Scale outlining "All Of Me"

[rintincop]

There's a "family" of four dominants (E7 G7 Bb7 Db7) that occur naturally in the diminished (scale). Bop players would interchange (substitute) among the four related dominant (Mixolydian) scales freely.
Here are some Barry Harris-inspired outlines of the chord changes to "All Of Me".
In measures 3-4 we see a scale substitution of playing a G7 scale over the E7 chord. It is one that Harris favored, especially over a minor key ii V such as B-7b7 E7b9.
You’ve probably heard of the popular tritone substitution of the Bb7 scale over E7.
____________________________________________
Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and also helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book."

[Bobby Timmons]

rintincop: do you have any melody exercises combining scales and arps? Or scales, arps, and intervals? I seem to remember people talking about BH material like that.

[Bobby Timmons]

Thanks, that sounds good.

[AllanAllen]

So, why these scales over these chords? How do I apply this to other tunes?

[Boss Man Zwiebelsohn]

So, why these scales over these chords? How do I apply this to other tunes?

Check out the first videos of the Youtube channel "Things I learned from Barry Harris". The scale outlines give you the basic improvisation material (chord tones on strong beats plus passing tones) so you get that sound into your ears and help you (besides learning melody and lyrics in case there are lyrics) remembering the form.

In the original basic form the scales are played up (and back down in case of 2 measures) other than in the OP's example.

For some tunes like "All The Things You Are" Barry's approach deviates from the things described in the two videos above:

[rpjazzguitar]

I always thought about this a little differently.

I see the tune as in the Key of C. But, some of the chords have notes that aren't in the key of C. So, when you get to those notes you change them to a nearby chord tone. That is, you think C Tonal Center and adjust for chord tones that aren't white keys.

So, for bars 1 and 2 you're playing all white keys.

Then, there's an E7. You continue with all white keys but now there's a G#, so you play G# instead of G. Now, E mixo (another option) has an F# and C#, but this is different. You stay with the Fnat and Cnat which makes it, sort of, sound like E7b9b13.

When you gt to the A7 you adjust the C to a C# and go back to Gnat.

For D7, all you need to adjust is the F#.

Of course, you don't have to do this, but you can.

EDIT: All white keys but with a G# instead of G is A harmonic minor.
All white keys but with C# instead of C is D melodic minor
All white keys but F# instead of F is D mixolydian.

And, you can think about it that way, if you find it helpful. I prefer thinking tonal center and chord tones and seem to end up in the same place.

[Boss Man Zwiebelsohn]

[...]

Then, there's an E7. You continue with all white keys but now there's a G#, so you play G# instead of G. Now, E mixo (another option) has an F# and C#, but this is different. You stay with the Fnat and Cnat which makes it, sort of, sound like E7b9b13.

When you gt to the A7 you adjust the C to a C# and go back to Gnat.

For D7, all you need to adjust is the F#.

[...]

G7 (dominant) scale (G "mixolydian") is all white keys. Sharpen the G to G#, play it over E7 and you get your E7b9b13.

On the A7 there is a b9 in the melody ("no good without you"), therefore the choice of C7 with a raised tonic. Gives you A7b9b13. Also you would outline a minor II V leading to Dm (Em7b5 A7) as "C7 down [from the seventh] to the third of A".

BTW I feel the Dm rather as a momentary key center than as a Dm7 as a II chord. I would rather play D MM there or the D 6th diminished scale or an F maj scale*) depending if you prefer a Dm6 resp. Dm(maj7) sound or a Dm7 (as it is usually played today). The original sheet music says only Dm and there is no clear indication for the seventh or sixth from the melody.
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*) I am still looking for the video by BH's longtime student Shan Verma a.k.a. JazzSkills where he says you should practice those scale outline phrases not only from tonic to seventh but also from third to ninth and from fifth to eleventh -- and of course back down for two-bar phrases. Shan was the guy that Barry choose to accompany the singers for the European workshops and he was very close to Barry.
___

D7 scale has all white keys but the F#.

One very imortant aspect of the BH scale outlines IMO (apart from the improvisational material it shows you "rhythmically correct", meaning chord tones on downbeats plus passing tones) are the either one-bar phrases ending on 4 or two bar phrases ending on three that give a structure to the tune you are practicing that way. Before I had come across this teachings I had never seen that.

[Christian Miller]

The beauty of the scale outline exercise is anyone can use it with any scale, and you don’t need to be knowledgable about Barry Harris stuff to get something out of the exercise.

Just play your scales 1-7 or 7-1 and not to the root.

[AllanAllen]

Oh I think I got it now. The E7 A7 and G7 are all up a Tritone.

[dot75]

Here are some Barry Harris-inspired outlines of the chord changes to "All Of Me"

Is this from the Mark Levine book or somewhere else - thanks in advance...

