Lydian Chromatic Scale Concept

[Pining for the Fjords]

I have just purchased David Baker's "A comprehensive Method for All Musicians: The Lydian Chromatic Method".
It gives plenty of exercises to complete but it never mentions which chord patterns or modal frameworks it could be applied to.
Does anyone have an understanding of what this is?

[rabbit]

Don't know squat 'bout this.

Just found this, so far the most useful (to me) explanation yet:

Lydian-Dominant Theory for Improvisation

EDIT:

Sorry, wrong idea; well, I said I didn't know 'squat.'

[randalljazz]

Originally Posted by Pining for the Fjords

I have just purchased David Baker's "A comprehensive Method for All Musicians: The Lydian Chromatic Method".
It gives plenty of exercises to complete but it never mentions which chord patterns or modal frameworks it could be applied to.
Does anyone have an understanding of what this is?

well, i don't have the book, but someone uploaded the first 17 pages (most of) to scribd...so, i can see the first group. baker states on the contents page that the first group is for "all scales (except blues scales)". the ones i can see are interval exercises, written in key of C, which baker says should be transposed to all keys. usable of all modes of the major scale.

in my view, the value in these is not particularly "to play over which chord", but in developing the player's ear and fingers. they will all have countless 'applications' once internalized thoroughly.

i can't see the exercises he gives for the remaining pantheon of LCC exotica, but i would guess more of the same, with different intervallic pattern for the underlying scale.

as to the lydian chromatic concept itself...good luck. here's an intro:

George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization

[Reg]

I've checked out concept years ago... was cool way off understanding music, one tonic system based on perfect 5th using acoustical foundations to build off but included too many other control systems not based on music for me personally. I am not an expert at the system by any means, but if your looking for a single answer to understanding music, it might work. As Randal pointed out Baker's book has value as source of melodic studies... I'll try and check it out and post... best Reg

[paynow]

And that is no easy feat. The man was a genius and it's not always easy to understand. On the surface the concept is the idea of "Lydian as Tonic", meaning that the Lydian Scale becomes the one on which you base your modes and chords. It goes much deeper than that though. "Tonal Gravity" is another term used, the idea that the scale with a sharp forth/flatted fifth has a stronger pull for the ear than a regular major scale:

F G A B C D E F (F Lydian) as opposed to

F G A Bb C D E F (F Major)

The book is rather expensive; I paid $135 for mine but I think it is worth it to own a copy. I actually borrowed mine at first from a university music library, read it, then decided I needed to own it in order to read it again. I'll probably need to read it several times. And, to really get it, you ought to have a keyboard to go over the theory. You don't have to be able to play, you just need it to really understand the theory, to see how the chords work. They go beyond the scope of the guitar at points.

I always suggest people interested in LCCOTO watch this, from 1958:

YouTube Video

You get to hear the maestro himself talk about it and you get to hear some compositions based on it. Mundell Lowe is on this video so you get to hear a great guitarist too.

Another great vid on George Russell:

YouTube Video

It's would also be a good idea to listen to some of his records, which are out on CD and easy to get. My two favorites are "Ezz-thetics" and "Stratusphunk".

George Russell passed almost exactly a year ago; July 27, 2009. His contributions were legendary. You wouldn't have Miles or Trane without George Russell; so much of their ground breaking work was based on his concepts. He began as a drummer but when he heard Max Roach play he decided to become a composer. He played the piano in his groups; not really on a virtuoso level but well enough. When he was asked if he considered himself a piano player he replied "I don't play the the piano, I play the Lydian Concept."

LCCOTO generates a lot of controversy on some boards I've visited people love it, hate it, argue about it, the usual stuff. The books you have are fine and for the most part were written to present it in an easier to understand manner I just think it's necessary to go to the source. Just remember that in the end it's about playing music and not concepts.

George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization

and George Russell