The Barry Harris Method - Creative Modern Voicings

[@thingsivelearnedfrombarryh2616]

Thank you for the acknowledgment Mikko! Barry's method is so beautiful. It really works on guitar. Very pretty examples brother.

[@Mikkokosmos]

Thank you. I love your channel and I have learned a lot from it. Keep up the good work /Mikko

[@sat1241]

@@Mikkokosmos Nice lesson. What's the modern chord voicing at 19:31 and why does it sound modern ? Also if a be bop scale has that 8th note added. What if you use one of the major modes of harmonic minor or melodic minor and add an extra note and then build the harmony? Also even the different be bop scales like bebop major or be bop dorian it would have another result.

[@Mikkokosmos]

@@sat1241 adding a #5 or b6 to major chord is pretty modern. Makes me think of players like Herbie Hancock. I don't understand the other question could you simplify the question? If you want to check out all the possible bop scsles I recommend Jerry Betgonzi's book Jazz Line it covers pretty much everything on the topic. Again, Harris don't think if them as bop scales but as Major 6 diminished, Minor 6 dim, and two dominant/dim-scales

[@sat1241]

@@Mikkokosmos Does Harris ever use the regular half whole diminished scale? I think this confused people when the scale he is using is in fact just a major scale with an added b6 or #5 (be bop scale) - and you pointed this out but I'm not sure if Harris likes the word be bop. He also has a related scale obtained by flattening the third of the scale, which could be thought of as a melodic minor with an added #5 or b6, or as a harmonic minor with an added natural 6. C D Eb F G G# A B. I forget if you covered this. I like the stacked 5ths chords you did, Kenny Barron Voicings

[@Mikkokosmos]

@@sat1241 yes Harris talks about the half whole scale but that's outside the scope of this lesson. I think I mention several times in the video that Harris does not call them bebop scales. I do cover the melodic minor with the added b6. What I call melodic minor bop and Harris call it minor 6 diminished. It right there after I play Mack the Knife. I'm not sure what your question is?

[@grantgre]

We're discussing bebop jazz from Barry Harris. His workshop was intense, like a marathon. I can't recall the exact day of the week, but he had a structured schedule. I believe the instrumental section came first, followed by the singers, and finally the piano. Each segment lasted about an hour. In the instrumental section, Barry would introduce a new bebop tune. I'm not certain if he did this every time, as I only attended one workshop, but he would play short segments on the piano and ask everyone to repeat them. Gradually, he would build up the entire tune through repetition. It was evident that he was teaching us how to learn. The next part focused on the singers. Barry would select obscure, vintage songs and have each singer perform them individually. Lastly, there was the piano section. As a guitar player, I didn't actively participate in this part, but I've seen others greatly influenced by Barry's teaching method, and they have become excellent players. Even though he has passed away, I believe his legacy continues to inspire others.

[@irishmuso7129]

Excellent! To think that someone would go to all the trouble of really thinking about the Harris method - which is not simple for guitar - and explain both the basic and advanced concepts so clearly for the benefit of so many. Your insights and instruction into modern sounds is invaluable.

[@Mikkokosmos]

Thank you

[@ukulelejazz1105]

The things I've learned from the "Things I've learned from Barry Harris!" Great job on this video and congrats on 10,000 subscribers! Barry has done so much for music education. I appreciate seeing his concepts through your lens. Also, yeah, Chris' channel - The things I've learned from Barry Harris - is brilliant too!

[@Mikkokosmos]

Thank you!

[@MetaphysicalMusician]

Great explanation...Great teaching and playing..thank you

[@CoachZbra]

Simply stunning, the best lesson I've seen this year ! Thanks Mikko

[@Mikkokosmos]

Thank you

[@waterknot1]

Nicely done! From what I have gathered, the difference between the Bebop scale and Barry's Diminished 6 scale is that the bebop scale is often used in passing, whereas he treats it as integral to the Major scale. I wish I had discovered Barry Harris when I was much younger. I think I would be much farther along with my understanding of substitutions and how diminished chords work.

[@exapplerrelppaxe7952]

You learn something new every day. I've never heard of a bob scale.

