Giant Steps is actually very simple (yes, really)

►Download your free Giant Steps PDF here: www.davepollack.com/giantsteps
Giant Steps is actually very simple! You might not think so (yet), but trust me - there are only a few key things to know to be able to play creative and melodic solos over this song.
00:00 - Intro
01:21 - Practice S L O W L Y
02:54 - Identify 2-5-1s
05:40 - The "other" measures
07:49 - 1-b7-3 Guide tone line
9:10 - LET'S PLAY TOGETHER!
12:11 - Adding a ii before the V (creating 2-5-1s)
16:15 - LET'S PLAY TOGETHER!
17:47 - Final thoughts and action steps
19:31 - Teaser :)
Check out some more videos:
• Improvisation Lessons
• Saxophone Lessons
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►Website: www.davepollack.com/
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[@DavePollack]

►Download your free Giant Steps PDF here: www.davepollack.com/giantsteps

[@sat1241]

great lesson what are three standards you think are harder than Giant Steps? (that could make a good video) Another interesting topic is the comparison to Countdown and 26-2 would also like to hear you do an original over the Giant steps changes, maybe mid tempo, something other players might want to play, maybe something that follows the changes but is purposely very unlike Giant Steps melodically, Dave Steps? or "Giant Steps Contrafact" perhaps Have you herald this version of Giant Steps on youtube >> Andrew White: Giant Steps (channel lapp9999) White has more than one version, this is live in 1998 version at One Step Down (club in D.C.) Its starts with an unaccompanied tenor solo and then the band comes in later. Also another great version I heard, recent maybe you heard this Dan Weiss Trio - Live at Smalls Jazz Club - New York City - 6/14/22 (the sax is Immanuel Wilkins on alto) (see time: 2:16:47) He starts playing fast through the changes in a typical way but later on it breaks up in very interesting ways interacting with this great and unique drummer Weiss Another excellent version I heard that is led by a guitarist transposed the song into minor in a very successful way: "Minor Leaps" - Giant Steps in minor (channel Vitaliy Tkachuk) and there was another video you probably saw> Giant Steps...But It's Played by 8 Legendary Jazz Pianists (played by Jimindorothy) she really pulled this off and demonstrated how the song sounds good in each style even Fats Waller and Errol Garner. I could see you doing something like this but in maybe 5- 8 sax styles could start with someone like Sidney Bechet (doing it on soprano), Lester Young, Ben Webster, etc Maybe a Stan Getz ballad version I assume you heard the Roland Kirk versions, I think there are at least two I like the live one> Giant Steps Roland Kirk !!! (channel byKatji) The pianist Jesús Molina recently put out a Latin version> Giants steps (John Coltrane) By Jesús Molina He has some tremendous soloing in it also his remarkable > Giants Steps And Donna Lee/ Jesús Molina & New Advance Jazz (played in regulars jazz rhythm) (this man is scary on piano, very scary)

[@bna8259]

Was in the presence of Yusef Lateef when someone jokingly alluded to the idea that Giant Steps is "easy." With a stern look, he turned to the dude and said "It took Brother John (Coltrane) 2 years of practice before he performed that in public." Totally silenced the laughs in the room.

[@albrin]

what a slow learner! 🤣

[@hepphepps8356]

Who cares what Yusuf/Josef/Bill (his name was actually Bill Evans for much of his childhood) thought? He should have reacted with exitement about the fact that people gets those kinds of concepts easier these days because of better teaching methods than we had in the old days. Bloody Mystisist!

[@bna8259]

@@hepphepps8356 Wow... the casual Islamophobia flows through you with such ease. Unsurprising given how ignorant the entirety of your statement was. Cheers.

