Quick start guide to Barry Harris line building

[Christian Miller]

That sounds like fun. Is there a resource for learning them (method book, for eg. There is always a method book).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Twisted is in one of the New Real Books IIRC

[djg]

That sounds like fun. Is there a resource for learning them (method book, for eg. There is always a method book).

[Jimmy Smith]

this being a beginner vid I didn’t want to include too much stuff, but there’s loads of stuff.

of course you can use any of the intervallic patterns you like - thirds, fourths etc through the dominant scale, and connect to the next chord using, say, 2 beats of a dim7 in the usual way. A good practice vehicle for this I always find is the B from rhythm changes; or Sweet Georgia Brown

Anyway if you are getting tired of the up the arp down the scale sort of thing, one great way to kick it up a notch is to use a pivot, where we octave displace one or more notes of a four note chord for instance (though you could equally use this for scales, think Bach)

If you take a maj7 arp and put the first note up an octave, but you can do this with any four note chord, including dim7. (If that’s not clear it would be easier to write out some examples.)

This does a lot to make lines sound less predictable and more interesting

Thx

[NSJ]

Since Sheryl Bailey’s “Family of 4” arpeggios associated with each dominant chord creating non-conjunctive skips and conjunctive skips on a Dom7 downward from the root using the M7 as a passing tone (the so-called dominant 7th bebop scale) seems to be Barry Harris derived….why not combine that idea with Barry’s 4 Brothers and Sisters?

Take the 4 associated Dom 7 chords a minor third apart that make up the brothers and sisters (e.g, Key of C)

G7
Bb7
Db7
E7

And play each associated (or as many of the 4 arpeggios as you want) you want, as measured from the scale degree of each arpeggio (lets use G7 and 1st example):

From the Root: G7
From the 3rd: Bm7b5
From the 5th: Dm7
From the b7: FM7

Using Bb7: (known as the back door dominant)
From the Root: Bb7
From the 3rd Dm7b5
From the 5th: Fm7 (the iv minor in the parent key of C)
from the b7: AbM7

Using: Db7:

From the Root: Db7
From the 3rd: Fm7b5
From the 5th: Abm7
From the b7: CbM7

Using E7:

From the Root: E7
From the 3rd: G#m7b5
From the 5th: Am7
From the b7: DM7

Mix and Match. Infinite possibilities, especially if you combine BH’s descending half step rules.

Thats a lot of sounds to explore. INFINITE POSSIBILITIES.

[rintincop]

Relative to C Major
Using G7 (known as the V)
Using Bb7: (known as the back door dominant)
Using Db7: (known as the tritone sub dominant)
Using E7: (known as the minor's V dominant)

[Christian Miller]

Since Sheryl Bailey’s “Family of 4” arpeggios associated with each dominant chord creating non-conjunctive skips and conjunctive skips on a Dom7 downward from the root using the M7 as a passing tone (the so-called dominant 7th bebop scale) seems to be Barry Harris derived….why not combine that idea with Barry’s 4 Brothers and Sisters?

Take the 4 associated Dom 7 chords a minor third apart that make up the brothers and sisters (e.g, Key of C)

G7
Bb7
Db7
E7

And play each associated (or as many of the 4 arpeggios as you want) you want, as measured from the scale degree of each arpeggio (lets use G7 and 1st example):

From the Root: G7
From the 3rd: Bm7b5
From the 5th: Dm7
From the b7: FM7

Using Bb7: (known as the back door dominant)
From the Root: Bb7
From the 3rd Dm7b5
From the 5th: Fm7 (the iv minor in the parent key of C)
from the b7: AbM7

Using: Db7:

From the Root: Db7
From the 3rd: Fm7b5
From the 5th: Abm7
From the b7: CbM7

Using E7:

From the Root: E7
From the 3rd: G#m7b5
From the 5th: Am7
From the b7: DM7

Mix and Match. Infinite possibilities, especially if you combine BH’s descending half step rules.

Thats a lot of sounds to explore. INFINITE POSSIBILITIES.

Thise are all good, and I’ve got great mileage out of this, B on G7 is a favourite.

The said, with Barry you can actually use any of the triads, four note chords and larger structures found within the dominant scale.

so you actually have 7*4 = 28 possibilities just for four note chords, 52 if you include triads…. 80 if you include five note chords (9ths) and so on.

(see vid for some of these applications)

Note: the E7 (minor’s V) is much less common in c 2 5 1s. So we focus on Bb7 and Db7 (like in the vid.) E7 is most often used as a way into Am (relative minor). That said, the E triad is very common over G7.

ALSO: don’t sleep on the triads,Dm and F for G7. Much more useful than one may think at first. Again it’s in the vid.

Anyway there’s a lot more here than I can usefully explain in a post. Should do a follow up video.