[@alwalw3692]

its a boP scale, short of "bebop major scale": 1 2 3 4 5 b6 6 7

[@exapplerrelppaxe7952]

@@alwalw3692 Interesting. So in Finland they call it a bob scale instead of a bop scale. I wonder why. Maybe it was Robert Schumann who first used that scale.

[@winstonsmith7652]

I’m late to the party but I’m glad I turned up. My mind is blown too, Mikko. I need to go and lie down. Thanks.

[@Mikkokosmos]

[@ianclarke3627]

D angelico looks gorgeous

[@barrysebastian9584]

Barry Harris is Indeed a master! Your presentation here is very insightful. I smiled at about 16 mins in, when you talked about raising a note from a 6 and ending up with a 7th... I stumbled onto the reverse of that when I figured out the old M7 can “move” around by dropping a note down (and end up at the 6th - and, way beyond😉). I’ve been exploring modern sounds for years, but as you point out, sometimes (often I find), it’s hard to determine the context! Nice job Mikko!

[@Mikkokosmos]

Thank you :)

[@capitannemo62]

Hi Mikko: there is a book called "The Barry Harris Method for Guitar" by Alan Kingstone

[@shitmandood]

Yeah, I downloaded it off the Internet. Pretty sweet!

[@rysriffs]

Great video! Can’t wait to play around with these ideas

[@SIVA6619]

For guitarist : you see this a lot in Randy Vincent Drop2 book, which is a guitar version of Mark Levine's drop2 book

[@stumpshot70]

Wes uses this concept a lot in his chord solos...mostly in drop 2 form in the upper 4 strings.

[@pierrejonker4967]

And parallel.

[@MattiasBrahammar]

Great stuff Mikko! Those Trad-Jazz 6th chords suddenly became very Frisell-ish using the lower strings ("melancholic sounds from the vast decaying landscapes of the US of America" :-D ), and I really liked your simplification excercise with the "broken string". That forces you to think differently, which I think is key to great improvisation!

[@mannoplanet]

Yes, I was going to say the same thing.... cracking the Frisell code!

[@pillmuncher67]

Fun Fact: The m6 chord is the first inversion of the m7b5 chord. So, in the minor version of this system you kinda alternate between half diminished and diminished chords.

[@Mikkokosmos]

That's true 😎

[@TypingHazard]

Man I love this stuff. Finding TILF Barry Harris has really given me a ton of great things to practice and think about. One of the more modern sounds I've heard that fits right in with what you're talking about is that so-called "magic tetrachord" - the four note cluster a lot of players use. By notes we could say it is D Eb G A - but looking at it under Dr Harris's thinking I believe we'd think of it as a Cmin6 with the D borrowed from the diminshed (replacing the tonic). I think this helps demystify the "magic" of that chord because you might be inclined to think of how that tetrachord is applied in a vacuum as a unique concept - but now knowing it's a minor 6 with a borrowed note, we know now that it basically works anywhere you'd use a minor 6th, including all the various substitutions, that you might already know about minor chords. I personally feel like that kind of knowledge is just invaluable.

[@maxfriedman603]

If you like that you should try out D, G, A, C#

[@TypingHazard]

@@maxfriedman603 i like it! I suppose at first blush it fits into the D major 6/diminished scale (G and C# are borrowed, replacing F# and B respectively) but it might feel better as an A dominant/diminished scale, replacing E with D. It is also a very stretchy chord in certain inversions. I like this sound though

[@jamesfrance891]

Typing Hazard or an F6 with the root and C replaced by the dim notes above?

[@irishdog79]

Great lesson, sir. LoVE the blue/tortoise shell/gold scheme on that guitar!

[@seriousoldman8997]

The major version I remember by the opening of " Who wants to be a millionaire? " Evocative ofcountry-swing, Ellington and 30s big- bands..

[@guitarmarsupial]

Really helpful lesson. I hear a lot of Julian Lage in those dropped voicings.

[@iamsparkicus]

Amazing Grace, amazing player! Cheers, again, Mikko!