[@alchemysticgoldmind4164]

@@hepphepps8356 Coltrane didn't have the internet..if he didn't .Oh boy

[@alchemysticgoldmind4164]

Coltrane didn't have the internet..and THATS what made him a Genius...he had to figure it out on his own.It easy to walk on a paved road

[@Hump007]

This is actually insane. I never thought I had a chance at improvising over giant steps

[@DavePollack]

You DEFINITELY do!! Just take it slow, focus on the resolutions, and you’re set

[@bronxkies]

I haphazardly studied jazz in undergrad. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, I just knew I was into jazz. I failed jazz comp but my professor was quite kind and patient with me. While many of my classmates were decent, even nice folks, there was no getting through jazz courses without putting up with a palpable air of pretension. It was soul crushing sometimes. I say all of this to say, it’s nice to find a jazz KZbin channel that’s not drenched with jazz, “if you know you know”, religiosity. You’re not talking down to the audience and actively making jazz more digestible accessible. Thank you!

[@DavePollack]

I appreciate that!! I absolutely hate the “jazz snob” thing and just want to help people on their musical journey. Glad you dig what I’m doing! 🙏

[@bronxkies]

@@DavePollack Thank you! It's great to have access to teachers like you.

[@billboy3076]

Ok Dude You're a monster teacher. I've played this for year's before you were born, it's a lifetime study. I love your tone on your horn. I really appreciate you. God bless

[@nilesloughlin6845]

I really appreciate how you contextualize the function of chord changes here, instead of just looking at each chord in relation to a key signature. I sometimes see transcriptions of solos written out with a very complex analysis of how the notes exist in the moment they were played to the chords they were played over, instead of how the notes and lines may have been conceived as melodic ideas in relation to the overall harmonic or modal structure of the chord progressions and scales that inform them. To me, this really simplifies things like progressions in 3rds (and consequently, how to apply ideas like tritone substitutions to changes and progressions) in a practical way. Thanks for sharing!

[@DavePollack]

Thank you so much for that - it's what I always preach when analyzing songs and looking at how to improvise over the changes - FUNCTION. Once you learn a few standard chord progressions (5-1, 2-5-1, major and minor versions, 1 or 3-6-2-5-1, etc.) you can look through standards (or even non-standard songs) and realize just how often these progressions are used. From there, the "new" song isn't so "new" anymore, and you can focus on making music in the current musical setting!

[@michaelball9393]

This is how AI stands an even chance of stripping all magic away from human.invention. It's not the Power of analytical thinking which worries me. It is the impact of analytical thinking upon us humans Attitudinally that worries me. Why bother with hard looking stuff is some analytical approach has already smoothed out the road?

[@10MFAN]

Bro, this is phenomenal! I am so glad you will be doing tons of these videos for everybody. This is such invaluable information that will take so many players to the next step!!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️🎷🎷🎷🎷👍👍👍👍

[@DavePollack]

Thanks so much Mark!! I’m so glad I’m able to help people all over

[@blow-by-blow-trumpet]

Great video. I revisit this tune every now and then in the hope of being able to improvise over it one day. This has inspired me to do some more work on it. Thank you.

[@DavePollack]

Glad to hear that!

[@michaelhenshaw258]

Been practicing this tune 30 min a day for the last 13 years

[@jazzrat2000]

In my last jazz combo that I taught at the university, we started Giant steps at a ballad tempo and then bumped it up A beat or two every practice. By the end of the semester, we could all play on it. I don't think Coltrane would be worried, but at least we got through it.

[@TrebleVT]

Excited for the workshop! Your videos actually make me feel like I’m learning

[@DavePollack]

That’s great to hear!

[@maxcrowe3900]

Very well made and explained. What a useful structure, thanks man !

[@Elluvis72]

I love the slowed down part! So nicely composed over the chords.

[@MrDavidFitzgerald]

Just discovered this channel. The whole format of this video is great. Breaking it down into chunks, then gradually building up to soloing with a guide tone line and the addition of trading solos. Music education on YT is getting so good it's ridiculous.