[AllanAllen]

Check out the first videos of the Youtube channel "Things I learned from Barry Harris". The scale outlines give you the basic improvisation material (chord tones on strong beats plus passing tones) so you get that sound into your ears and help you (besides learning melody and lyrics in case there are lyrics) remembering the form.

I saw those TILFBH videos and I don't like how it's not explained. The Barry Harrils scale changes he presents in the video are below, they are not the chords to rhythm changes. And I'm back to my question. Why these scales? I mean, I get BbM7 over the BbM7 chord, but why F7 over Gm7, why BbM7 over Cm7, ect. ect.

[BbM7 | F7 | BbM7 | F7|
Bb7 | Eb7 | BbM7 | F7|

BbM7 | F7 | BbM7 | F7|
Bb7 | Eb7 | BbM7 | BbM7|

[Boss Man Zwiebelsohn]

I saw those TILFBH videos and I don't like how it's not explained. The Barry Harrils scale changes he presents in the video are below, they are not the chords to rhythm changes. And I'm back to my question. Why these scales? I mean, I get BbM7 over the BbM7 chord, but why F7 over Gm7, why BbM7 over Cm7, ect. ect.

[BbM7 | F7 | BbM7 | F7|
Bb7 | Eb7 | BbM7 | F7|

BbM7 | F7 | BbM7 | F7|
Bb7 | Eb7 | BbM7 | BbM7|

A I-VI-II-V is basically an extension of a I-V.

Gm7 is an inversion of Bb6, so you can play the Bb major scale over both.

A II-V is always reduced to the V by Barry Harris (and he did not invent that), so you play the F7 scale over Cm7-F7.

[pamosmusic]

I saw those TILFBH videos and I don't like how it's not explained. The Barry Harrils scale changes he presents in the video are below, they are not the chords to rhythm changes. And I'm back to my question. Why these scales? I mean, I get BbM7 over the BbM7 chord, but why F7 over Gm7, why BbM7 over Cm7, ect. ect.

[BbM7 | F7 | BbM7 | F7|
Bb7 | Eb7 | BbM7 | F7|

BbM7 | F7 | BbM7 | F7|
Bb7 | Eb7 | BbM7 | BbM7|

Youre also off on the harmonic rhythm. Two chords per measure, so based on what you have here, that’s BbM7 over Bb *and* Gm, then F7 over Cm *and* F7.

Thats a pretty standard way of addressing rhythm changes. Instead of playing all the chords you just reduce it to tonic, dominant, and subdominant.

[AllanAllen]

Thanks, both of those replies help clear things up. Especially Pamos catching my harmonic rhythm mistake.

[StringNavigator]

A II-V is always reduced to the V by Barry Harris (and he did not invent that), so you play the F7 scale over Cm7-F7.

Barry Harris didn't invent anything. These harmonies have been played since banjoists and pianists fought with tuba players to be heard. It's like the Freddy Green Style. Everyone who played that way plays the FG style, even those born before him (?), but his teacher was Alan Reuse, who's teacher was George Van Eps. If it's Freddie Green Style Guitar Playing, then what was Alan Reuse doing before he gave Freddie Green lessons? The revisionists pick and choose their heroes. And the young don't know any better. They're actually believing what they read in musicology college books. In fact, I read all about these Diminished Principles in Chord Connection 1978 by David Eastlee. Dress it up with hocus-pocus and desperate dummies will give you their collection of dead president portraits...

[rpjazzguitar]

There's a "family" of four dominants (E7 G7 Bb7 Db7) that occur naturally in the diminished (scale). Bop players would interchange (substitute) among the four related dominant (Mixolydian) scales freely.
Here are some Barry Harris-inspired outlines of the chord changes to "All Of Me".
In measures 3-4 we see a scale substitution of playing a G7 scale over the E7 chord. It is one that Harris favored, especially over a minor key ii V such as B-7b7 E7b9.
You’ve probably heard of the popular tritone substitution of the Bb7 scale over E7.
____________________________________________
Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and also helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book."

Thanks for posting this.

Looked at from another point of view, it's C tonal center. The secondary dominants are modified to include the b9 (and the other black keys that are chord tones) and the lines usually start on the b9. On the dominant leading to the tonic, it's adjusted to G7b9b13. It may help to think of it as a Bb7 scale, vs a G7b9b13, but you end up in a similar place either way.

I think the decision might hinge on the player's goal. If you're trying to take an idea and move it around through the harmony, then thinking about the 4 related dim chords may work for you. If you're trying to make a simple, singable melody, and you're not so concerned with moving an idea through harmony, than a knowledge of chord subs, the chord tones therein and tonal center may work for you.

[Tal_175]

The revisionists pick and choose their heroes.

Who are these revisionists? What criteria do they use to pick and choose their heroes? Or are you just ranting nonsense?