[wzpgsr]

Since Sheryl Bailey’s “Family of 4” arpeggios associated with each dominant chord creating non-conjunctive skips and conjunctive skips on a Dom7 downward from the root using the M7 as a passing tone (the so-called dominant 7th bebop scale) seems to be Barry Harris derived….why not combine that idea with Barry’s 4 Brothers and Sisters?
…
Mix and Match. Infinite possibilities, especially if you combine BH’s descending half step rules.

Thats a lot of sounds to explore. INFINITE POSSIBILITIES.

Here is a fantastic walk-through of these concepts. Probably the best I’ve encountered:

[Jimmy Smith]

Since Sheryl Bailey’s “Family of 4” arpeggios associated with each dominant chord creating non-conjunctive skips and conjunctive skips on a Dom7 downward from the root using the M7 as a passing tone (the so-called dominant 7th bebop scale) seems to be Barry Harris derived….why not combine that idea with Barry’s 4 Brothers and Sisters?

Take the 4 associated Dom 7 chords a minor third apart that make up the brothers and sisters (e.g, Key of C)

G7
Bb7
Db7
E7

And play each associated (or as many of the 4 arpeggios as you want) you want, as measured from the scale degree of each arpeggio (lets use G7 and 1st example):

From the Root: G7
From the 3rd: Bm7b5
From the 5th: Dm7
From the b7: FM7

Using Bb7: (known as the back door dominant)
From the Root: Bb7
From the 3rd Dm7b5
From the 5th: Fm7 (the iv minor in the parent key of C)
from the b7: AbM7

Using: Db7:

From the Root: Db7
From the 3rd: Fm7b5
From the 5th: Abm7
From the b7: CbM7

Using E7:

From the Root: E7
From the 3rd: G#m7b5
From the 5th: Am7
From the b7: DM7

Mix and Match. Infinite possibilities, especially if you combine BH’s descending half step rules.

Thats a lot of sounds to explore. INFINITE POSSIBILITIES.

Yes indeed. Combine that with the melody shape basic material of scale, arp, and interval and there are excessive possibilities.

I finally had the friggin revelation of what the base elements of jazz melody are. This after almost 20 years of some school, some lessons, and a lot of muddling around lol. I've never encountered anyone teach this. The most basic elements of jazz melody are: scales, arps, and intervals. Run individually as exercises and you don't have music. While combined in creative ways, you instantly have melody.

[rintincop]

The elements of melody that I teach are

Scales
Arpeggios
Embellishments
Phrasing

Pretty simple

[Jimmy Smith]

I agree, I think if you add intervals to scales and arps, it completes the base elements of melody shape. Then you obviously need phrasing. Embellishments are important too like enclosures or trills like you said. I think patterns could be included as well.

[NSJ]

Indeed. There is never a particular rule or cookbook recipe for sure fire good melodies. But the ingredients are always the same, as you say:

Scales-embellishments-arpeggios-phrasing

I would add melodies have contour, shape, momentum, use forms like call and response to ask questions and provide answers, and are driven by rhythm, polyrhythms, accents. Accents are part of phrasing and also imply poly-rhythms.

Dizzy said: “I fill my bar lines with rhythmic patterns and throw some notes at the rhythms”.

The scales-arpeggios-embellishments give one notes to throw at the all important rhythms. Phrasing allows the instrument to emulate the beauty and lyricism of the human voice. Mastering slides, ascending and descending slurs are a must, an absolute pre-requisite.

This is what I have learned and am always working on. I will add: slurs and slides are absolutely necessary to phrase in ht style of not only jazz, but Indian classical music.

[Christian Miller]

Tbh the Barry stuff is all fabulous, but most of the time I’m finding some basic triads and a good rhythm is 9/10ths of the law. Add a 2nd or two (not even the 7th) and you are mostly there. Bop is so much in the rhythmic language it’s not even funny.

i can’t help but feel we spend 90% of the time discussing 10% of the stuff.

[NSJ]

Tbh the Barry stuff is all fabulous, but most of the time I’m finding some basic triads and a good rhythm is 9/10ths of the law. Add a 2nd or two (not even the 7th) and you are mostly there. Bop is so much in the rhythmic language it’s not even funny.

i can’t help but feel we spend 90% of the time discussing 10% of the stuff.

Yes, for sure. But mostly on this board, as judged by the post count, people speak about GEAR, new archtop builds, a different color 175 to add to the collection.

This is probably one of the most popular threads on the site, outside of GEAR.

I can honestly say I have zero interest in any more six string guitars of any type. Out of GAS.

I’m gonna go through Mike Longo’s little book on improvising melodies from rhythms.

RIP Maestro Longo. One of the first people in NYC to die from COVID in March 2020.

