Barry HarrisThe method

The whole method

All 91 ideas on one page, in Barry’s order. The small numbers after an idea are what to read first.

Foundations

0 How Barry taught

  1. 0.1How a Barry class worked
  2. 0.2Barry’s vocabulary0.1
  3. 0.3Rules matter more than scales; everything by logic0.1

1 Rhythm and time

  1. 1.1Rhythm comes first
  2. 1.2Swing by yourself; hold the time1.1
  3. 1.3Feel the ‘ands’1.2
  4. 1.4Triplets and thinking in six1.3
  5. 1.5The rhythm section1.2

2 The musical universe

  1. 2.1The chromatic scale is the source of every scale0.3
  2. 2.2The two whole-tone scales (‘man and woman’)2.1
  3. 2.3The three diminished seventh chords (‘the children’)2.2
  4. 2.4Minor thirds and key families (brothers and sisters)2.3

3 Where chords come from

  1. 3.1The raw materials2.3
  2. 3.2A chord on every degree; how many keys each chord type belongs to3.1
  3. 3.3Every chord takes the scale it comes from3.2

4 Running scales over tunes

  1. 4.1How Barry calls a scale (tonic to seventh, up/down/up and down)0.2, 3.1
  2. 4.2Every dominant 7th scale is a major scale4.1, 3.3
  3. 4.3Minor4.2
  4. 4.4Scale outlines4.1, 4.2

Lines

5 The added-note rules

  1. 5.1Why add a note4.1
  2. 5.2Major scale descending5.1
  3. 5.3Dominant 7th scale descending5.1, 4.2
  4. 5.4Off the beat, pickups and triplets5.3
  5. 5.5Rules from every degree, ascending rules, several added notes, harmonic minor5.2, 5.3
  6. 5.6The added note need not be a half step5.5
  7. 5.7Coming down to the fourth5.3
  8. 5.8Rule drills in time5.4

6 Line devices

  1. 6.1Arpeggios on every degree; the three important arpeggios of a dominant scale0.2, 4.2
  2. 6.2The augmented arpeggio and the diminished on the third of the dominant6.1, 2.3
  3. 6.3Chords as lines6.1, 3.2
  4. 6.4Arpeggio inversions and permutations6.1
  5. 6.5Surrounding notes (approach from above and below)5.1
  6. 6.6Chromatic pickups and the well-placed half step6.5, 5.1
  7. 6.7Pivoting6.3
  8. 6.8The 5-4-3-2 (and 4-3, 5-4-3-2-1) phrases5.2
  9. 6.9Triplets in lines (eighth- and sixteenth-note)5.4
  10. 6.10Barry’s chromatic scale (chromatic runs with chord tones on the beat)5.5, 6.6

7 Building phrases over changes

  1. 7.1Think in scales and phrases, not chords4.4
  2. 7.2Building phrases from small pieces (class phrases)6.3, 6.5, 6.8
  3. 7.3Getting through changes7.2, 4.4
  4. 7.4Seeing the phrase before you play it; feeling the shape of the melody7.2
  5. 7.5Rhythmic placement5.8, 1.3

Harmony

8 Thinking dominant

  1. 8.1Put the ii chord away4.2, 3.2
  2. 8.2A half-diminished chord means the dominant whose third it is8.1
  3. 8.3Four dominants from every diminished chord2.3, 2.4
  4. 8.4Playing with the family8.3, 5.3
  5. 8.5The tritone8.4
  6. 8.6The diminished scale as diminished chord + four dominant roots8.3
  7. 8.7The diminished as ‘ruler’8.6, 4.4
  8. 8.8Whole tone in practice2.2, 8.5
  9. 8.9Bird’s devices7.2, 8.5

9 Sixth chords and the scales of chords

  1. 9.1Sixth chords rule3.2, 2.3
  2. 9.2Two sixth chords for every major chord (6 on the 1, 6 on the 5)9.1
  3. 9.3The major 6th diminished scale (a major scale with one more note)9.1, 2.3
  4. 9.4Playing the scale of chords (block chords up and down the 6th dim scale)9.3
  5. 9.5The minor 6th diminished scale and its diminished partner9.3
  6. 9.6Half-diminished = minor with the sixth in the bass; major -> relative minor -> minor/69.5, 9.1
  7. 9.7The important minor and the tritone’s minor (minor 6 dim over a dominant)9.5, 8.5
  8. 9.8The 7th diminished and 7th flat 5 diminished scales9.3, 9.5, 8.3
  9. 9.9Chords from the diminished8.3, 9.1
  10. 9.10The extended family and the musical universe9.8, 9.9

10 Movement

  1. 10.1Be a movement player9.4
  2. 10.2First progressions to know10.1, 9.9
  3. 10.3Moving a chord through its scale into the next chord (6-6-6 instead of ii-V-I)10.1, 9.4, 9.7
  4. 10.4Borrowing9.4
  5. 10.5Drop voicings9.4
  6. 10.6Colour from the family8.3, 9.2
  7. 10.7Movements classical pianists know10.2
  8. 10.8Endings and introductions10.3

Piano, voice and tunes

11 The piano

  1. 11.1Two hands together9.1
  2. 11.2Keep the left hand low and make it interesting11.1
  3. 11.3Mirror image and contrary motion between the hands11.1, 9.4
  4. 11.4Play from the body and the arm, not the fingers
  5. 11.5Touch
  6. 11.6Comping11.1, 1.3
  7. 11.7Stride, tenths and the scale of chords in the left hand9.4, 11.2

12 Singing and melody

  1. 12.1Everybody sings3.1
  2. 12.2Know the song; learn many songs; find your key12.1
  3. 12.3Phrase like speech; place entries in time; ballads12.2, 1.3

13 Tunes as the curriculum

  1. 13.1The blues the Barry way4.4, 8.7, 6.7
  2. 13.2Rhythm changes (‘seven songs in one’)4.4, 7.3
  3. 13.3Standards worked in class4.4, 9.6
  4. 13.4Monk’s and Bud’s tunes; learning from records13.3
  5. 13.5Barry’s own compositions as etudes10.4

Practice and philosophy

14 Practising

  1. 14.1Start with the basics; practise slowly, exactly, in time; repeat until it is yours
  2. 14.2Every key, every degree, every way14.1, 2.4
  3. 14.3Learn from the masters by ear; study the small things14.1

15 History and philosophy

  1. 15.1Jazz as the continuation of classical improvisation
  2. 15.2Bebop, tradition, and what is wrong with jazz education
  3. 15.3Music is like math; finding your own voice; the teacher’s job
  4. 15.4The lineage