Scale practice - Basics

(from the Barry Harris workshop/video)

As the IImi chord occurs on the 5th degree of the V7. Parker uses the V7 chord scale to
play over both IImi7 and V7 chords. Hence only the F7 scale is required for soloing
over both the Cmi7 and F7.
Note: Up and down refers to a scale played from its tonic up to its 7th degree and then
back down. This produces a 2 bar phrase.
C dominant 7th scale up and down

&c

C Major scale up and down

b j

Scale practice on C Dominant 7th scale

1. Scale performed in 3rds

&

2. Same as previous figure, starting a half-step below the 1st note of each 3rd

& # # # #

3
3

3. The scale performed in triads

&

b n

& # # # #

4. Same as previous figure, starting a half-step below 1st note of each triad

b
& b b b

5. 4-note chords performed on each degree of the scale

6. same as previous figure starting a half-step below each chord

j b J

j
b

&
j

J #
J # b J
J #
3

7. The three important arpeggios on the dominant 7th scale are found
on the tonic, the 5th and the b7. Illustrated in its entirety is the arpeg-gio on the tonic (C).
Practice the arpeggios on the 5th and the 7th (Gmin and Bb - shown in root position)
in the same way.
3

&
3

&

Gmi

Bb

&
3

-2-

8-a. Pivoting with chords on C major scale

&

& j
J
J
J

8-b. Pivoting with the C Major scale.

& J J J


b
J

8-c. Pivoting with the C dominant 7th scale.

& b j
b b

9-a. Major arpeggios performed down chromatically from tonic note

&

50

b b

b b

#
n
b

# n b
&

#
n
# n b b

b b

b
&

# #

9-b. From the 3rd

52

9-c. From the 5th

54

# n b n
-3-

b
b

&

10. Diminished 7th chords performed chromatically ascending and descending.

# b
n

11. Inversions of the augmented triad.

3

& #
3

12. Rhythm exercise performed on the Cdominant 7th scale. Practice this on
the major scale as well.

& b
& b
&

&

j j

-4-

Harris Half-step Model

Half-steps typify the language of the bebop player. With this in mind, Harris developed a
practice model to teach the art of playing rhythmically. In their basic role, they appear as
notes added to the descending form of the scale. Through various applications (shown below),
the half-steps become an endless source from which to generate improvisational ideas. The
Dominant 7th scale, the major and minor scales each have their own set of rules for adding
half-steps.
The Dominant 7th scale half-step rules
Start on 1, half-step added between tonic and b7.

&

& b

Start on 2, no half-step added.

b
&
j

Start on 3, add half-step between 1 and b7

b
j
&

Start on 4, no h/s

Start on 5, add h/s between 1 and b7.

&

b j

b
&
j

Start on 6, no h/s added.

Start on 2, add half-steps between 2 and 1

and 1 and b7

b b
j

b b b

Start on 3, add h/s all the way to b7

b b

Start on 4, add h/s between 2-1 and 1 and b7

b b

Start on 5, add h/s between 2 -1 and 1-b7

b j

b b
j

Start on 6, add h/s between 2-1 and 1-b7.

b
b
b
b b b
&
j
j

Start b7, add h/s between 1 and b7

Start b7, add h/s all the way from 3-b7

-5-

Vocalized ideas on the C dominant 7th scale, within the octave.

& j

& j
&

j
j

b j

b J

b j

The 'miscellaneous rule'. Start on any note, go up to any note, and

(when descending), follow the rule for the starting note.
* indicates added half-step.
*

& b

* b
j

* b

&
j

b b * * b
j
*

* b

&
j

When starting a phrase with an 8th note triplet, use the rule for the middle
note of the triplet.

& b
3

b
j

-6-

When starting a phrase with a 3rd, follow a rule for the next note that
falls on the beat.

*
b

b j

j
&

b * b * * b
&
j

b * b * *
* b

b j

&
j

When starting with a triad, follow the rule for the top note of the triad.

For 4-note chords, follow a rule for the

subsequent note.

b j

& b j
&

b b
j
b j

-7-

For starting a semi-tone below the root of a chord follow the rule for the top note
of the chord.

& # j b j
3

j b j
#

j
b

b j j b j
& #

*
*
*
*

&
j
j

b
3

&

j b

b b b j

The following show application of previous example over a common turnaround.

The chord on the 4th degree up, down the scale with 3 half-steps to the 3rd,
then up the related diminshed chord of C7, resolving to the 5th of the
F Major, while the rhythm section plays I-VI-II-V in the key of F.

b b
j

&

F

b b
& j
3

C7

b j

C7

b
b

J
-8-

Any note can also be used in place of the h/s to create

a correct flowing line.

&

Major scale half-step rules.

There is also a system for adding half-steps to both major and minor scales. As with the dominant
7th scale, there are rules for each starting note
The * denotes the placement of the h/s.

