IN THIS LESSON

Major scale

1a. in 3rds (8th notes)

1b. 3rds (Triplets)

1c. 3rds (16th notes)

1d. 3rds + half step before each pair (8th notes)

1e. 3rds + half step before each pair (Triplets)

1f. 3rds + half step before each pair (16th notes)


Major 7th Arpeggios (notes still come from Major Scale)

2a. half step before each arpeggio (8th notes)

2b. half step before each arpeggio (Triplets)

2c. half step before each arpeggio (16th notes)


Some thoughts on practicing:

It would be a must to take this through all 12 keys, so make a goal for yourself (“Okay, by the end of this week I’ll learn exercise 1a-1c in 6 keys.” or something like that). There are only 2 goals: 1. to understand what is going on inside the exercises and 2. to physically get used to playing scales this way. THE GOAL IS NOT TO MEMORIZE ALL THE EXERCISES IN ALL 12 KEYS. Ultimately you want control over your instrument when improvising, so these exercises gradually show you what it feels like (physically) and optional embellishments (half steps/thirds) to something simple such as a major scale.

How fast should I practice?

-There is nothing wrong with taking these slow. Practice with a metronome on 2 and 4 (to do this you simply have to set your metronome to half of the tempo you want to go), and gradually work your way to a tempo you would like to. The main point of this exercise isn’t speed, so any tempo goal you have works!

Some questions you may have:

Which keys do I play? What order?

-I would start with C (since there are no accidentals) and then go up by 4ths: C-F-Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-B-E-A-D-G

If you learn this way, you will understand the relationships between the keys a lot better.


I’m reading the sheet music just fine. What do you mean by understanding what’s going on inside the exercise?

-You need to understand what tools are used to change the basic exercise. I have included both 1 and 2 (the exercises without a letter after) to show you the bare bones of the exercises. You really don’t have to practice these, but if you know them that’s even better. Everything after (1a, 1b, etc), is embellished and that is what you need to know. Get to a point where you can look at the sheet music for each exercise and be able to tell what the embellishment is and what the foundation of it is. When you take it through all 12 keys, your brain will automatically start to figure this out since you will have to come up with the rest of the keys on your own 


These exercises are too easy. Do I move on to something else?

-If these are too easy, then do the exercises using a different scale. Barry Harris mainly suggests using the Dominant (Mixolydian) Scale: C-D-E-F-G-A-Bb-C. After you get comfortable with both the major and dominant scales in all 12 keys, you’re ready to move on to the next exercises.

  • This is a simplified exercise from “The Barry Harris Workshop Video” workbook. If you are interested for more I highly suggest checking it out!