[@politicachata1164]

exactly

[@rickg6293]

Dave your teaching skills are on another level..I believe learning different ways to apply what you already know will greatly improve your growth

[@DavePollack]

Absolutely, and thanks!

[@paulrothbart244]

Thanks, Dave! Great video that makes Giants Steps so much less intimidating. You have that rare combination of excellent playing and teaching skills. I really enjoy your videos.

[@DavePollack]

Thank you so much for the very kind words!

[@rovingeye5]

Beautiful sound as well Dave, thanks for these videos

[@stevekeller4814]

Seems like I comment on every 3rd or 4th video you pit out. I really appreciate the creative approach you take to music, improvisation and teaching too. Looking forward to the end of the month :)

[@DavePollack]

Thank you so much!

[@politicachata1164]

Finally and brilliantly explained to every level public!!! Masterpiece Class!!

[@uberjazzygman]

Very well structured and presented. Thx!

[@maveri.k]

This a fantastic video, so helpful for us intermediate players! Thank you Dave! 🙏

[@DavePollack]

I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!!

[@potent_rei]

You do the work here! Enlightening

[@HealingWord_Psalm107-20]

This approach is helpful for all tunes. Solid gold.

[@DavePollack]

Thank you! 🙏

[@EstebanAguilarSax]

Awesome video!! Love the explanation and makes it way simpler.

[@DavePollack]

Thanks so much! Simpler is better to me

[@marthabaartz8517]

Thanks, this was excellent! I do really love your last piece of advice too

[@DavePollack]

You’re very welcome!!

[@bob_dubois]

Giant Steps as a ballad, and it sounds good!! Nice one!!

[@a.j.nicoll477]

Thanks for the voice leading sample. That is very helpful in navigating the Trane Changes.

[@DavePollack]

You’re welcome - I’m here to help!

[@jabulaniharvey]

once it is built it can be deconstructed... that said, the really hard part was composing (and performing) this song from scratch....John Coltrane's explorations are fascinating

[@adampfannenstiel6287]

Dude - you're killin' these educational videos!

[@DavePollack]

Thanks brother!!

[@user-wb6rs2do5r]

Thanks for simplifying This song.i like this

[@nedaari1]

Whoa Dave! <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="141">2:21</a> - this was so nice. I'm ready to by your album.

[@DavePollack]

Thank you! Well I do have one album out for free on streaming services (it's a holiday album, but hey...it's close!) called "Home for the Holidays"

[@vojislavsavkov7517]

Dave you are WONDERFUL! THANK YOU❤

[@DavePollack]

You’re very welcome!! So glad you enjoy it

[@robstevens9590]

Amazing! Thank you for breaking this down!

[@DavePollack]

You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed it

[@hrossaman]

I totally love this simplification teaching style

[@DavePollack]

That’s my bread and butter!

[@Tattoed_soul]

Thank you so much, great lesson. Subscribed.

[@DavePollack]

So glad you liked it!

[@kungfumusiclessons7579]

Great lesson. Well done.

[@trashzomb]

Thank you, I really enjoyed your approach. 👍

[@DavePollack]

You’re welcome! I’m glad to hear that

[@seansvadlenak]

Thanks for this Dave!

[@DavePollack]

You’re welcome!

[@paulfawcus-lydbolge]

Clear and to the point! Thanks!

[@DavePollack]

You’re welcome!

[@jaredwilliams1031]

Great stuff!

[@DavePollack]

Thanks!

[@kadumorgan1758]

This is probably the best lesson I've seen on youtube.

[@DavePollack]

Wow - I really appreciate that!!

[@georgehiggins1320]

I decided to pitch this to my combo to try to play it. I've been practice my 2-5-1 and 5-1 licks in B, Eb, and G. It's starting to make sense!!!

[@DavePollack]

Awesome!! You can play it in any style - doesn't have to be up tempo swing.

