Barry HarrisThe method

Tunes he taught

Star Eyes

Barry used one spot in Star Eyes to show the minor sixth diminished scale at work: where most players think G half-diminished, he hears B♭ minor with its sixth in the bass and plays that scale.

moments in class
4
recordings
2
Barry plays it
7

What he teaches through it

Star Eyes has what he calls the perfect spot for the sixth diminished scale. Where most players would just play G half-diminished, he hears B♭ minor with its sixth (G) in the bass, and so plays the B♭ minor sixth diminished scale there.

Star Eyes: a minor sixth for the half-diminished0:00Practising the sixth diminished scales9:12

In a Hague class he brings up the spot while showing that the sixth diminished scale can be played any kind of way, plays the passage, and points out that all he did there was the sixth diminished scale.

Practising the sixth diminished scales8:169:12

A student’s question about D♭ minor 6 leads him to try changing from B♭ minor 6 into D♭ minor 6. He then shows this as a way to practise: switching between minor sixth diminished scales a minor third apart, B♭ minor 6 to D♭ minor 6 and F minor 6 to A♭ minor 6, and letting the left hand do the moving.

Practising the sixth diminished scales9:4810:2410:5611:3012:1212:50

In his own words

See, that’s what I call the perfect spot for this kind of stuff. Watch. So most times, a person’s going to play just G half diminished.

Star Eyes: a minor sixth for the half-diminished, The Hague, 1989–98. At a passage of Star Eyes, before playing the B♭ minor sixth diminished scale there (Hague workshop clip). 0:00 Watch on YouTube

This has got a good spot in [Star Eyes]. Watch this. ... This spot right here is perfect for the ... sixth diminished scale. Now all I did is the sixth diminished scale.

Practising the sixth diminished scales, The Hague, 1989–98. In the Hague class, while showing that the sixth diminished scale can be played any kind of way. The captions mishear the title as “Stars”. 9:12 Watch on YouTube at 9:12

In class

Every moment he works on it, with the ideas of the method it shows.

Star Eyes: a minor sixth for the half-diminished

The Hague, 1989–98

  1. 0:00

    Most would play G half-diminished here; he hears B♭ minor with the sixth in the bass and its scale.

    9.19.69.5

    Watch on YouTube

Practising the sixth diminished scales

The Hague, 1989–98

  1. 9:12

    Points out a good spot in Star Eyes for the sixth diminished scale and plays it.

    9.5

    Watch on YouTube at 9:12

  2. 10:24

    A student’s question leads him to try changing from B♭ minor 6 into D♭ minor 6.

    9.5

    Watch on YouTube at 10:24

  3. 11:30

    Shows it as practice: B♭ minor 6 to D♭ minor 6, F minor 6 to A♭ minor 6.

    9.5

    Watch on YouTube at 11:30

Barry plays it

In the method

The ideas of the method these moments show, and how many moments each.

  1. 9.5The minor 6th diminished scale and its diminished partner4
  2. 9.1Sixth chords rule1
  3. 9.6Half-diminished = minor with the sixth in the bass; major -> relative minor -> minor/61