Official Barry Harris Thread

[Bobby Marshall]

I just think of how the note functions. In E major or E dominant, would you name the note on the 4th fret of an e string g sharp or a flat? G sharp, the major 3rd. You would never call it a flat 4th.

In E flat major or E flat dominant, you would name the 4th fret of an e string? A flat, the perfect 4th. You would never call it a sharp 3rd.

But then other notes like the 6th fret of an e string in the key of E major or E dominant can be called A sharp OR B flat as it functions both ways. But in E Lydian it would just be A sharp because the 4th is sharp in that mode. So it depends on the scale, mode and any accidentals or alterations in the tune. In the end, it is just a way to remember and communicate with others.

[christianm77]

You get a b4 in the altered scale ;-) But that normally functions as a 3 in practice.

[NSJ]

Regarding the upbeat into the eighth note Triplet, I mentioned this to a singer I know and she said " oh you mean like (singing ) ' my mama done told me " (from " blues in the night")

Boom. There you go. You're never going to forget it now

[christianm77]

I did hear of one school of teaching were notated rhythms in blocks of a half note for eights and quarter note for sixteenths were all associated with spoken phrases. Seems like a good system.

[MarkRhodes]

Regarding the upbeat into the eighth note Triplet, I mentioned this to a singer I know and she said " oh you mean like (singing ) ' my mama done told me " (from " blues in the night")

Boom. There you go. You're never going to forget it now

I was listening to Peggy Lee sing that earlier today. Harold Arlen wrote the tune and Johnny Mercer wrote the lyric. And you're right, I'll never forget that example.

[destinytot]

Hope this thread turns out to be a helpful one for people trying to get a basic idea before purchasing some of the study materials, and a good place to ask questions.

Even having purchased all the materials listed (except the Anatomy of a Tune), I'm hopeful that this thread will offer up examples of the ideas I haven't managed to apply.

I haven't fully grasped Barry's 'borrowing' idea, even though it's explained very clearly in Alan's book (and demonstrated in Roni Ben-Hur's Chordability).

I'm keen to see some cool examples of 'borrowing' on video (saying what is being borrowed and from where).

[destinytot]

I was listening to Peggy Lee sing that earlier today. Harold Arlen wrote the tune and Johnny Mercer wrote the lyric. And you're right, I'll never forget that example.

Love Peggy Lee.

Superlative stuff from Ray Charles:

[destinytot]

Sinatra did a subdued version me of "Blues in the Night" on his "Sings for Only the Lonely". The guy could really get inside a lyric. (This is relevant to Barry's work, as he devotes a lot of attention to vocalizing, and Sinatra was brilliant at that.)

The track Ebb Tide - fabulous control. Some of his Jobim, for me, is definitive. (I'm applying Barry's approach to playing bossa nova - which, for me, is beautiful and dearly beloved.)

[A. Kingstone]

.....................

I haven't fully grasped Barry's 'borrowing' idea, even though it's explained very clearly in Alan's book ..............

Mike: Thanks again for the kind words.

Try using borrowing on an important minor into a Dominant.

Dm7 (F6o) – Try a Borrowed diminished from above in the Alto voice. (a straight F Major Seventh will occur).

Move it up or down a couple Sixth/Diminishes and when landing on a Sixth with borrowed diminished change to the nearest G7 or Abm6 that you like. Make the rhythm work. Maybe the F6o in triplets.

[NSJ]

The one or two note borrowing concept, either from the diminished or to the diminished, or from the sixth to the sixth, is a great way to create tension and release it.

To be honest, like anything else that is important, it takes a really long time to shed . It's on my bucket list. I feel like I have the sixth chords and the diminished chords more or less down, and that took a long long time to shed.

The borrowing concept is the next ladder of the Barry Harris system . Some of those sounds really great . Especially incorporating the diminished into the six chord.

[MarkRhodes]

So where is everyone???

[wzpgsr]

My DVDs and workbook just arrived today...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[David B]

So where is everyone???

Still here Mark! I know I'm overdue on uploading some scale playing - will do that on Saturday.

Barry fans will enjoy renting this documentary, 'Barry Harris: The Spirit of Bebop', from Vimeo.
Watch Barry Harris: The Spirit of Bebop Online | Vimeo On Demand on Vimeo

https://player.vimeo.com/video/136663440

[NSJ]

the 4 note chromatic sequences (Barry Harris) are

Major (I, IV, V). Using C Major as example C-D-Eb-E (Asc). E-D-Db-C. ( Desc). Each major scale degree follows this pattern. So the ascending pattern is different then the descending pattern.

Minor (ii, iiii, vi, vii) 4 consecutive semitones Asc. Or Desc (e.g., D, Eb-E-F). Each minor scale degree follows this pattern, which is the same ascending and descending. Incidentally, in the Key of C , if you start on E, go up The Four note minor scale degree pattern, , then start on A and go up the minor scale degree pattern, resulting eight note pattern Goetz you get the famous melody for Thelonious Monk's "blue Monk".

The trick is to mix and match to taste and by ear. I practice these with wide intervals like tenths and thirteenths, it creates a very nice difference between the chromaticism in the wide intervals.

[christianm77]

the 4 note chromatic sequences (Barry Harris) are

Major (I, IV, V). Using C Major as example C-D-Eb-E (Asc). E-D-Db-C. ( Desc). Each major scale degree follows this pattern. So the ascending pattern is different then the descending pattern.

