Barry Harris
Barry Harris
Frédéric Galliano
Université Paris-Saclay, Université Paris Cité, CEA, CNRS, AIM, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
Contents
1 RESSOURCES 2
2 SCALE EXERCISES 2
2.1 In Thirds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.2 In Triads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.3 In Chords (i.e. Seventh Arpeggios) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.4 In Thirds with Chromatic Pick-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.5 In Triads with a Chromatic Pick-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.6 In Chords with a Chromatic Pick-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.7 Chromatic Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.8 Charlie Parker Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.8.1 Thirds with triplets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.8.2 Upper structure with chromatic appogiatura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3 CHORD EXERCISES 4
3.1 Family of Dominant Chords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.1.1 The origin of the dominant chord families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.1.2 Practicing moving through families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.2 Chord Scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.2.1 Major sixth diminished . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.2.2 Minor sixth diminished . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.2.3 Dominant seventh dminished . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.2.4 Dominant seventh flat fifth diminished . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.3 Moving in Fourths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.3.1 Practicing the movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.3.2 Application to a II V I in C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.4 Inner Movements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.4.1 Alternating sixth and seventh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.4.2 Adding a chromatic note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4 MAKING PHRASES 6
4.1 5-4-3-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.1.1 Major . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.1.2 Minor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.2 Half-Step Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.2.1 Example on dominant chords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.2.2 Major chords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.2.3 Example on the harmonic minor scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.2.4 Starting with eight note triplet trill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
4.2.5 Starting with sixteenth notes trill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
4.3 The Sixth / Seventh Diminished Octatonic Scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
4.4 Important Arpeggios (i.e. Octave Triads) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1 RESSOURCES
1. Things I’ve Learned From Barry Harris (hereafter TILFBH), a Youtube channel by Chris PARKS.
2. The Labyrinth of Limitations (hereafter LL), a Youtube channel by Thomas ECHOLS.
3. The Barry Harris Harmonic Method for Guitar, a book by Alan KINGSTONE.
2 SCALE EXERCISES
Partial transcript of TILFBH4.
2.1 In Thirds
C
2.2 In Triads
C
C
Variation
C
C
86
C
C
C
C
C 3 3 3
3
3
3 3 3
C
3 3
3
3 3 3 3 3
C
Partial transcript of TILFBH31. Playing a scale in thirds, but adding a triplet on the highest note.
A
D7
etc.
3 3
3 CHORD EXERCISES
3.1 Family of Dominant Chords
Partial transcript from TILFBH10.
2. It can be symmetrically split in two whole tone scales:
C, D, E, G♭, A♭, D♭ whole tone scales C♯, D♯, F, G, A, B whole tone scales
4. From each diminished arpeggio, four dominant chords can be built by lowering one of their notes by a half
step (e.g. F7 , B7 , D7 and A♭7 all spring from C◦7 ):
Lowering the root of C°⁷ Lowering the third of C°⁷ Lowering the seventh of C°⁷
Lowering the fifth of C°⁷
B7 D7/C F7/C A 7/C
5. Stacking the diminished arpeggio and the roots of the four dominant chords from its family, results in the
diminished scale.
C°⁷ Roots of B⁷, D⁷, F⁷, A♭⁷ C diminished scale
Since it is possible to substitute dominant chords from the same family, it is important to practice moving from
one to the other:
F7 to B7;
F7 to D7;
F7 to Ab7.
A
C
6
B°7 C6/A °7 C6/G F°7 C6/E D°7 C6
A
A
Cm6
B°7
Cm6/A A
°7 Cm6/G F°7 Cm6/E D°7 Cm6
3.2.3 Dominant seventh dminished
° 7
C7 D°7 C7/E F°7 C7/G C7/B B°7
A
C7/B A °7
C7 B°7 C7/G F°7 C7/E D°7 C7
3.2.4 Dominant seventh flat fifth diminished
° 7 B °7
C7 5
D°7 C7 5/E F°7 C7 5/G C7 5/B
A
5
/B A °7
C7 5
B°7 C7 C7 5/G F°7 C7 5/E D°7 C7 5
Em7/B Am7 F /C Bø G7/D C Am7/E Dm7 Bø/F Em7 C /G F Dm7/A G7 Em7/B Am7
Em7/B Am7 Dm7/A G7 C /G F Bø/F Em7 Am7/E Dm7 G7/D C F /C Bø Em7/B Am7
3.3.2 Application to a II V I in C
4 MAKING PHRASES
4.1 5-4-3-2
4.1.1 Major
C
3
4.1.2 Minor
All of them
Am6
3
A
F7 B
B
7
A F
F7 B
A
7 B
A F
F7 B
A
F7 B
A
F7 B
A
Am B
A
Am B
A
B
A Am
A Am B
A B
Am
A Am B
A B
Am
4.2.4 Starting with eight note triplet trill
The rule of the upper note of the triplet applies. For instance:
7 B
A F
3
3
The rule of the first note of the sixteenth group applies. For instance:
7 B
A F
In chords
C6
C6
4.4 Important Arpeggios (i.e. Octave Triads)
On a dominant chord (e.g. C7 ), the important triads are those built on:
the root (i.e. C major);
the fifth (i.e. G minor);
the seventh (i.e. B♭ major).