[@rebeccaabraham8652]

As a guitarist, I’ve only been trying my hand at jazz for about a year - and ‘Giant Steps’ was on my radar as a ‘sometime… never…’ piece…. This analysis though - makes the rhythm side of things look absolutely trivial, so I’ll be trying it much sooner than I thought. Also - playing it as a ballad makes even more sense; ‘shredding’ on any instrument always seems to be a case of showing off for the sake of it - although that might be more my fingers slowing down with age than anything else!

[@davekeen1963]

Great tutorial.......... thx for sharing.........

[@DavePollack]

You’re welcome!

[@elliottbritt3937]

Thank you dave

[@DavePollack]

Thank you Elliott

[@Yo-sb9st]

When Trane plays trane changes tho, he sounds so clear and lyrical, and it’s almost entirely diatonic language! To me that way of playing is insanely deep and it’s really difficult to capture that. The way he played changes in the early 60s was genius

[@drewwakefield4277]

Well done

[@remielbox]

Thank you very much!

[@DavePollack]

You're welcome! I'm glad you dig it.

[@AlsamadCaldwell]

Great Lesson!!

[@DavePollack]

Thanks!

[@TrevorWesleyOfficial]

Bro you sound SWEET on the sax my man. It's rare to find horn players that can play in that way.

[@DavePollack]

Wow - thank you so much!

[@DavePollack]

STOP wasting time while practicing! Access the free Simple Steps Workshop here: www.davepollack.com/simplesteps

[@machytka]

… nearly every intervall BETWEEN the circled sections is a tritone !

[@MrCrescendo]

really great lesson

[@DavePollack]

Thanks!

[@alchemysticgoldmind4164]

GREAT LESSON

[@DavePollack]

Thank you!!

[@davidferrara1105]

Simple for you, Dave!! :D

[@regularjack2]

actually realised ages ago that the first 8 bars are the same thing repeated down a major third. This means that anything you play over the first 4 bars you can play again just down a major third in the next 4

[@paulsawtell3991]

If you can play Have You Met Miss Jones you can play Giant Steps. Maybe Up Up And away has a more complex chord sequence to improvise on?

[@jimmysaxblack]

exciting thanks

[@DavePollack]

🙏

[@davidmcauliffe8692]

You should have released this a week or so before New Years, that way people could work on their resolutions! 🎉

[@DavePollack]

Haaaaaaaa love it!

[@Lu4ronusGaming]

It gets easier the more you practice... This would be the correct statement

[@alexd.alessandro5419]

Like your tone.

[@DavePollack]

Thanks!

[@alvarofalcon7136]

Great video, How about putting the II-Vs on beats 3 and 4 ..... instead, I need to hear the B a little longer I

[@yd8310]

HOW GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@DavePollack]

Thanks!

[@jasperiscool]

Poor Simon... I feel you, bro. ♡

[@lyntedrockley7295]

Exemplary lesson. Thanks. The backing for the Ballad version you play is gorgeous. BIAB? You could offer that as merch!

[@DavePollack]

Thanks so much! It’s just the app iRealPro, on the “ballad-melodic” setting

[@lyntedrockley7295]

@@DavePollack you're kidding!! Why does everyone else's iReal Pro sound so much better than mine? You got the updates maybe.

[@DavePollack]

@@lyntedrockley7295 I did edit all of the dominant chords to either be just dominant 7 b9 or dominant 13 b9, so maybe that's it

[@lyntedrockley7295]

@@DavePollack ahh, see, there's no substitute for talent! I might try that if I can get my head around the app editor. Maybe you could put it up. There's an idea for a video. How to work with iReal to make it sound more jazzy. Great stuff Dave.

[@Turboy65]

This song is held in such high reverence among the jazz crowd but to me it almost sounds like random notes. There's a lot of jazz I "get" but this isn't it. No matter what it is, I like a singable melody and a relatable harmony.

[@richiegomez2769]

Hey mr. Pollack, i got my hands on a c melody mouthpiece from like the thirties. I’d love you to have it if you think you need one. I thought that you said you were using a tenor mouthpiece on your c melody.

