Barry Harris Jazz Workshop Pdf Reader
Today’s lesson will talk about some Barry Harris harmony hacks.
Do you want your melodies and chords to sound full and amazing? Do you want to grab your audience’s attention? Do you want to have fun exploring the chords of a genius level jazz pianist? Then, you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve got a ton of awesome stuff to talk about so go to your piano and let’s get started!
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide 3 Allmusic awarded the album 4 stars with its review by Scott Yanow stating, 'Pianist Barry Harris' second recording as a leader (he led a set for Argo in 1958) finds him at the age of 30 playing in the same boppish style he would have throughout his career'. Harmonic Method - Guitar Barry Harris Workshop Video Barry Harris Workshop Video 2 Vocal Workshop Video Mission Statement. Baker and his ideas on playing jazz. For all its limitations, and there are problems with such a heavy focus on scales (see David Ake's discussion in Jazz Cultures, U. Barry Harris conducts the workshops in a very unique fashion that allows everyone to participate and learn. The itinerary varies from week to week. Harris will pick a tune and explain the harmonic chord movements and have the students play through the various scales. Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction Dr. Barry Harris Profile Dr. Barry Harris is an Internationally renowned jazz pianist, composer and teacher. Harris is the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from Northwestern University.
The Barry Harris Harmonic Method
The Barry Harris harmonic method is one of the most unique ways of building chords there is in jazz piano.
Well, what exactly is that? How does Barry Harris think about it?
The Barry Harris harmony approach is a way of thinking about jazz chords and melodies based on specific 8-note scales.
Instead of using the usual 7-note scales, 8-note scales provide a way for you to discover new and exciting chord voicings. You can use these to unlock cool scale secrets that you can use to build any chord in any key.
In the next section, you will learn what is that magical scale that Barry Harris says everybody must know.
The First Two Chords You Need To Learn to Understand Barry Harris Harmony
Try this first: play a C6 chord:
Next, play a B diminished 7th chord:
The C6 and B diminished 7th chords have an interesting relationship. They tend to resolve into each other nicely!
Now, let’s say we combine the two chords to form a scale. How would that look like?
It will look like a scale that has the notes C, D, E, F, G, Ab, A, B:
Congratulations! You have discovered what Barry Harris calls a sixth diminished scale.
What’s A Sixth Diminished Scale?
The name “sixth diminished scale” is weird because music-theory-wise it’s not a jazz diminished scale in the traditional sense.
It’s a scale that combines major and diminished together. This forms an amazing amount of harmonic possibilities that you can use to make songs super rich.
This scale got Barry Harris very excited about new possibilities. I hope you’ll be excited as well since it will make you sound awesome.
Barry Harris Wants You to Learn More About the Sixth Diminished Scale
Lets dig into this scale on an even deeper level now.
Sixth diminished scale appear in many styles of music. We even see it in the comprehensive lick breakdowns inside the Jazz Masters Method.
Playing little melodies from this scale creates really jazzy sounds. In fact, you probably already know this scale by another name: the Major Bebop scale!
The sixth diminished scale and bebop scale can be used over any major chord. Check out this really awesome Major Bebop scale tutorial by Steve.
Now, that you understand the basics of the scale lets take it to the next level.
How to Explore the Sixth Diminished Scale
You start exploring the sixth diminished scale by simply playing it. Play the scale up, down, then play randomly. This is a similar manner to how you think of a Major Bebop scale.
By the way, if you haven’t explored chord tones yet, I also recommend you check out this lesson on chord tone soloing.
Now, it’s time for you to make it a lot more interesting!
Get into exploring harmonies in the sixth diminished scale by playing it in thirds just like this:
CE – DF – EG – FAb – GA – AbB – AC – BD – CE, etc…
The only odd one in this sequence is that major 2nd between G and A. However, that is necessary if you want to strictly play the scale in thirds in the proper sequence.