Minor (ii, iiii, vi, vii) 4 consecutive semitones Asc. Or Desc (e.g., D, Eb-E-F). Each minor scale degree follows this pattern, which is the same ascending and descending. Incidentally, in the Key of C , if you start on E, go up The Four note minor scale degree pattern, , then start on A and go up the minor scale degree pattern, resulting eight note pattern Goetz you get the famous melody for Thelonious Monk's "blue Monk".

The trick is to mix and match to taste and by ear. I practice these with wide intervals like tenths and thirteenths, it creates a very nice difference between the chromaticism in the wide intervals.

You can also play harmonies this way. With Blue Monk (3-5) you can play (1-3) against it.

[NSJ]

You can also play harmonies this way. With Blue Monk (3-5) you can play (1-3) against it.

I'm not clear what you mean by harmonies and the numbers you set forth in the parentheses. What do you mean by 3-5 and 1–3 ? You mean play The 4 note chromatic patterns set forth with the first, second, and third scale degree as a form of linear accompaniment ?

[christianm77]

I'm not clear what you mean by harmonies and the numbers you set forth in the parentheses. What do you mean by 3-5 and 1–3 ?

Those are the chord tones you are joining up with the chromatics

[PMB]

On the topic of chromatics, I'm not sure if I've posted this here before (stop me if you've heard this...) but I recently came up with a useful descending chromatic major exercise after watching BH's DVDs. He talks briefly about playing down a chromatic scale and reversing the direction whenever a semitone occurs in the parent major scale.

For example, in C the semitones occur between C-B and F-E. Therefore, the descending C chromatic major scale in its simplest form would be: C-D-B-Bb-A-Ab-G-Gb-F-G-E-Eb-D-Db-C. The interpolated note in this case is the preceding major scale tone. However, it could be any other tone. The dominant 'bebop lick' is an obvious variation. Working from C major's related dominant, G7 instead of G-Gb-F-G-E-D, we find G-Gb-F-A-E-D. The expected passing Eb is missing to allow the D a rhythmic syncopation.

My exercise takes this pattern and rolls it out over a ii-V-I progression. The line is a continuous loop, jumping up a couple of octaves with each repeat of the progression to avoid running out of space. Notice how the 7th, 5th, 3rd and 1st (root) degrees of the chords are accentuated with each successive line.

[Vladan]

the 4 note chromatic sequences (Barry Harris) are

Major (I, IV, V). Using C Major as example C-D-Eb-E (Asc). E-D-Db-C. ( Desc). Each major scale degree follows this pattern. So the ascending pattern is different then the descending pattern. ...

I do not understand. What and where would be the application, what's the context?

Same question for minor?




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[Vladan]

I'm not clear what you mean by harmonies and the numbers you set forth in the parentheses. What do you mean by 3-5 and 1–3 ? You mean play The 4 note chromatic patterns set forth with the first, second, and third scale degree as a form of linear accompaniment ?

Guess, he meant, we can play parallel line maj 3rd away?

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[christianm77]

Guess, he meant, we can play parallel line maj 3rd away?

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It's a 3rd, but sometimes major, sometimes minor. So, to give you an idea, Blue Monk in C...

E F F# G

A third down:

E F F# G
C D D# E

You hear it all the time, both as a third, and of course as a countryish sixth.

C D D# E
E F F# G

Oh, and the blues turnaround, in reverse. (Doesn't use the descending formula. TBH I rarely use the descending form of the major third. I'm sure it'll come in handy though.)

C C C C
G Gb F E
Bb A Ab G

Oblique movement (I use this lick too much probably)

C C C C
E F F# G

Relates to C7 F F#o7 C in a blues or rhythm tune, for instance.

Going down from Bb

C C C C
Bb A Ab G

That's the prog
C7 F Fm6 C
basically

(These are also called the two blues endings)

Now in earlier forms of Rhythm Changes (such as Basie), we have this, often times (in C)

C6 C#o7 | Dm7 D#o7 | C6/E Ebo7 | Dm7 G7/D |

Notice, obviously that we are linking the notes C and E in the bassline rhythmically - we are using a connecting figure of 4 notes in bars 1 and 2 for timing reasons and then using the ascending form of the major third in the bass for the last two bars. I'll leave some other Barry heads around here to discuss the interesting properties of the progression Dm7 D#o7 C/E Ebo7 Dm7, BTW

I could go on and talk about what I call the Cole Porter turnaround, another example, but I'll leave you to ponder this one:

F#m7b5 Fm6 C6/E Ebo7 Dm7 G7/D C6

It's my belief that these chromatic linking phrases and voice leading line cliches are the basis or a way of expressing a lot of the decorating harmony we hear in swing music and consequently, bop.

[christianm77]

Oh here's a good one, contrary motion. When someone told me about this one, I was like mind=blown OMG lol. (Sorry)

E-F-F#-G
E-Eb-D-C#

Which relates to-

Am6 F7 D7 A7

i.e. the bonkers bridge to Ain't Misbehaving.

[Vladan]

I knew there was a reason I thought about putting that "maj" in brackets.
Thanks for lengthy response, though, looks promissing.

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[christianm77]

No prob.... Did a lot of thinking about this a while back....

[matt.guitarteacher]

No prob.... Did a lot of thinking about this a while back....

Didn't you do some other Harris-related videos previously? If so, I wonder if you might post them here?