[@matt-darwin]

The forum that shan't be named are doing this as their TotM so been spending quite a lot of time on this one. An approach that's kind of interesting is to just turn EVERYTHING into minor 7th chords, would love your thoughts on that approach too, Dave. All I chords become iii7 and everything else is a ii7. So the sequence becomes: | D#m7 Am7 | Bm7 Fmin7 | Gmin7 | Amin7 | | Bm7 Fmin7 | Gmin7 C#min7 | D#min7 | Fmin7 | | Gmin7 | Amin7 | Bmin7 | C#min7 | | D#min7 | Fmin7 | Gmin7 | C#min7 |

[@jaredwilliams1031]

This is how I've been trying to think of it. I need to practice more with a metronome tho.

[@keithridenhour7033]

Beatiful tone K

[@DavePollack]

Thanks Keith!

[@SaxophonistDubai]

OMG )) slow steps are fantastic

[@carlosschvartzman8374]

Of course!!... The only problem to it is the high speed it's expected to sound at.

[@sampowellmusic]

It’s still hard but you made it easier!

[@eastweymouthchris]

The business end of GS is just a jittered G major -> Eb major vamp bracketed by B major am I wrong?

[@SingHouse]

What's the music in chapter 2?

[@c.l.4895]

Nice. But now I wonder what are a couple of the tunes you think ARE the Mount Everest of challenging changes?

[@krissv3ctor512]

In my personal opinion, something like Allan Holdsworth’s “The Sixteen Men of Tain” is up there.

[@joshcharlat850]

My question relates to your playing with those headphones. Can you hear your sax through the headphones by way of some microphone thay picks up your sound and it's mixed in with your backing track?

[@DavePollack]

Yes I'm playing into a microphone, and I can hear that (and the backing track) through my headphones. It's all going through my interface and into Logic.

[@joshcharlat850]

@@DavePollack Interesting...because in essence you have become your own sound man for your practice--mixing your sax in with the backing track. It works for video making obviously, but would you do it that way if you didn't need to make a video? If that sounds like a dumb question it isn't meant to be.

[@DavePollack]

It’s all mixed in logic and exported as an audio file, then i layer it with the video. So if no video is needed, I just use the audio file

[@trimembracion]

Is this a multitonic system?

[@TommyLikeTom]

I can play it

[@thomasjamison2050]

Yes. It's not the changes that immediately imply difficulty, it's trying to play the changes on the level of playing with which a master of the instrument plays.

[@DavePollack]

But that would be the same for ANY song, not just Giant Steps. For some reason people view this specific song as incredibly "difficult" and a peak tune for improvisation.

[@thomasjamison2050]

@@DavePollack Correct. Giant Steps got its reputation from John Coltrane who was a truly great musician. It was his musical skills that gave the song it's reputation.

[@ev25zv]

@@DavePollack Come on, bro, even my non-jazz performance major students know that it's just 3 key centers moving in major 3rds. Subbing the iii chord of B major for Bma7 and the tritone sub of D7 gives you a ii-V in Db for bar one. The same principle gives you a ii-V in the key of A for bar two. That changes the first two bars from |Bma7 D7| Gma7 Bb7| to |Ebmi7 Ab7| Bmi7 E7| which is a lot easier process, but none of those shortcuts sound as good as working through the written changes slowly. It's disingenuous to ignore the elephant in the room, but yeah, 'Round Midnight, Body and Soul, Misty, etc., are all more difficult tunes if they were called on gigs at 300+, but they never are and that's why they're easy tunes.

[@doolbro]

It's an etude. It's supposed to be easy. It just cycles in 3rds. look for the 251s and hit the wrong notes twice.