Once you’ve gotten the hang of playing the sixth diminished scale in thirds, go ahead and harmonize it as chords in this sequence:
By playing the scale this way, you see how simplicity and sophistication can merge.
This concept of taking scales and turning them into chords is a skill that every serious piano player MUST master.
In fact, David Garfield has a whole system where he teaches how to turn scales into great sounding chord voicings in the Jazz Improvisation Super System.
If you think about it in a more sophisticated and hip manner, you end up having C6, Ddim7, C6/E, Fdim7 – C6/G – Abdim7 – Am7 – Bdim7
As you can see in the chart above, each chord resolves nicely to the next one.
Sounds complicated? There is a simpler way of thinking about it.
When you harmonize the sixth diminished scale, you’re actually playing just two chords (a I6 and iidim7) and their inversions!
It so happens that they resolve nicely into each other!
Isn’t that just mind-blowing? It truly is!
How to Find Dominant Chords in a Diminished Chord
One of the most interesting things about harmonizing the sixth diminished scale is that you’ll discover a great number of dominant chords jazz piano chords in it.
Now, what does that mean for you?
Remember that dominant chords always tend to act as V chords for particular keys.
Since you can get a lot of dominant chords out of the sixth diminished scale, this means that the harmonized sixth diminished scale will give tons of ways to change from one key to another in a really smooth way!
If you can easily change keys, you get to make really interesting music that will just be astonishing for your audience!
Now, do you remember when you played that sequence of 6 and dim7 chords? Just take a look at one of those diminished chords:
Because those diminished 7th chords are symmetrical, all four diminished chords are actually the same chord!
However, that one diminished chord can yield four dominant 7th chords!
Barry Harris Books
Here’s how you actually do it: Play a diminished chord with your right hand and then with your left hand play any note that is a half step below one of the notes of your diminished chord.
Here’s an example:
That left hand chord becomes the root note of your dominant 7th(b9) chord!
How to Change Keys with the Harmonized Sixth Diminished Scale
Because you get the same diminished 7th chord every time with your harmonized sixth diminished scale, you get to have four dominant chords.
Let’s put this into practice: Let’s try a ii – V in the key of C:
In the example above, you played a Dm7(9) then a G7(b9) chord consisting of a G for the left hand bass and an Fdim7 for the right hand.
In this case, you would expect a Cmaj7 to come up in the next bar as shown above.
What if you use a root note other than G over that diminished 7th chord? Use Bb this time:
All of a sudden, you have a V chord that leads to the key of Eb!
Now try Db this time as your bass note over the Fdim7 chord. You can now go to the key of Gb:
What about using an E as the bass? This time you can now go to the key of A:
Again, to use this technique properly, use the notes a half step below the notes of yourdiminished chord as bass.
How to Find More Dominant 7th Chords Inside the Sixth Diminished Scale
Barry Harris Jazz Book
Airsoft ak74 grip. Remember how you played the sixth diminished chord in C and you found a C6 chord?
What if I tell you we can get four more dominant 7ths out of that with a few changes?
You want to know how? If you’ve read this far, I guess you want to know!
Here’s how to do it: You can voice lead effectively from a C6 chord to a C7(b9) chord by moving the A up to Bb and then add a Db before the E.
If you do this correctly, you should have a Gdim7 with your right hand.
As you have seen earlier, by simply changing the bass note, you can get four different dominant 7th chords out of that:
From those dominant 7th chords, you can effectively move from one key to another:
Being set free like this unlocks a great number of possibilities!
How To Best Practice Chords To Master Barry Harris Harmony
The best way to get a hang of the tips described earlier, it’s best to use what’s called a drop 2 chord voicing when going over the sixth diminished scale.
Drop 2 voicings are a great way to make your chords sound more open.