Nobody said that BH invented the diminished concepts that he taught. BH himself never claimed otherwise.

Also when you call people poseurs, what is your definition of a poseur? You seem to have very strong views about jazz, does that also make you a poseur?

[A. Kingstone]

Pick our heroes. Damn right. I pick this guy.

[StringNavigator]

Who are these revisionists? What criteria do they use to pick and choose their heroes? Or are you just ranting nonsense? Nobody said that BH invented the diminished concepts that he taught. BH himself never claimed otherwise. Also when you call people poseurs, what is your definition of a poseur? You seem to have very strong views about jazz, does that also make you a poseur?

(Is this what they call an emotional bomb? Hoo-Haa!)

I guess the revisionists never listened to Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Earl Hines, and Oscar Peterson...
Young guitarists today should learn the tradition. You'll find that it's all been done before. Eddie Lang forgot more guitarology than the lot of you keyboard experts ever knew. This is what happens when guitarists only listen to guitarists.

A poseur is someone who makes a video and teaches you about his new method on how to voice guitar chords on the fretboard as if it were a new discovery. Next they'll be selling us Berklee Scales... by the pound.

There's a lot of foolishness that passes for facts on the internet. Because the past never had an internet, all the revisionistas just take the treasures of the past and then claim the glory for themselves, put their name on it and make a living from those ignorant of the past. At 70, I can state this as factual. I've seen it for myself. Those who can't see this are probably part of the problem. Enjoy...

(Where's Jimmy Bruno when you need him...?)

::

[pamosmusic]

I think the decision might hinge on the player's goal. If you're trying to take an idea and move it around through the harmony, then thinking about the 4 related dim chords may work for you. If you're trying to make a simple, singable melody, and you're not so concerned with moving an idea through harmony, than a knowledge of chord subs, the chord tones therein and tonal center may work for you.

This is a great point.

This is why I kind of love theory. There are always a half dozen right answers and they all depend on what you want to use the answer for.

Teaching harmonic analysis in classical guitar is super fun for that reason. Is that measure a 7th chord or an inversion with a suspension or something else? It really matters what your answer is because you’d play each one differently.

[Tal_175]

(Is this what they call an emotional bomb? Hoo-Haa!)

I guess the revisionists never listened to Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Earl Hines, and Oscar Peterson...
Young guitarists today should learn the tradition. You'll find that it's all been done before. Eddie Lang forgot more guitarology than the lot of you keyboard experts ever knew. This is what happens when guitarists only listen to guitarists.

A poseur is someone who makes a video and teaches you about his new method on how to voice guitar chords on the fretboard as if it were a new discovery. Next they'll be selling us Berklee Scales... by the pound.

There's a lot of foolishness that passes for facts on the internet. Because the past never had an internet, all the revisionistas just take the treasures of the past and then claim the glory for themselves, put their name on it and make a living from those ignorant of the past. At 70, I can state this as factual. I've seen it for myself. Those who can't see this are probably part of the problem. Enjoy...

(Where's Jimmy Bruno when you need him...?)

::

Wow, your ability to generate lengthy, self-assured, word salad responses on subjects you don't know seem to know much about rivals to that of ChatGpt. That's impressive. You even included a completely made up definition (poseur).
I can't find a single coherent thought in your post. You seem to be ranting about an imaginary adversary. It's not clear what is it that are you trying to build a case against or what makes you think that Jimmy Bruno wouldn't be embarrassed to be associated with that post.

[AllanAllen]

I guess the revisionists never listened to Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Earl Hines, and Oscar Peterson...
::

These guys didn’t run an accessible jazz school for decades. You end up building a massive legacy when you can teach something well.

Who else of his prestige is teaching weekly workshops for $20?

[Boss Man Zwiebelsohn]

[...] I guess the revisionists never listened to Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Earl Hines, and Oscar Peterson... [...]

The record that turned me (young rock fan who had discovered Jimi Hendrix and the blues before) to jazz was Oscar Peterson's live album "On The Town". Must have been in the late 80ies.

[...] Young guitarists today should learn the tradition. [...]

Who ever disagreed on that, especially among those you are into Barry Harris' teachings?

[...] You'll find that it's all been done before. Eddie Lang forgot more guitarology than the lot of you keyboard experts ever knew. This is what happens when guitarists only listen to guitarists. [...]

As someone who has worked professionally for years as a proofreader I must say I find this passage very illogical. Please express yourself clearly.

[...] (Where's Jimmy Bruno when you need him...?) [...]

Here you are @ 5:20: Bruno on Harris

[ragman1]

Oh, there we are, poor old Barry unfortunately being shown the door again...

[A. Kingstone]

Oh, there we are, poor old Barry unfortunately being shown the door again...

Alright pal. If you're going to play that beautifully and explain the method so clearly and with such energy and joy we're going to have to ask you to leave.