[@jadeowenhamblyn4405]

The thing i love about these harmonisations is that the don't sound hip or modern :)

[@romainbertrand253]

Hi Mikko ! Your videos are just great ! Thanks for sharing. (from Paris / France)

[@JohnHorneGuitar]

Fantastic demonstration and examples.

[@stumpshot70]

Gets really interesting really quick the more you are expanding this concept....thanks for the great vid!

[@Mikkokosmos]

Glad you like it /Mikko

[@earfulaudio5199]

Such a beautiful Player ... Thank you for posting.

[@SharadShakya]

Very useful lesson. Thank you very much Mikko. Regards from Finland.

[@Mikkokosmos]

Kitos

[@SharadShakya]

@@Mikkokosmos Ole hyvä !!

[@idontwanttousemynameyoutub7538]

Also Wes did use these exact chords (amongst many other formations) - really it is a harmonization of the scale using I and V chords where the diminished chord is a I substitute.

[@jorgevidal5453]

Awesome and beautiful. Thanks so much!

[@j.staley7425]

The guitar sounds great along with the info you've shared!

[@Mikkokosmos]

thanks :)

[@joseferiksson2488]

Superbra video! Blir supersugen att testa detta. Jag jobbar också med jazzutbildning men inom kulturskolan i Sundsvall. Detta kanske inte kommer nå alla 9åringarna i våra barnjazzgrupper, men väl några gymnasieelever. Tack för inspirationen!

[@Mikkokosmos]

Coolt. Vi skulle åkt till gitarrfestivalen i Sundsvall med jobbet men det blev corona-inställt 😷

[@joseferiksson]

Mikko Hilden men så kul! Hoppas ni kan tänka er att komma nästa år (eller nästa gång om det inte går i år heller!)

[@IPLAYPEDALSTEEL]

Wow man, finding your channel is such a treat! I absolutely LOVE Barry Harris!

[@kentaro109]

This takes a long time to practice for me to use smoothly but it really helps! Thank you!

[@marcusrogers485]

excellent! this is certainly going to keep me busy for bit. thank you!

[@js0550]

As you ask for information of Barry Harris for guitar apart of the book by Alan Kingstone there is a video class by Ronni Ben Hur in Mike Master Classes site

[@Mikkokosmos]

Cool. Thsnks!

[@WhiteOakAmps]

I believe what Harris says about the Maj 6th is it sounds more "solid": the Maj7th resolves to Maj6th. This is also mentioned in George Russel's Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization which Harris mentions off-hand during one of his Maj6th explainations. But the question which Harris also asked was: "Is the Maj6th with a Minor 3rd simply a Diminished 7th with a Natural 5th?" Love this work, will subscribe, thanks so much

[@soundslikeben]

I subscribed as soon as you said I need to figure it out myself. Thanks for not spoonfeeding the info.

[@Mikkokosmos]

I like that word. That should be the new name of my channel: no spoon-feeding! 😎

[@ImTheMousse]

maaate this is exactly what i've been looking for! i'm gonna study the crap outta this. thank you

[@Mikkokosmos]

Nice! See if you can find the book Barry Harris harmonic method fir guitar and you have practice material for a lifetime

[@tonyedwards4067]

it really does explain something! thanks a million man.

[@OlivvYeah]

Nice indeed! I definitely need to check the modernisation 'hack' out. Thank you for your insights on this topic.

[@miochemannetje7801]

Really inspirational stuff. Thank you & keep up the good work!

[@anitadavideduo]

Cool examples! I like Cmaj7 as a C6 with an estension... There are so many point of view!

[@jackk9366]

Fantastic lesson, really digging the sounds I can get!

[@jackk9366]

One of the types of lessons that took me more than 30 minutes to actually get through because I was experimenting with this. Subbed.

[@Mikkokosmos]

Glad you like it 😎👍

[@cerealkiller1139]

wow. im blown away! thanks mikko!

[@tradingwithwill7214]

Great lesson, the end tunes were great.

[@aeter00]

Great video Mikko. The B.H. Method is very interesting. 👍🏽 thanx for sharing !

[@neilhodgson3204]

These sounds remind me very much of Jakob Bro! Nice lesson, thanks

[@thomasdartsch7223]

I felt exactly the same way :-)

[@885909431427]

Just what ive been looking for! Thanks so much!