To understand how to form a drop 2 voicing, follow these steps:
1. Play any four-note chord in its first inversion. Use C6 for now so you’ll have EGAC:
2. Drop the second highest note (A) an octave lower. For your C6 chord, you now should have AEGC
Now that you know how to play a drop 2 chord voicing, harmonize the C sixth diminished scale using drop 2 chords:
To get the most benefit out of this exercise, practice the sixth diminished scale in all 12 keys in drop 2 chords.
In this way, you’ll get a hang of how to harmonize and play chords just like Barry Harris.
Not only that, you now will be able to unlock various possibilities for playing music.
Barry Harris Workshop Pdf
More freedom means more fun and more possibilities to mesmerize your audience.
This doesn’t mean you can stop. Being complacent will be the death of your musical journey.
How Top Jazz Musicians Master Harmony
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I hope you enjoyed this lesson on how to play harmonies and chords like Barry Harris.
Were we able to help you? Did you find the lesson useful? Do you like the sound of the jazz diminished scale? Do let us know your thoughts by replying through the comment section below!
Until then, keep working on your wonderful music!
Barry Harris photo by Mirko Caserta, Barry Harris, CC BY-SA 2.0
Barry Harris Jazz Theory
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved. Issue 1.0
Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Table of Contents Dr. Barry Harris Profile ..................................................3 About the Author ........................................................3 Introduction.............................................................4 Part I – Improvised Lines ................................................5 Scale runs ............................................................5 Some basic motifs .....................................................7 Summary.............................................................9 Addendum 1: Song Example: Stay Right With It.......................10 Addendum 2: Solo Example: Stay Right With It (third and fourth choruses)...11 Part II - Basic Chord Movement .........................................12 Sixth chords, long and short ...........................................12 Diminished chords, long and short .....................................13 Using the chords .....................................................16 Part III - Exploring the Sixth Diminished Scale ...........................17 Major and Minor sixth diminished scales ...............................17 Chord Scale ..........................................................20 Practice Suggestion ...................................................22 Summary............................................................25 List of Music Examples .................................................26
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
Page 2 of 27
Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Dr. Barry Harris Profile Dr. Barry Harris is an Internationally renowned jazz pianist, composer and teacher. Dr. Harris is the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from Northwestern University. He has received the Living Jazz Legacy award from the Mid-Atlantic Arts Association, and an American Jazz Masters Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. In addition, Dr. Harris received the Manhattan Borough President Award for Excellence. This award was given for recognition of his devoted public service and in honor of excellence in the field of music. He received the 1999 Mentor award for his work with youngsters at the Manhattan Country School in NYC. Dr. Harris began playing jazz in Detroit in the 1940’s. Bebop absorbed his attention, particularly the music of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk. With an unrelenting inquiry into the nature of this music and his willingness to communicate it, Barry Harris now inspires and encourages many younger musicians. He’s come to be known as the “keeper of the bebop flame”. Dr. Barry Harris receives frequent requests to appear as a guest lecturer by Universities and various musical venues all over the world. His lectures and interactive instrument and vocal workshops focus on the complete aspects of music including improvisation, harmonic movement and theory. His schedule includes lectures in the United States, Holland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Japan. When he is not traveling, Dr. Harris holds weekly music workshop sessions in New York City for vocalists, students of piano & other instruments.
About the Author Ms. Fiona Bicket is a pianist and educator, specializing in music education for young children. She has been a student of Barry Harris and Walter Davis Jr, and was twice a semi-finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition. Fiona Bicket has performed and taught extensively in Australia, her country of origin. She initially met Barry Harris at the now closed Jazz Cultural Theater in New York. She presently attends his weekly workshops in New York.
