also download the PDF of my examples here: Jazz Guitar Insiders Facebook Group Known to his peers as the “keeper of the bebop flame,” jazz pianist Barry Harris has cultivated and imparted a unique approach to teaching the music of Charlie Parker, Earl “Bud” Powell, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk. If you want to download a Free E-book of 15 II Valt I licks then subscribe to my newsletter:Ĭherokee - Barry Harris.pdf. Barry Harris Jazz Workshop - Howard Rees.
I know my version here is a little simple compared to the version that Barry mostly uses but it will get you started with this and you have an idea about how it works and how you can easily incorporate it into your own playing.ġ Full PDF related to this paper. This way of playing the scales for the chords in a simple logical way through the form of a song is a great way to become familiar with the chord progression hear how the material sounds on the song.įor this video I am using an F blues because that is hopefully a progression you are already familiar with and I also talk about how the Barry Harris exercise relates to the chords of the progression. Here’s a Short video discussing the Barry Harris Scale Exercise. The 'Harris Method' is structured more explicitly around bop practice and focuses on creating smooth chromatic melodies through the use of certain 'rules' (for example, descending from the tonic, 3rd, 5th or 7th of a major scale add one half-step between the 6th and 5th. That program is structured around the ideas of bebop pianist Barry Harris. Instead of using the usual 7-note scales, 8-note scales provide a way for you to discover new and exciting chord voicings. The Barry Harris harmony approach is a way of thinking about jazz chords and melodies based on specific 8-note scales.