What is the Barry Harris method?
Dive into the harmonic universe of Barry Harris, a legendary jazz pianist and educator whose innovative approach to harmony has shaped the way jazz is taught and played. Fiona Bicket’s book, "The Origin of the Four Important Chord Types & Their Scales: An Overview of the Barry Harris Harmonic Principles," is your guide through this fascinating landscape. Get ready for a journey that will transform how you understand and play jazz.
Discovering the Four Essential Chord Types
Barry Harris's harmonic framework revolves around four crucial chord types: major, minor, dominant, and diminished. These aren't just any chords; they are the building blocks of jazz harmony, each with its unique set of scales and modes that unlock endless musical possibilities.
Major Chords: The Foundation of Harmony
In Harris's system, major chords are more than simple triads. They are gateways to exploring the rich terrain of the major scale and its modes, like the Ionian and Lydian. Imagine painting with all the colors of the rainbow, where each mode adds a different hue to your musical palette. Harris teaches you to see these chords not as static shapes but as dynamic entities that can be colored in countless ways.
Minor Chords: The Mysterious and Melancholic
Minor chords in Harris’s world aren’t just for sad songs. They open up the evocative realms of the minor scale, with a special emphasis on the Dorian and Aeolian modes. Picture yourself on a musical odyssey, where each minor chord leads you through a different landscape of sound, from the moody and introspective to the soulful and funky.
Dominant Chords: The Powerhouses of Jazz
Dominant chords are the lifeblood of jazz, and Harris's approach turns them into powerhouses of harmonic innovation. The mixolydian scale is your starting point, but the real magic happens when you delve into the bebop scale. By adding a chromatic passing tone, Harris creates a fluid and expressive sound that is quintessentially jazz. It's like adding a secret ingredient to a recipe that transforms a good dish into a culinary masterpiece.
Diminished Chords: The Secret Weapons
Diminished chords might seem mysterious and tricky, but in Harris's hands, they become powerful tools for creating tension and resolution. He introduces the whole-half and half-whole diminished scales, which open up a world of harmonic possibilities. Think of these chords as the spices in your musical kitchen, adding depth and complexity to your harmonic dishes.
Harmonic Principles: The Barry Harris Way
Barry Harris’s harmonic principles go beyond individual chords, exploring the intricate relationships between chords and their scales. These concepts are the keys to understanding jazz harmony on a deeper level.
Sixth Diminished Scale: A Framework for Harmony
Harris often uses the sixth diminished scale—a major scale with an added sixth and a diminished seventh—as a framework for understanding chord movement and voice leading. This scale is like a secret map that guides you through the harmonic landscape, showing you how to move smoothly from one chord to the next.
Chord Voicings: Smooth and Sophisticated
Harris’s chord voicings emphasize smooth voice leading and the use of passing tones to create fluid harmonic progressions. Imagine playing chords that feel like a gentle river, flowing effortlessly from one to the next, creating a sense of continuity and cohesion in your music.
Chromaticism: Adding Color and Complexity
Chromatic passing tones and enclosures are essential elements of Harris's approach, adding color and complexity to your improvisations. These techniques are like adding intricate details to a painting, enhancing the overall picture and making it more vibrant and engaging.
Bebop Scales: Navigating Chord Changes
The bebop scales, which incorporate passing tones into traditional scales, are a significant part of Harris's teaching. They provide a way to navigate chord changes smoothly, making your solos sound polished and professional. Think of them as a musical GPS, guiding you through the twists and turns of jazz harmony with ease.
Fiona Bicket: Making Complex Concepts Accessible
Fiona Bicket’s work does a masterful job of distilling Barry Harris’s complex concepts into an accessible and enjoyable read. Her book breaks down Harris's methods in a way that is both educational and practical, offering insights into how these harmonic principles can be applied in a real musical context. Bicket’s clear explanations and engaging style make this a must-read for anyone serious about jazz.
By understanding the origin of the four important chord types and their associated scales, musicians can gain a deeper appreciation for the harmonic structures that underpin jazz music. Barry Harris's principles, as presented by Fiona Bicket, offer valuable tools for both students and seasoned musicians looking to enhance their harmonic vocabulary and improvisational skills. This book isn't just about learning jazz; it's about transforming your entire musical journey. So grab your instrument, dive into Harris's harmonic world, and let the music take you to new heights.