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
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Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Introduction In his teaching, Dr. Barry Harris emphasizes a return to basics. He rejects the trend toward over-complication found in much modern jazz education. He says “Young people should be taught from where the teachers came from, not from where the teachers are.” Anyone who learns from Dr. Barry Harris is sure to be touched by a certain simplicity and freedom which stems from his attention to detail. He deals in an uncomplicated and relaxed manner with the musical elements which make up bebop. He points out two distinct areas of study: chording and soloing. With soloing he teaches scalar and melodic materials which have a very practical application through their rhythmic integrity (Part I). With chording, he instills an understanding of the sixth chord as the fundamental sound of jazz, along with the associated diminished chords, which allow movement within and between chords (Parts II & III). If you are a novice to jazz harmony, play the sequence of examples over and over to absorb the sound and movement. Then, read the text as a guide to the musical examples. The third part is the result of a two-step process. First, the basic text was written, and then Dr. Harris commented on it (in italics), and added variations on some of the musical examples.
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
Page 4 of 27
Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Part I – Improvised Lines Scale runs In many jazz lines, you may have noticed the importance of an added half-step to allow an eighth note line to “come out right” rhythmically in 4/4 time. In other words, with an added chromatic note or two, a descending scale played in eighth notes; beginning on any degree of the scale will arrive at the first degree of the scale on the beat. To really get this under the fingers, Barry suggests practicing descending dominant seventh scales in the following way. . .
Example 1-1
. . . . and so on, up to the run beginning on the seventh note of the scale.
Example 1-2
You can see that any scale run originating on a chord tone requires one added half-step, positioned between the eighth and seventh degrees of the scale. A scale run starting on a non-chord tone requires either no half-steps, or two. The two are positioned between the ninth and eighth, and the eighth and seventh degrees.
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
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Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
These runs should be practiced first of all on their own, for technical facility and secondly, used in any V or II-V situation.
Example 1-3
For major and minor scale runs, the principle is similar, except the first added half-step occurs between the sixth and fifth degrees of the scale, instead of the eighth and seventh.
Example 1-4
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
Page 6 of 27
Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
In addendum 1 and 2, I've transcribed a Barry Harris blues and solo. Notice how he uses added half-steps in bars 7, 10, 15, 16, and 24 of his solo on “Stay Right With It”. But clearly, Barry's lines are much more than eighth-note runs with added half-steps. Here are some suggestions he makes for introducing more rhythmic and melodic variety to these runs. 1) Try adding a triplet.
Example 1-5
2) Try pivoting. That is, play part of the descending scale run up an octave. You can pivot from any note of a scale run. Play the following exercise, and see which ones sound stronger.
Example 1-6
Some basic motifs Barry also teaches certain melodic motifs which are commonly used in bebop phrases. These should be played in all keys, and with the following rhythm:
Example 1-7
Note that the turn of direction in these motifs occurs at a certain place. In the case of motif A, the note G - the fifth degree of the C scale - is the one which is stated before the downward leap leading to a change of direction. With motif B, the F - the fourth - is stated Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
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Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
before dropping down. In motif C, one arrives at the third before dropping, and in the case of motif D, we reach the second before changing direction. Try combining these with scale runs. Here, the motif comes off the fifth of C.
Example 1-8
Here, the turns come off the fourth of the G7 scale, and off the second of the C scale.
Example 1-9
These motifs can also be condensed to form one whole phrase, as follows.
Example 1-10
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
Page 8 of 27
Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Summary By exploring these materials - the scale runs and melodic motifs with some pivoting and rhythmic variation - you can generate great variety in your lines. The only limit is the depth of your exploration. When in an actual playing situation, some surprisingly fresh ideas can surface. I've presented only a bare skeleton of Barry's approach to constructing lines. Perhaps you can begin to see how thoughtfully he has penetrated some essential elements of bebop phrasing. But of course it's not possible to convey in one sitting the breadth of his ideas. To really get the feel of his musical ideas, you must attend his classes. Within the atmosphere of one of Barry's workshops, you can really experience that intellectual quickness and heated spirit of play which is the “flame” of the music.