[@hippotripo6145]

*Cries in piano*

[@yramhossoo8586]

This may come across as weired..my culture conditions me to hear songs not think melodic cells. Is there a way where the whole C major scale can be considered one huge chromatic effort..instead of splitting everything into pieces and getting to transpose anytime somebody wants to do Giant Steps in another key?How do I turn 70 percent of these melodic cells into a song..because if you dont hear it in your heart is just becomes another finger exercise

[@mojito6629]

Yes it's simple, except (that people usually played it with) the very fast tempo and that the song has fast (half measure each) unusual chords progression at start

[@andrejorlov1561]

Conclusion was very good . If you don’t like it, don’t play 😂

[@DavePollack]

💯

[@14u142]

I actually hear no traditional language in the in the layout for playing this composition (Not a tune or song) As told to me by professor Donald Byrd. Giant steps is an exercise

[@DavePollack]

What, in your opinion, is "traditional language" and why do songs have to have that?

[@Alexcoman51]

The tempo is what makes it hard

[@tiluriso]

I reckon 'Countdown' is more difficult.

[@DavePollack]

It definitely is for me! Even though it’s the same cycle in 3 keys, it’s tougher to create something melodic throughout because of the nature of those chords (versus giant steps)

[@tiluriso]

@@DavePollack 100% agree, seem like 'Countdown' has some intermediary chords that function kinda like what i would feel are 'deceptive inserts' in the middle of the ii-Vs to the 3 key centres, making the flow of smooth ,coherent ideas much harder. Thanks for the reply and the video/chart.

[@avatacron60]

Lmao, if Kenny G can play it, then I can too.

[@jazzrat2000]

I would say simple, but not easy.

[@DavePollack]

💯

[@dcx45]

Kenny G lol

[@bill3837]

Central Park West

[@dr.livesey1311]

Moments notice maybe harder....

[@DavePollack]

Oh absolutely it’s harder than giant steps. It’s constantly moving key centers and had tons of unresolved 2-5s

[@Doty6String]

It’s just fast

[@MikeJamesMusic]

Giant Steps is an exercise. It is not a song. It is not enjoyable to listen to for most of the population, even people who like jazz. It has no emotional connection to the human condition. It can be used as a shield for players that have great facility but are not very musical improvisors. Working on this tune will only take your time away from practicing many of the thousands of truly great jazz standards. Tunes like Giant Steps is the reason jazz was sidelined as pop music and was replaced by rock & roll, never to recover.

[@pat717]

Are you saying that John Coltrane when he wrote the tune had no intention of making music and purposely recorded the song just to show off even though giant steps is regarded as one of the most classic recordings in history? I see your parts of your argument that are valid but maybe there are some parts that I still can’t understand.

[@pat717]

Also when you say it can be used a shield for players to have great facility but are not very musical improvisers are you implying John Coltrane is one of those players because honestly I would have to argue against that.

[@MikeJamesMusic]

@@pat717 1235 1235 1235 1235....

[@kylanmcnichols6525]

Thanks Mike for summing up something I've been trying to say for years to musicians when their eyes light up after discovering this tune and the possibility of showing off over it. What you said about the human condition is spot on. Contrast this with some of John's best work like Alabama. Yet none of the musicians I run into who want to solo over GS know anything about a tune like Alabama, or have ever heard A Love Supreme or the amazing ballads records that Trane did with Johnny Hartman which is nothing but transcendent music. Sad state of affairs.

[@MikeJamesMusic]

@@kylanmcnichols6525 Many young players focus on bebop without having a foundation in jazz standards, especially jazz ballads. Coletrane was such a great jazz standard player. I have played with tenor players that will play Giant Steps all day long. But when you call "Misty" they cringe and don't want to play it. Coltrane would never have shrugged off playing a ballad.

[@ToniDelgadoAbellan]

Yes you are click baiting, guy.

[@DavePollack]

Please explain how. In this video I show how Giant Steps is actually simple, and not the complex harmonic puzzle many think it is. It might not be easy for you, but it is, in fact, simple.

[@SaxophonistDubai]

OMG )) slow steps are fantastic