Eddie Harris was a renowned American jazz saxophonist, composer, and arranger. His intervallic concept, which he developed in the 1960s, is a unique approach to improvisation and composition that emphasizes the use of specific intervals to create melodic lines. This concept has been influential in jazz and continues to inspire musicians today.
: Exercises focusing on wide leaps and non-diatonic interval patterns to break away from standard scalar playing. Harmonic Expansion
. Designed for all single-line instruments (saxophone, trumpet, flute, etc.), the method moves beyond traditional chord-scale approaches to focus on the mathematical and creative use of intervals. Overview of the Method
Eddie Harris's The Intervallistic Concept is a comprehensive instructional method designed to expand the harmonic and rhythmic vocabulary of improvisers and composers. Originally written for saxophone but applicable to all single-line wind instruments, the book focuses on non-traditional melodic movement and advanced technical facility. Core Philosophical Principles
: Harris emphasized that "wrong" notes or chords are actually just issues of connection, progression, or inflection. Music as Life eddie harris intervallistic concept pdf
Why should a modern musician spend hours grinding through these grueling geometric patterns? It Rewires Your Brain
Tip: If you want to see this concept in action before buying the book, go to YouTube and search for "Eddie Harris live 1970s." Listen to how rarely he plays consecutive scale tones; he is constantly leaping by 4ths, 5ths, and 6ths.
There is no official, widely published textbook by Eddie Harris under that exact title. However, a circulates among jazz musicians. It typically contains:
Harris's intervallic concept is based on the idea of using specific intervals to create melodic lines that are both coherent and unpredictable. He identified a set of intervals that he believed were particularly effective in creating tension and release, and he used these intervals to construct solos and compositions. Eddie Harris was a renowned American jazz saxophonist,
Typically a paperback or spiral-bound book ranging from 192 to 321 pages depending on the edition.
Traditional jazz pedagogy heavily emphasizes step-wise motion (scales) and third-based structures (triads and seventh chords). Harris argued that this approach creates predictable patterns and linear limitations.
If you are looking for a specific technical "piece" or sub-book from the concept, you may be thinking of (1972).
You do not need to wait until you find a rare print copy to start incorporating Eddie Harris’s philosophy into your daily practicing. You can begin integrating wide intervals today using these actionable steps: Step 1: The Interval Swap : Exercises focusing on wide leaps and non-diatonic
Perhaps the most valuable aspect of the book is its final instruction: "turn it upside down and play it backwards!" This isn't just a quirky final note; it's an encouragement to use the material as a springboard for your own creativity. The method provides the raw materials; you are meant to deconstruct and reassemble them to build your own unique musical vocabulary.
To take your practice session to the next level, let me know: What do you play? What is your current skill level with jazz theory?
Instead of playing a C major triad as C-E-G, Harris might organize the structure intervallically, forcing wide leaps like C to high E, dropping to G, and then leaping to a sharp eleven (#11). He applies this logic to major, minor, diminished, and augmented structures. 3. The Altissimo Integration