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
Page 9 of 27
Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Addendum 1: Song Example: Stay Right With It
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
Page 10 of 27
Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Addendum 2: Solo Example: Stay Right With It (third and fourth choruses)
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
Page 11 of 27
Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Part II - Basic Chord Movement Few pianists have as fine a sense of movement in chords as Barry Harris. His understanding is based in a deep appreciation of the essential elements of harmony. Under his fingers, those simple truths blossom into a sound rich with spice and variety. To really grasp Barry's harmonic ideas, it is necessary to have a very thorough knowledge of major and minor sixth chords and diminished seventh chords. I would suggest practicing these in root position and inversions in both closed and open positions. Barry would call them short and long chords. One way to find the long chord is by swapping the top and bottom notes of a short chord.
Sixth chords, long and short For example, see how F6 short chords in root position and inversion can be lengthened.
Example 2-1
Also, play them like so:
Example 2-2
This should be done with all major and minor sixth chords. Then try the exercise in Example 2-3, which uses long chords and short chords. Continue the pattern until you get back to bar 1, an octave higher. It takes quite a bit of thinking to keep the notes arranged in the same pattern, but you will find some unusual sounds are created in this very logical structure. Play slowly and listen.
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
Page 12 of 27
Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Example 2-3
Here's an example of how you might apply this idea to a II-V-I situation.
Example 2-4
Diminished chords, long and short Notice the use of the Gbdim71 chord for F7, to take us back to Bb6. This movement from a diminished chord back to a sixth chord is the basis of many harmonic progressions. A thorough understanding of this movement underlies Barry's approach to chording. Practice the diminished sevenths as you have practiced the sixths, in long and short chords.
Example 2-5
and
Example 2-6 1 Gbdim, Gbdim7, Gbo and Gbo7 all refer to the Gb diminished chord (Gb, Bbb, Dbb and Fbb) We've used the abbreviation “dim7” in the text and the symbol o in the musical examples. You will find that both variations appear in lead sheets.
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
Page 13 of 27
Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Now let's look at a very simple movement from one sixth chord to another via a diminished. This movement is hidden in much of the harmony we play. First of all, move from G6 to C6
Example 2-7
Now, try these diminished passing chords. I've given these in long chords so you can immediately hear what a lovely, open, logical sound these moves can have.
Example 2-8
There are many harmonic situations based on these simple moves. Here are just a few. CMa9 to C6. Notice that the upper notes of CMa9 are in fact the notes of a G6 chord (E, G, B, D). The notes B and D can be lowered one tone to A and C, thus arriving at C6. Like so:
Example 2-9
Now use Bbdim7 to connect them.
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
Page 14 of 27
Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Example 2-10
II-V-I progressions are also made of this type of movement. To see this, we must regard Dm7 - G7(b9) - C6 as F6 – Bdim7 - C6.
Example 2-11
Minor II-V-I progressions can also be understood in this way. Dm7(b5) - G7(b9) - Cm6 is also Fm6 - Bdim7 – Cm6
Example 2-12
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
Page 15 of 27
Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Using the chords In the next example, I show simple, open chords that can be used in comping (playing accompaniment) behind soloists on the first eight measures of a number of tunes that are based on the harmonic progression of “I Got Rhythm”.
Example 2-13
As another example, take a look at the first changes of “Ain't Misbehavin” (or “Slow Boat to China,” “Imagination,” and a host of other songs) where the movement is C6 - C#dim7 -Dm7 (C6 - C#dim7 - F6). Below is an eight bar progression similar to the first eight bars of “Ain't Misbehavin” See how much of it is actually a movement from sixth chord to sixth chord via the diminished. Play this while singing the melody and listen for the logic in the sound of these chords.
Example 2-14
In Part 3, the sixth/diminished relationship will be further explored and applied to movement within a chord. Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
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Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Part III - Exploring the Sixth Diminished Scale By Fiona Bicket with Barry Harris
Through searching for more and more fundamental ways of looking at harmony, Barry Harris has consistently used a special scale - the sixth diminished scale. This scale, studied in its major and minor forms, can open up a wealth of possibilities for movement within a chord. It can also widen your understanding of harmony in general. After exploring the use of this scale over the past few years, I can see that it has filled quite a gap in my harmonic knowledge and also provided me with unlimited material for creating fresh harmonic ideas. The major sixth diminished scale is the same as the diatonic major scale, but with an added note between the fifth and sixth degrees of the scale.