[@lucasbretels]

Great lesson! Thanks.

[@jansen_music]

That sounds fresh. similar to what Berklee calls "melodization" of triads.

[@davidirelan3516]

Awesome video! These voicings with your tone are very reminiscent of Frisell.

[@3r1cratpool22]

What a nice guitar

[@sergiilomako6131]

I think the whole idea behind this is that you can play diminished 7 arrpegio over any dominant, sub-dominant or tonic chord to connect it to the next one cuz diminished can go everywhere you will lead it

[@davidmmcg]

Brilliant. Sweet plagal cadence at the end of twinkle twinkle. Thank you for sharing your insight.

[@tobiashofer6638]

Thank you very much for this video!

[@dkwvt13]

Great lesson, context and movement are so often overlooked. Very tasty, Thank You! ;-)

[@hanzabass]

Half an hour well spent. Great lesson!

[@federicomanganaro6904]

Chordability DVD by Roni Ben Hur is an excellent resource and the Alan Kingstone book too

[@malachia8590]

big fan of "things i ve learned from Barry Harris",,big fan of Barry Harris ofcourse,,his method helped me alot as I was frustrated from my static view of harmony I was like envious of piano players,,Barry teachs that everything in music is movent, so he shows how to create movements between chords,,he says that musicians from the past knew this sort of thing,,,check out (in case you don't already know him) Pasquale Grasso! he is an amazing guitar player, he studied with Barry, a great exemple of his method applied to guitar.

[@Mikkokosmos]

I know of him but I didn't know he studied with Harris. Interesting.

[@tyronethornton7322]

Purchased the Pasquale Grasso materials and it's well worth it!

[@KiraPlaysGuitar]

22:35 - Beautiful. Makes me want to play.

[@stratoleft]

And also Mikko I was talking about haphazard getting my spacing right, and the Song to John tune is yet another excellent example. Just starting at the C maj. and nothing else. Again refer to Journey to Love record. On the B string alone, starting at 12th fret. 12_ 8-10_12_8-10_12. Notice how the 12 (B) is just slightly held longer more than the 8-10, but so little you don't really notice, but it's still there.. Yet it's important to have that kind of spacing or feel, if you know what I mean. Otherwise the notes will just run together.

[@Erkki_Mela]

Just discovered this universe of musical information! 😍

[@anitadavideduo]

And Twinkle Twinkle is a perfect tune! I use it als oa lot to explain many things also in fingerstyle :-)

[@samchoate1719]

Take a drink every time he says Barry Harris

[@deanmason1564]

OK so it should be obvious to all who understand intermediate/advanced theory that we are talking about a scale of TWO chords. Look carefully at the chord chart from 5:05 - 5:13 . Since BH adds the flatted 5th to the scale (a nine tone scale) there are five C6 chords (the normal inversions of those), and four Dim7 chords ( D dim 7, F dim 7, Ab dim 7, & B dim 7) which are in fact the same chord! The dim7 chord is built on a root, flat 3rd, flat 5th, and double flat 7... so the D dim 7 = D F Ab B (a stack of minor 3rds) notice that the 4 diminished chords in the scale are all inversions of the same 7th/leading tone chord (an ALT 5 chord.. that is a 5 chord (dom 7) with a flat 9 in the root, we have a chordal scale built with only 2 chords, the 1 and the 7 (or the 1 and alt 5) chords. That is to say.. the vocal TI-DO.. (as in DO a deer, a female deer, RAY a drop of golden sun.. etc) TI-DO (a 7-1) or alt SO-DO (a 5-1) change. [leading tone to tonic / Alt dom 7 to tonic]. THUS.. If you learn the inversions of the C6 chord up the neck, and interpose a leading tone dim7 in between each, you have the Barry Harris chordal scale. ONLY 2 CHORDS!! 7-1 or Alt 5-1 is the same. IT'S EASIER THAN YOU THINK! Pick a key, like C. Practice the C6 inversions up the neck. Then do the dim7 chords from the 7th B to D to F to Ab

[@JulianWegner]

Great ideas! I was lookinig for exactly these two solutions :P

[@willychi9315]

Great stuff miko! Just what i needed, i knew the system but couldent get a difrent sound with it.i m verte very thankful for this

[@marceli155]

excellent Mikko! I love it !