[Jimmy Smith]

Tbh the Barry stuff is all fabulous, but most of the time I’m finding some basic triads and a good rhythm is 9/10ths of the law. Add a 2nd or two (not even the 7th) and you are mostly there. Bop is so much in the rhythmic language it’s not even funny.

I can’t help but feel we spend 90% of the time discussing 10% of the stuff.

I think that is often true but I think some type of intellectual approach to integrate some chromaticism is essential.

There is never a particular cookbook recipe for sure fire good melodies.

There is, I figured it out. Scales, arps, intervals. The other day I sat down at my piano to focus on right hand to try to create some exercises utilizing all 3 elements of scales, arps, and intervals. After I got going I thought, screw exercises, this is the best my lines have ever sounded! Instant good lines if you combine all 3 thoughtfully, try it.

[Christian Miller]

Yes, for sure. But mostly on this board, as judged by the post count, people speak about GEAR, new archtop builds, a different color 175 to add to the collection.

This is probably one of the most popular threads on the site, outside of GEAR.

I can honestly say I have zero interest in any more six string guitars of any type. Out of GAS.

I’m gonna go through Mike Longo’s little book on improvising melodies from rhythms.

RIP Maestro Longo. One of the first people in NYC to die from COVID in March 2020.

largely unremarked. I appreciated that one Mark Ronson found time to pay tribute to Longo who was his piano teacher.

i got a lot out of Longos exercises. What if draw mostly from it is - upbeats, quarter triplet and the ‘hidden five’ is really a bembe bell pattern. Also the drumming stuff is fun.

re playing - after going on the Barry kick a few years back I found it necessary to reign in the linearity of it.

It can get a bit much at least the way I applied it. Barry’s materials work equally well for simpler playing. You can do a lot with the important chords, tritone subs as simple triads etc.

There’s also often a sort of optimal harmonic backbone through a standard that you can embellish and this is often what Bird makes a beeline for.

[Petimar]

Seventh Scale
Four Note Chords on each degree
On the upbeat - Half-Step below - Triplet up a Four Note Chord
Descend using the Half-Step Rule(s) for the TOP NOTE of the Four Note Chord

When you get to the DOMINANT'S 5th/3rd/b2nd run up a Diminished Chord.

Resolve.

We could find variations for years.

Alan, I can’t tell you how often i’ve seen this in Birds solos I’ve transcribed.

[A. Kingstone]

Alan, I can’t tell you how often i’ve seen this in Birds solos I’ve transcribed.

Aha! I knew Dr. Harris was onto something!

[rlrhett]

I often wish for a Barry Harris of rhythm. I don’t often improvise lines as I mostly play solo guitar; but thanks to BH and all the excellent students who have spread his knowledge, I feel relatively comfortable knowing what notes to choose from.

It’s a manageable vocabulary of rhythm that I sorely lack. I’ve checked out Mike Longo’s basic material, and it’s great. But I wish there was a professor of rhythm with a complete system like BH.

It don’t mean a thing… well, you know!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Jimmy Smith]

^ Go through the rhythms systematically. Make sure you can play every value accurately to as fast as you want to play. quarter notes, quarter note triplets, 8th notes, 8th note triples, 16th notes etc. Jazz is built on 8th notes so practice making lines of 8th notes and add some triplets and 16th notes here and there. Easy peasy.

Apart from the academic side, rhythms are a sinch to hear. Listen to what rhythms are being used on recordings.

[Petimar]

I often wish for a Barry Harris of rhythm. I don’t often improvise lines as I mostly play solo guitar; but thanks to BH and all the excellent students who have spread his knowledge, I feel relatively comfortable knowing what notes to choose from.

This is the one vid of Barry's I've seen where he talks a lot of rhythm. And just a few opinions...

[NSJ]

This is the one vid of Barry's I've seen where he talks a lot of rhythm. And just a few opinions...

OH YES. I’ve seen this one before. From this, we get this great quote:

”Barry Harris: “There should be a class where people really learn about the ‘and’s. That’s the what them “sell-sa” (sic) people have over us, you know, they be playing that music, and they be messing with them ‘ands’ and people be up dancing and having a ball. Jazz musicians go and play and it’s like you say, ‘dog, you can’t dance to it or nothing?’. All we did was dance to jazz. That’s the only way I learned about jazz was through dancing. When we went to hear Charlie Parker, we went to a dance hall; when we went to hear one of the big bands, we went to a dance hall; Duke Ellington? Dance Hall! Basie? Dance Hall! Jazz musicians (these days) be getting away with murder; they ain’t got no people dancing to the music, they can just do whatever they want. And you couldn’t dance to it if you wanted to, bad as some of them sound. You MUST know about ands!”