Major and Minor sixth diminished scales
Example 3-1
The minor sixth diminished scale is the same as the ascending form of the melodic minor, but also with an added note between the fifth and sixth.
Example 3-2 To get a feel for this scale on the piano, first practice it in thirds, like so -
Example 3-3
Notice that you must play G and A together as a third, as the note G# falls between them in the scale. It takes some time to get accustomed to this unusual configuration. Try it in other Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
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Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
keys. B.H.: “The sixth diminished scale should be taught all over the world, in classical music and all others. Here are a couple of other ways of looking at it Put your fingers down on a C6 chord - C, E, G, and A.
Example 3-4
It's a combination of two things The C and A are from one diminished chord,
Example 3-5
the E and G are from another diminished chord.
Example 3-6
And there's one additional diminished chord that's not in the C6 chord the Do7.
Example 3-7
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
Page 18 of 27
Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Some of the prettiest sounds happen when you play a diminished note like this Ab - over a minor chord. The Ab says ‘Move me.’ Diminished notes have a way of saying ‘Move me somewhere.’ ”
Example 3-8
You can begin to see the harmonic implications of the scale by building a chord up in thirds from each degree of the scale. The chord generated off the first degree of the scale is C6.
Example 3-9
And off the second degree, D diminished (Do). . .
Example 3-10
off the third degree, C6 in first inversion, and off the fourth degree, Do in first Inversion (or Fo).
Example 3-11
Example 3-12 Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
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Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Chord Scale Carry on up the scale, generating chords off each degree of the scale. You will notice that only two chords are created - C6 and Do. Also do this with C minor sixth diminished scale. You will find that the chords generated are Cm6 and Do. Now, play the whole chord scale in “short chords.”
Example 3-13
To hear this a little more clearly, play it also in “long” chords, by swapping the top and bottom notes of each chord.
Example 3-14
Another way to show it - go up the scale switching short and long.
Example 3-15
Example 3-16
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Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
As you can see, what we have here is a way of moving away from a sixth chord and back to the same sixth chord via the associated diminished. See how Barry uses this in the first one and a half bars of his tune “Father Flanagan”, where he moves from Bbm6 to Co and back using the Bb minor sixth diminished scale.
Example 3-17
Now look at this usage of the C major sixth diminished scale to embellish a C6 chord.
Example 3-18
The above example shows how the diminished notes of the scale can be used to create melodic movement within the chord. B.H.: “It's so pretty. She uses contrary motion. She could also have played this using parallel motion”
Example 3-19
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
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Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
B.H.: “In the following example the A and C (from the C6 chord) are held and the G, E, and A move up one degree of the C diminished sixth scale, then back. Next, the voices move up two degrees, then back. In the last example shown, they move up three degrees. You could extend this movement further. You could also move from the Am7 to the D7, as Fiona shows in her next example.”
Example 3-20
The usage of this scale is not confined to IMa or Im situations, however. For example, the C major sixth diminished scale can be used for the chord Am7. Here I've used the scale for movement in an Am7 chord as it moves to D7
Example 3-21
Practice Suggestion You can practice this type of movement by playing the chord scale, but in each chord raise and then resolve one or two of the notes involved. For example, here is the C minor sixth diminished chord scale with the top note raised and then resolved.
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
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Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Example 3-22
Try raising and resolving one or two of the other notes in the chord, and see what interesting sounds can be created. For example, moving the note second from the bottom would give you this:
Example 3-23
Try applying some of these sounds to a II – V situation. The C minor sixth diminished scale can be used for Am7(b5). B.H.: “Try this: move the pattern down one whole step at a time, ending with a run up the keyboard. (See Example 3-24) How to execute this run? Divide it between the hands. At first, play it in “clumps.” Then, when you play it as a run, the hands stay in shape, but rotate a little, to separate the clumps into absolutely even notes. Play in hand positions . . I am a firm believer in not playing with your fingers. A notewise procedure gets you in trouble.”