&

&
2

&

b b
j

2 *

chromatic line from 7-5

*

chromatic line from 3-1

b
&
j

&

b *
3

b b b
3

chromatic line from 7-5

-9-

The minor scale half step rules

The minor scale to which half-steps are added is the melodic minor in ascending form.
The added half-steps are the same as for the major scale. The one exception is where the
Major scale rule adds a b3. Because this note is already present in the minor scale, any
other note may be used in its place.Notice this may be achieved by using interval jumps
and by repeating the same note twice.

&c
Tonic

&

& b

2nd

b
&
*

&

b b

&

b b b

3rd

b b
b j
chromatic line from 7-5

b j

b j

b j

b * b

b b j

chromatic line from 7-5

*
b

b
j
b j
b

The Diminished chord and its 4 related dominant 7ths

By taking the diminished chord and lowering each of its notes, one at a time, 4 related
dominant 7th chords are formed. Because these 4 dominant 7ths share the same
diminished chord, certain harmonic relationships between them are implied. The
related diminished 7th chord is built on the 3rd of the dominant 7th chord. Note how
the 4 notes of the diminished chord plus the 4 related dominant 7th chords, combine to
form a symmetrical diminished scale.
Related dominant 7th scales = chord movements
Certain implications arise from stating that 4 keys or dominant 7th chords are related
to one another through sharing the same diminished chord. It is useful to practice the
4 related dominant 7ths (as scales) running into each other.
The chart below demonstrates how, by practicing the related dominant 7th scales
running into each other, key chord movements can be practiced at the same time.
Here 4 scales (C7, A7, Eb7, Gb7) that share the C# diminished chord are illustrated.

SCALES

CHORD MOVEMENTS

C7-A7

Em7b5-A7

C7-Eb7 (Tritone of A7)

Em7b5-Eb7 (IIm7-subV7 in Dmin)

Gm7-Bbm7 (IIm7-IVm7 in FMaj)

C7-Gb7 (Tritone of C7)

Gm7-Gb7 (IIm7-subV7 in FMaj)

A7-Gb7 (F#7)

C#m7b5-F#7

A7-C7

C#m7b5-C7 (IIm7b5-subV7 in B)
Em7-Gm7

A7-Eb7

Em7-Eb7 (IIm7-subV7)

Eb7-C7

Gm7b5-C7

Eb7-Gb7

Gm7b5-Gb7
Bbm7-Dbm7

Eb7-A7

Bbm7-A7 (IIm7-subV7)

Gb7-Eb7

Bbm7b5-Eb7

Gb7-A7

Bbm7b5-A7
C#m7-Em7

Gb7-C7

Dbm7-C7

This is the entire chart for C#dim chord. Do a similar chart for the other 2 diminished
chords. Thus the same for all 12 keys.

The Important Minor is the term given to the chord found on the 5th
degree of a dominant 7th scale. bIIImi7 (C#mi7) is the 'important minor'
of the bVI7 (F#7) or subV7 of V chord in the key of Bb. The phrases
illustrate bars 3-4 of Rhythm changes.
IIImi7

&

& b n
3

bIIImi7

#
#

IImi7

b
b

Application of Scale ideas to Rhythm changes;

Up and down each dominant 7th scale with the '4' phrase

& # # j
& b # j

# J

j
b b

Up and down with the '5' phrase

& #

J
#

j
b

&

Down from b7 with the 5-4-3 phrase

& # #

& b

# b

# #
b # b

How High The Moon

&

#c

# F
&
&

10

E b

# Gw
&

14

&

18

# F
&

22

&

26

E b

E7

bw

bw

D7

. j
D7

B b7

b n

bw

B b7

C7

D7

C7

bw

D7

bw

#
&

30

b n
C

F7

D7

&
&
&
&
&

#
#
#
#
#
#

b j

n
n
E b

D7

C7

b n j

B b7

b n b

j
n

b
b
G

b b j b b n b b j

b n

E7

D7

C7

B b7

b n j

b j

j
n
n
n

b
b
G
F7
C
E b
A
D7
#

b b j J
b J
b

& b n b b J

n
&

&

#
#

To end

&

D7

D7

J
J

J
J

INDIANA
&b

C7

j
b

&
B b

&b

G7

F
E

& b .

Dmi6

.
B b

D7

A7

& b b n
F

D7

&b

A7

G7

.
j

C7

Dmi6

Dmi6

C7

F7

D7

.
.

G7

j
#
E
A7

G7

j
#

E b7

. j

C7

.
J

G7

.
J

&b w

85

D7

& b n .

81

MacDonald-Hanley

Ab

C7

Scale outline of Indiana

D7

C7

G7

G7

&

C7

& b j
B b

B b

E b7

F7

J b b J

D7

j
b j
b

&
#

J
b
b b
G7

&

D7

A7

Dmi6

A7

C7

G7

b j

G7

&

Dmi6

A7

& b # j b n J b # j
Dmi6

Ab

b n
J
& J
#

J
&

D7

C7

C7

# j b j b b j