Concept Pdf: Eddie Harris Intervallistic
Provides examples of compositions and solos showing how to apply these intervallic ideas across genres like blues, funk, and Latin jazz. Key Technical Focus Areas
: "There are no wrong intervals if played in succession" and "no wrong chords, only wrong progressions".
Harris’s manual is famous for its rigorous and often physically demanding exercises. Key topics include: eddie harris intervallistic concept pdf
The is a comprehensive, three-volume pedagogical method designed to break musicians free from traditional scale-based improvisation. Originally published in 1971, this 321-page work is considered a "thorough and creative workout" for instrumentalists seeking to master non-linear, interval-centric melodic language. Core Philosophy: The "Eddieisms"
Harris outlined specific ways to practice this. You can start these today on your instrument: Provides examples of compositions and solos showing how
Eddie Harris’s intervallic innovations heavily influenced generations of forward-thinking musicians, from modern saxophonists like Chris Potter and Michael Brecker to avant-garde theorists. By turning music into a study of pure intervals rather than restrictive scales, Harris provided a roadmap to total harmonic freedom.
. Designed for all single-line instruments (saxophone, trumpet, flute, etc.), the method moves beyond traditional chord-scale approaches to focus on the mathematical and creative use of intervals. Overview of the Method Key topics include: The is a comprehensive, three-volume
For players looking for a more portable technical routine, Harris also published a streamlined, highly specialized companion book titled .
Traditional jazz theory (the Berklee method) teaches chord-scales : "Over a Dm7 chord, play the Dorian mode." Harris found this limiting. He argued that musicians become trapped by the horizontal movement of scales, leading to predictable, "step-wise" runs.
Pick a starting note. Without thinking about a key, force yourself to jump a specific interval away.