Example 3-24
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
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Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
When you begin to use these sounds in their appropriate contexts you can soon see a real connection between the sixth chords found in the original sheet music of standard tunes and our modern chord voicings. Now, we often use other bass notes, and we often leave unresolved diminished notes in our chords. CMa9, for example, is C6 with two unresolved diminished notes - B and D. But the true sixth sound, if only we could recognize it, is still intact. You have already seen one example of this - C6 to D7, or IV to V, in place of IIm7 to V. Another example is Cm6 to D7, or IVm6 to V, in place of IIm7(b5) to V. Knowing this can help you find the appropriate sixth diminished scale to generate movement. For dominant seventh chords, the choice of scale depends on the context (or melody note). For most “altered” dominants, the minor sixth diminished scale found a half step above the root note will work. Play this chord.
Example 3-25
Do you see how this C7(+ 5b9) is Dbm6/C? Here's an example of Barry's, showing how you can put this knowledge to work, using moving thirds from the scale.
Example 3-26
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Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
Summary There are many ways of exploring and applying these scales. Above all, let your ear guide you; but never be afraid to let your intellect, governed by the logic of this harmonic material, take you into new areas. Many of the questions I've heard uttered in Barry's workshops –“What if we did it backwards?” or “in contrary motion?” “How about moving the left hand instead of the right?” - reflect the playfulness which can be at work in this kind of harmonic exploration.
Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
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Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
List of Music Examples Example 1-1............................................................................5 Example 1-2............................................................................5 Example 1-3............................................................................6 Example 1-4............................................................................6 Example 1-5............................................................................7 Example 1-6............................................................................7 Example 1-7............................................................................7 Example 1-8............................................................................8 Example 1-9............................................................................8 Example 1-10...........................................................................8 Example 2-1...........................................................................12 Example 2-2...........................................................................12 Example 2-3...........................................................................13 Example 2-4...........................................................................13 Example 2-5...........................................................................13 Example 2-6...........................................................................13 Example 2-7...........................................................................14 Example 2-8...........................................................................14 Example 2-9...........................................................................14 Example 2-10..........................................................................15 Example 2-11..........................................................................15 Example 2-12..........................................................................15 Example 2-13..........................................................................16 Example 2-14..........................................................................16 Example 3-1...........................................................................17 Example 3-2...........................................................................17 Example 3-3...........................................................................17 Example 3-4...........................................................................18 Example 3-5...........................................................................18 Example 3-6...........................................................................18 Example 3-7...........................................................................18 Example 3-8...........................................................................19 Example 3-9...........................................................................19 Example 3-10..........................................................................19 Example 3-11..........................................................................19 Example 3-12..........................................................................19 Example 3-13..........................................................................20 Example 3-14..........................................................................20 Example 3-15..........................................................................20 Example 3-16..........................................................................20 Example 3-17..........................................................................21 Example 3-18..........................................................................21 Example 3-19..........................................................................21 Example 3-20..........................................................................22 Example 3-21..........................................................................22 Example 3-22..........................................................................23 Example 3-23..........................................................................23 Example 3-24..........................................................................23 Example 3-25..........................................................................24 Example 3-26..........................................................................24 Copyright © 2001 BarryHarris.com. All rights reserved This document is subject to copyrights owned by BarryHarris.com and other individuals or entities. Any reproduction, retransmission, or re-publication of all or part of this document is expressly prohibited, unless BarryHarris.com or the copyright owner of the material has expressly granted its prior written consent to so reproduce, re-transmit, or republish the material.
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Issue 1.0 - The Barry Harris approach to Improvised Lines & Harmony: An Introduction
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