Mixolydian mode
C major B♭ major
C7 G minor
3
C7
C7
3
5.1.1 B♭ Blues
7 7 B 7
B♭ mixolydian E♭ mixolydian B♭ mixolydian
B
E
E 7 B
E♭ mixolydian B♭ ionian to the third of G⁷
E°7 G7
F mixolydian B♭ ionian F mixolydian
Cm7
F7
G7 Cm7 F7
B
5.1.2 C minor Blues
Cm
B♭ mixolydian to the third of G7
F minor sixth diminished to the sixth C minor sixth diminished to the sixth
Fm
Cm
C minor sixth diminished to the sixth
A♭ mixolydian B♭ mixolydian to the third of G7 B♭ mixolydian to the third of G7
7
A G7 G7
Cm
B♭ ionian F mixolydian B♭ ionian F mixolydian
B G7 Cm7 F7 Dm7 G7 Cm7 F7
7 7
B♭ mixolydian E♭ mixolydian B♭ ionian F mixolydian
E°7 G7 Cm7 F7
B B E B
2. A2
B♭ ionian F mixolydian B♭ ionian F mixolydian
B G7 Cm7 F7 Dm7 G7 Cm7 F7
7 7
B♭ mixolydian E♭ mixolydian B♭ ionian
E°7 G7 Cm7 F7
B B E B
3. B
D mixolydian G mixolydian
D7 G7
C mixolydian F mixolydian
C7
F7
4. A3
B♭ ionian F mixolydian B♭ ionian F mixolydian
B G7 Cm7 F7 Dm7 G7 Cm7 F7
7 7
B♭ mixolydian E♭ mixolydian B♭ ionian F mixolydian
E°7 G7 Cm7 F7
B B E B
5.1.4 Cherokee
7
B♭ ionian F mixolydian B♭ mixolydian
F7
B B
7
A♭ mixolydian
E♭ ionian
E A
B♭ ionian to the third of G⁷ C mixolydian
B G7 C7
B♭ mixolydian to the third of G⁷
C minor sixth diminished to the sixth F mixolydian
Cm6 G7 Cm7 F7
2. A2
7
B♭ ionian F mixolydian B♭ mixolydian
F7
B B
7
A♭ mixolydian
E♭ ionian
E A
B♭ ionian to the third of G⁷ C mixolydian
B G7 C7
F mixolydian B♭ ionian
Cm7 F7
B
3. B
7
F♯ mixolydian B ionian
C m7
F B
E mixolydian A ionian
Bm7 E7 A
D mixolydian
G ionian
Am7 D7
G
C mixolydian F mixolydian
Gm7 C7
Cm7
F7
4. A3
7
B♭ ionian F mixolydian B♭ mixolydian
F7
B B
7
A♭ mixolydian
E♭ ionian
E A
B♭ ionian to the third of G⁷ C mixolydian
B G7 C7
B♭ mixolydian to the third of G⁷
C minor sixth diminished to the sixth F mixolydian
Cm6 G7 Cm7 F7
7
A♭ ionian to the third of F⁷ B♭ mixolydian
A F7 B
7 7
E♭ mixolydian A♭ ionian A♭ mixolydian
B m7 E A E m7 A
7
D♭ ionian G♭ mixolydian A♭ ionian to the third of F⁷
D G A F7
7 7
B♭ mixolydian E♭ mixolydian
B m7
B E
2. B
7
A♭ ionian to the third of F⁷ B♭ mixolydian
A F7 B
E♭ mixolydian to the third of C⁷
E♭ mixolydian to the third of C⁷ F minor sixth diminished to the sixth
Gø C7 C7
Fm
E♭ mixolydian to the third of C⁷ B♭ mixolydian to the third of G⁷
F minor sixth diminished to the sixth F minor sixth diminished to the sixth
C7 B°7
Fm Fm
7 7
A♭ ionian E♭ mixolydian A♭ ionian E♭ mixolydian
B m7 B m7
A E A E
ø 7
E A D Gm
D mixolydian
G ionian to the third of E⁷
G E7 Am7 D7
3. A2
C mixolydian
G ionian
G
Gm7
C7
7
B♭ mixolydian
F ionian
Fm7
F B
4. C
G ionian
E♭ ionian F mixolydian to the third of D⁷ F mixolydian
E Aø D7 G Am7 D7
G ionian D mixolydian G ionian D mixolydian
Bm7 E7
Am7 D7
G6
Am7 D7
7
E♭ mixolydian D minor sixth diminished to the sixth D minor sixth diminished to the sixth
7
E Dm6 E Dm6
C mixolydian to the third of A⁷
7
E♭ mixolydian D minor sixth diminished to the sixth D minor sixth diminished to the sixth
Dm6 Eø A7 Dm6
E
2. B
F mixolydian to the third of D⁷ G minor sixth diminished to the sixth
Aø
D7
Gm6
C mixolydian F ionian C mixolydian to the third of A⁷
Gm7 C7 F Eø A7
5.2 Movements
5.2.1 Development of the first 4 bars of a C blues
Partial transcript from TILFBH7. There are several movements that can be played on the first four bars of a blues.
1. Tritone substitution
C7 F7 C7 F 7
2. Descending line-cliché
C7 F7 Fm7 C7 7
C F
3. Ascending line-cliché
C7 C7/E F7 °7 C7/G 7
F F
4. Bebop blues
C6 C6/E F7 7 7 7 7 7
B E A D B
Bar 8 Bar 9
Bar 7
C F7 Em7 A7 Dm7
Bar 8 Bar 9
Bar 7
C F7 Em7 E m7 Dm7
°7
Bar 8 Bar 9
Bar 7
Dm7 Em7 Dm7
C E
Partial transcript of TILFBH49. The actual harmonization of a classic blues (Robert JOHNSON type) turnaround
is the following. It is possible to play this movement, chordally in all inversions and adding extensions, or in single
lines.
A7
A°7
Dm6/A
A7 E7
3
3 3 3
Cm Cm Cm7 Cm6
Single notes
Chords
G
See also Chapter 2 of the Kingstone book (the sixth on the fifth movement).
G
5.2.6 Bars 9 to 11 of How high the moon