[@jimkangas4176]

One book is "The Barry Harris Harmonic Method for Guitar" by Alan Kingstone (2006 Jazzworkshop Productions, www.jazzworkshops.com). It's a pretty good job and very faithful to Barry Harris. Kudos on this - it's really eye-opening. Several mentors have encouraged me to find new voicings by moving individual voices within a known voicing, but doing it with a bop scale gives it yet another perspective (sounds a bit Frisell-ish to me). Thanks.

[@Mikkokosmos]

Thank you. Yes somebody mentioned that book. I'll se if I can find it.

[@alessandroberetta119]

you're the best, both. thank you

[@rdpatterson2682]

Great info and lesson. Thank you!

[@JuanG.AcostaHABITACIONSONORA]

Great lesson!.👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Thank you so much!

[@guitarplayer8627]

I Love Your Video Very Much Thanks

[@stratoleft]

Speaking of John Coltrane, Mikko, I was wondering if you could do yet another one of my favorite Stanley Clarke "interpretations", or whatever, of all time, called Song to John. Just three chords and it's beautiful. Even I can riff off some stuff with this one pretty fast even though I don't know what I'm doing, and it still comes out pretty cool sometime. Just not legitimate or whatever. I mean the Journey to Love record version. Try and pretend McLaughlin isn't playing on it, and I'd like to hear your thoughts. Anyways, like evenly spaced 1, 2,3,4 timing, starting out with a sort of open C, then to A minor, whatever versions you pick for those chords, and then B flat whatever you call it. Back to C major. Whatever version of all three chords sounds good to you. Even with the delicate tempo like on the record, you can speed this thing up to the point where about every note imaginable is going though my head. Too bad I can't actually play what I'm thinking. I actually like this song even better than School Days, if I had to pick one.

[@idontwanttousemynameyoutub7538]

This information was all included in the Levine Jazz Piano Book or Theory Book, including some ways to make more modern or dissonant sounding chords.

[@fabriziocolonna73]

There is this very well made book

[@aleksik4028]

For some reason many different Barry Harris teachings in my youtube suggestions =)

[@Mikkokosmos]

Check out the ones with him in person. Very interesting.

[@mangolassi_.]

Excellent, very interesting!

[@alexandermager3814]

although the added note is the same but still according to Barry Harris system Maj6-Dim scale is not equal Maj bebop scale, because Barry Harris does not use the term bebop scale, he has rules for added notes. Here's what Christian says: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZzPgqiLh96ppbs Also, there are two books accompanying Barry Harris DVDs and Alan Kingstone book for guitar.

[@nicholassutton9635]

Great video, thank you! I am a huge fan of Chris's remarkable "Things I've leaned from Barry Harris" channel. This method now has me feeling like I'm beginning to understand functional harmony for the first time having been playing for years and years, slowly getting better but always having remained confused by it in the past. Perhaps you have adressed it elswhere but Barry Harris, as I learnt via Chris, has an alternative concept to the 'bebop scale', which opens up more options for introducing passing chromaticisms. He talks about these rules in many episodes but addresses Barry Harris's view on the 'bebop scale' directly on episode 54. Would be really interested to know what you think! Thanks again.

[@chrisjuergensen]

Great video and very easy to understand. I have a few lessons on my channel about this too but mostly about using it as improv ideas. I see your MI diploma back there. I taught there for many years.

[@Mikkokosmos]

Cool. I went there ages ago around 1990.

[@chrisjuergensen]

@@Mikkokosmos I was teaching there that year. I left for Tokyo in 91

[@Mikkokosmos]

@@chrisjuergensen I don't think I was in any of your classes? I think I remember all my instructors. Dan Gilbert was my favourite .

