Chromatic Scale Sequences

[GuyBoden]

I've been creating some chromatic sequences. Using all of the chromatic scale notes.These are ascending.

Scale tones in bold. (C Major)

D-Eb-E-A-F-Gb-G-Ab-A-Bb-B-E-C-Db-D-Eb-E-A-F-Gb-G-Ab-A-Bb-B-E-C-Db-D-Eb-E-A-F-Gb etc

D-Eb-E-B-F-Gb-G-Ab-A-Bb-B-Gb-C-Db-D-Eb-E-B-F-Gb-G-Ab-A-Bb-B-Gb-C-Db-D-Eb-E-B-F-Gb etc

D-Eb-E-Gb-F-Gb-G-Ab-A-Bb-B-Db-C-Db-D-Eb-E-Gb-F-Gb-G-Ab-A-Bb-B-Db-C-Db-D-Eb-E-Gb etc

If you play the lines you'll get the idea, similar to BH's chromatic scale idea.

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To create your own sequence, using what ever interval you like.

Just add your own interval for X and Z.

Ascending Sequence.

D-Eb-E-X-F-Gb-G-Ab-A-Bb-B-Z-C-Db-D-Eb-E-X-F-Gb-G-Ab-A-Bb-B-Z-C-Db etc

Descending Sequence.

D-Db-C-Z-B-Bb-A-Ab-G-Gb-F-X-E-Eb-D-Db-C-Z-B-Bb-A-Ab-G-Gb etc

[pamosmusic]

I think the BH chromatic sequences leave space for replacing those skips with larger leaps as well.

[GuyBoden]

I think the BH chromatic sequences leave space for replacing those skips with larger leaps as well.

In my admittedly very limited BH knowledge, I've never seen or heard the sequences I've posted used anywhere else. But, it does seem like an obvious thing to do.

[setemupjoe]

This is the BH chromatic scale. In his version he places the G note in between E and F and the D note in between B and C. He does, however, say you could use any note there as you are doing.


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[ragman1]

Guy, I really, really don't see the point of this. Learn the normal stuff first and dust off the high notes. If you must, join up chord tones with the note/s in between, and don't overdo it. Anything else generally sounds contrived.

[pamosmusic]

Guy, I really, really don't see the point of this. Learn the normal stuff first and dust off the high notes. If you must, join up chord tones with the note/s in between, and don't overdo it. Anything else generally sounds contrived.

You'd have to play it to hear the point of it.

Go in reverse and play from D down to B.

D Db C E B

Then tell me that doesn't sound like Hank Mobley or something.

Again ... Barry's formulation would put a D in place of the E, but still. In addition to a bunch of other things, it's a way of turning short scale fragments into useable vocabulary, and making chromatic fragments transposable without disrupting the rhythm.

[A. Kingstone]

Barry revised his idea of HALF-STEP RULES to EXTRA NOTE RULES.

The rule is more important than the note.

These examples are good and exploring this is fun.

[GuyBoden]

Guy, I really, really don't see the point of this. Learn the normal stuff first and dust off the high notes. If you must, join up chord tones with the note/s in between, and don't overdo it. Anything else generally sounds contrived.

I looked at the Barry Harris Chromatic Scale and my thoughts were, there are endless permutations of this type of sequence and it's not mentioned anywhere that I could find. So, I created and shared my own sequences.

Yes, it sounds contrived, because it is. :-)

[pamosmusic]

Yes, it sounds contrived, because it is. :-)

Also, to be fair to you ... properly applied, I don't think this sounds contrived at all.

[ragman1]

Okay, all play Barry Harris! :-)

I'd rather play me.

[pamosmusic]

I'd rather play me.

I, too, was young once.

[ragman1]

play from D down to B.

D Db C E B

From D down to B? What's that E doing there?

Is that supposed to be over a G7? D Db C B? I do that sort of thing in my sleep, for god's sake. And just about anybody could, I should think.

[Boss Man Zwiebelsohn]

Barry revised his idea of HALF-STEP RULES to EXTRA NOTE RULES.

The rule is more important than the note.

These examples are good and exploring this is fun.

The extra notes are rhythmic placeholders. The actual note is not so important (although some work better than others).

[ragman1]

I, too, was young once.

Ah, senility's creeping in, then...

[Boss Man Zwiebelsohn]

I, too, was young once.

I still feel young, kid, especially when exploring authentic jazz language with Barry Harris' methods LOL. I like sounding vanilla and muddy W[TF]ever the meaning of the latter might be.

[GuyBoden]

To create your own sequence, using what ever interval you like.

Just add your own interval for X and Z.


D-Eb-E-X-F-Gb-G-Ab-A-Bb-B-Z-C-Db-D-Eb-E-X-F-Gb-G-Ab-A-Bb-B-Z-C-Db etc

[ragman1]

Great, now put it in a tune. Come on, Guy, you can do better than alphabet games.

[GuyBoden]

Great, now put it in a tune. Come on, Guy, you can do better than alphabet games.

Paint by Numbers :-)

[pamosmusic]

From D down to B? What's that E doing there?

Haha. Okay so slow your roll then. The E is thrown in as a placeholder “chromatic” note between C and B since there is no half step to pass through. The pattern in its basic form uses the same placeholder note ascending and descending so on the way up it’s B E C C# D. On the way down it’s D Db C E B.

Is that supposed to be over a G7? D Db C B? I do that sort of thing in my sleep, for god's sake.

Maybe you can, but you don’t usually include a lot of bebop vocabulary in your stuff.

And just about anybody could, I should think.

I wish that were true.

[pamosmusic]

I still feel young, kid, especially when exploring authentic jazz language with Barry Harris' methods LOL. I like sounding vanilla and muddy W[TF]ever the meaning of the latter might be.

Part of the joke was that I used to think it was good to be super outside the box, but at this point, I would definitely rather sound good than sound "original." And the Barry Harris stuff is a pretty good formula for sounding good. Not to mention that there's plenty of room for originality too, as Guy is pointing out here.

The other part of the joke was that I'm probably in the youngest 10% of members on this forum, but I digress.

[ragman1]

Paint by Numbers :-)

Well, you said it, not me :-)

[ragman1]

Haha. Okay so slow your roll then. The E is thrown in as a placeholder “chromatic” note between C and B since there is no half step to pass through. The pattern in its basic form uses the same placeholder note ascending and descending so on the way up it’s B E C C# D. On the way down it’s D Db C E B

Sounds dreadful. Not very guitar friendly either.

Maybe you can, but you don’t usually include a lot of bebop vocabulary in your stuff.

Correct, I don't play bebop but I occasionally play scales from the root down chromatically: | G Gb F E - D C B A | etc. But mostly I don't because I start almost every significant bar with an 8th rest, so there's no need.

I wish that were true.

They must be pretty bad, then, in which case it's not really relevant.

[pamosmusic]

Sounds dreadful. Not very guitar friendly either.

Ah shucks. If only someone had told me sooner.

[ragman1]

Ah shucks. If only someone had told me sooner.

It's okay, you're young, you've GOT TIME!

[pamosmusic]

It's okay, you're young, you've GOT TIME!

Nah I’m a lost cause. I’ve resigned myself to practice this nonsense for the rest of my days.

(or until I run off after some other shiny object that’ll keep me busy for a few months.)