The Complete Guide to Eddie Harris’s Intervallistic Concept: Revolutionizing Jazz Improvisation
The human fingers naturally prefer moving to adjacent notes. Harris’s system forces your hands and brain to break away from scalar paths.
Play a C major scale, but play the second note (D) an octave higher, the third note (E) in the normal register, the fourth note (F) an octave higher, and so on.
Apply wide intervals strictly within a single key signature to make the concept usable over standard jazz chord progressions. C to A →right arrow →right arrow →right arrow 4. The Benefits of Intervallistic Studying eddie harris intervallistic concept pdf
While the original manuscript is elusive, the methodology is replicable. If you cannot find the PDF,
By mastering these leaps, an improviser can create a sense of tension and release that standard scalar playing simply cannot replicate. It strips away the predictable "bebop clichés" and replaces them with modern, unpredictable geometry. Core Components of the System
Eddie Harris (1934–1996) was a legendary jazz saxophonist known for his electric saxophone, slap-tonguing, and deep harmonic innovation. Beyond his popular hits like Freedom Jazz Dance , he developed a unique theoretical system called the Apply wide intervals strictly within a single key
Applying intervals to blues, Latin, and funk; rhythmic variations; and melodic development. Key Educational Features
Intervallistic Concept By Eddie Harris - Jamey Aebersold Jazz
Select a wide interval, such as the Major 6th. Practice playing it ascending and descending from every note on your instrument. Focus entirely on pitch accuracy and tone consistency. Step 2: Create a Melodic Cell Combine two different intervals to form a cell. Example : Up a Perfect 5th, then down a Minor 7th. If you start on C, you play: . Step 3: Run the Cycle If you cannot find the PDF, By mastering
As of 2025, no legal, high-quality PDF of the original Eddie Harris Intervallistic Concept book exists for free. The jazz community holds its breath for a reprint or a digital release by Hal Leonard. Until then, the search for the "eddie harris intervallistic concept pdf" remains a digital ghost hunt.
: While Harris was a saxophonist, the book is designed for all single-line wind instruments (saxophone, trumpet, flute, clarinet) and is applicable to piano, guitar, and violin.
Modern instructors often recommend starting with small pieces of Harris's vocabulary before attempting the full text. For example, Better Sax suggests practicing specific interval-based phrases repeatedly until they become second nature, much like learning common phrases in a new language.
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