[@chrisjuergensen]

@@Mikkokosmos Yes, Dan was there. We are still friends. I did open counseling in the room between Scott Henderson and Allan Hinds. I think one of your classmates was Eduardo Ponti

[@JonFrumTheFirst]

In dance band arranging, it was standard to harmonize major chord tones with the major sixth, and diatonic non-chord tones with a diminished chord. Think Glen Miller. It came out of pre-jazz dance bands - the 'sweet' sound. I assume the diminished chords came from piano.

[@tadasuyamato930]

Oh! You graduate from GIT ! Me too back in 80s.

[@Mikkokosmos]

Good times 😎👍

[@jazzpianousa]

Mikko, you may want to review the chords from Barry's original workshop. It is a CMaj7 then dm7b5 then E quartal (rootless C 6/9) then fdimMaj7 (rootless G13b9) etc. up the scale. Barry corrects rhe students for not moving from note to note correctly. These chords should sound dissonant as you go up the scale but after repeated drill you become accustomed to the sound. It's one way to approach jazz harmony systematically, but it doesn't always explain differences in approach to harmony which other musicians use as they play by ear. Best example of a non-studied musician who doesn't read music nor approach harmony from a book or system but from hearing sound: Monty Alexander.

[@Mikkokosmos]

Isn't that exactly what I'm playing?

[@TheRickJF]

Holy sh!t this is amazing! the most beautiful twinkle twinkle I've ever heard.

[@adriennelee1520]

Nice lesson. So, how do you like that guitar? I'm thinking of getting this model.. I already have the ex ss and the ext 1.. both are great. but was looking at this deluxe as well.. thanks

[@Mikkokosmos]

I'm loving it. It's my favorite guitar at the moment. Sounds great and is easier to play than an archtop.

[@adriennelee1520]

@@Mikkokosmos Thank you so much for such a quick response..

[@grewalparminder2003]

Beautiful intro

[@belectronix]

Cool video, thanks!

[@thomasneily8267]

Thanks rick beato showed me the positions

[@iloverumi]

amazing info. thanks so much.

[@peterobertson7939]

Thanks Mikko this really helps me understand how to get a modern sound. There is a book on this: “The Barry Harris Harmonic Method for Guitar” by Alan Kingstone.

[@Mikkokosmos]

Thank you I have to check that out.

[@HGQjazz]

I think of it as alternating voicings for C6 and G7b9.

[@stackofiasco5591]

I also. Pretty sure that's the idea. Filling time and adding tension for interest.

[@elprofeelger7533]

thanks master,saludos desde colombia.

[@surprisedmike]

Alan Kingstone has a great book on this system hat used to be for sale on Amazon, The Barry Harris Harmonic Method for Guitar.

[@surprisedmike]

Just realized that you can get it from Howard Rees at jazzworkshops.com/

[@icecreamforcrowhurst]

There is a book Barry Harris Guitar Method by Alan Kingstone.

[@deparko]

One way I think of this is that these are really V7b9 to I6. That is how I think of this. Ted Greene taught this to me awhile ago but I guess it depends on the context

[@alexd.alessandro5419]

Many thanks, could you please explain the 4th's Wes Montgomery style idea you mentioned? Great video! Thanks

[@Mikkokosmos]

A lot of guitarists replace some of the Maj6 chords for fourth voicings because they are easier to grab. Like the first inversion, just change the E to a D. I don't know for sure if Wes did this but it sounds like Wes when you do it 🙂👍

[@lgoler]

Miko, Roni Ben-Hur, a great guitarist who studied with Barry and played in his quartet, wrote a book called Talk Jazz with all of Barry’s concepts but with the added benefit of fingerings for guitar. Anyone interested can get in touch with Roni directly as I’m sure he has copies to sell.

[@Mikkokosmos]

That's very interesting! Thanks!

[@grantgre]

Barry Harris as workshops we're kind of difficult for me because I didn't have all the skills and all that stuff and Harris the theoretical stuff USA he would grunt or something you know. Yeah Barry Harris was like an enigma wrapped up in a Russian doll. I know he did a lot of important work but it is really difficult to access and even though the work book that I think he had a video I got that back in the day that was very sparse, not the best learning situation but I'm glad people have gotten a lot out of it is teaching and I'm going to learn it as well.