Eddie Harris Intervallistic Concept Pdf

The core material for Eddie Harris's "intervallistic concept" is documented in his multi-volume instructional book series. The Intervallistic Concept Books

Summary for Researchers:

Harris’s contribution with this text bridges the gap between the physical limitations of the saxophone mechanism and the limitless possibilities of melodic invention. It remains a seminal text in advanced saxophone pedagogy. eddie harris intervallistic concept pdf

Key Principles:

References

: Harris emphasized that "wrong" notes or chords are actually just issues of connection, progression, or inflection. Music as Life Break out of diatonic scales

Core Principle:

Instead of thinking of chords (Cmin7, G7, etc.), Harris encourages players to think in terms of interval relationships from a chosen note. Any interval can be played over any chord as long as it is executed with rhythmic and melodic conviction. Most jazz education is scalar or chord-tone based

you can reverse-engineer the concept.

While the original manuscript is elusive, the methodology is replicable. If you cannot find the PDF,

1. Break out of diatonic scales.
2. Pick an interval (3rd, 4th, 5th).
3. Cycle a chord or cell through that interval.
4. Improvise on the resulting shape.

Most jazz education is scalar or chord-tone based. The Intervallistic Concept frees you from "correct notes" and trains your ear to hear distance , which is how many avant-garde players (Ornette Coleman, Dewey Redman, even later Coltrane) think. It’s particularly useful for: