Eddie Harris Intervallistic Concept Pdf May 2026

Eddie Harris — Intervallistic Concept (intriguing overview & directions)

The Three Pillars of the Concept (According to surviving students)

1. Absolute Symmetry: Unlike scales, which have a "root," intervallistic cycles have no gravity. You can start the pattern on any of the 12 notes, and the shape of the melody is identical.
2. The "Cross-Fingering" Grid: For saxophonists (Harris's primary audience), the PDF teaches fingerings that ignore the normal key hierarchy. It forces the hands to move in interval leaps rather than stepwise motion.
3. Chromatic Saturation: The goal of the concept is to ensure you never repeat a note until you have played all 12 tones in a pattern. This creates the "12-tone row" feel, but with a rhythmic, swinging lilt rather than a sterile serialist vibe.

How to Find or Reconstruct the Concept

Legal & Practical Sources:

• Check the Eddie Harris Estate – Contacting his family or estate managers (sometimes via the label WenHa Records) may yield authorized materials.
• University Jazz Libraries – Schools like North Texas, Berklee, or Indiana University have special collections that might include Harris’s unpublished lesson sheets.
• Used Book Sites – Search for "Eddie Harris instructional materials" or "Eddie Harris Intervallistic" on AbeBooks or eBay. A rare booklet sometimes surfaces.

Reconstruct the Concept Yourself (Recommended): You don’t need the PDF to apply the principle. Here’s a practical exercise Harris used:

1. Pick an interval (e.g., minor 3rd = 3 half-steps).
2. Improvise a melody using ONLY that interval (C → Eb → F# → A → C, etc.). Jump it up and down.
3. Add a second interval (e.g., perfect 4th). Alternate between them.
4. Play over a static chord (e.g., Cm7). Ignore the chord tones—just focus on the sound of the intervals.
5. Transcribe Eddie Harris solos – Listen to "Listen Here," "Mean Greens," or "Exodus." You’ll hear him leap in 4ths and 5ths constantly. That is the concept in action.

Conclusion: Do You Need the PDF?

If you can find the PDF, treasure it. It contains handwritten diagrams, specific "Harris Licks" mapped out by interval number, and a unique humor (Harris claimed the concept came to him in a dream about a clock).

However, if you cannot find the PDF, you are not lost. You now understand the concept:

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.

Eddie Harris wanted musicians to stop thinking about keys and start thinking about distances. Whether you find the original PDF or build your own intervallic system, the goal is the same: to free your sound from the tyranny of the scale.

Search smart, practice harder, and play intervalistically.

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Keywords: eddie harris intervallistic concept pdf, eddie harris jazz theory, triadic chromaticism, symmetrical improvisation, chromatic jazz exercises, outside playing techniques.

The Intervallistic Concept is a comprehensive instructional manual written by legendary jazz saxophonist Eddie Harris. Originally published to codify his unique harmonic and technical approach to improvisation, the book is a foundational text for musicians looking to break away from traditional scalar and chord-based soloing. Core Philosophy and Structure

The work is typically presented as a three-volume set, often found today in a single compiled edition:

Volume 1 (Foundations): Covers the basic mechanics of intervallic playing, focusing on moving beyond simple major and minor scales into wider, more athletic melodic leaps.

Volume 2 (Advanced Techniques): Expands on these concepts with complex applications, including altissimo playing, chord substitutions, and syncopated sequences.

Volume 3 (Composition & Application): Provides practical examples of solos and original compositions that utilize the intervallic system. Key Technical Focus Areas eddie harris intervallistic concept pdf

Harris’s manual is famous for its rigorous and often physically demanding exercises. Key topics include:

Intervallic Leaps: Moving in fourths, fifths, and larger "skips" to create modern, angular melodies.

Harmonic Sophistication: Extensive studies on polychords, superimposed triads, and unconventional modulations.

Instrumental Mastery: While popular among saxophonists, it is designed for all single-line wind instruments (flute, trumpet, etc.) and is widely used by guitarists and pianists for developing new harmonic vocabulary. "Eddieisms"

A distinct feature of the book is the inclusion of "Eddieisms"—witty, philosophical quotes from Harris about the nature of music. These insights reflect his belief that there are "no wrong notes, only wrong connections," encouraging players to focus on inflection and the "beauty of life" in sound rather than strict academic rules. Where to Find it

The manual is available through specialty jazz retailers such as Ejazzlines, Charles Colin Music, and Stretta Music. While archival copies are sometimes hosted on platforms like the Internet Archive, official physical and digital copies remain a staple in advanced jazz education. INTERVALLISTIC CONCEPT: Eddie Harris: - Ejazzlines.com

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What it is

Eddie Harris’s "Intervallistic Concept" is an approach to improvisation and composition that foregrounds interval relationships (rather than traditional scalar or chordal thinking) as the primary organizing principle. It treats intervals as cells or modules that can be manipulated, transformed, and combined to generate melodic lines, harmonic color, and motivic development. The method yields music that can sound angular, modern, and rhythmically elastic while remaining tuneful and logically coherent.

Why it’s compelling

• Generates fresh melodic material quickly without relying on standard scalar vocabulary.
• Encourages linear thinking that often yields unexpected harmonic results.
• Scales easily from solo practice to full ensemble arranging, yielding distinctive modern-jazz textures.

If you want, I can:

• Produce a 1–page PDF exercises sheet with the notated cells and practice steps.
• Create 8-bar scored examples for a quartet using these interval cells.

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 based the method on a set of "Eddieisms" that encourage musical freedom and the belief that there are no "wrong" choices if played with the right intention: Charles Colin Music Succession over Correction : "There are no wrong intervals if played in succession". Connection & Inflection

: Harris emphasized that "wrong" notes or chords are actually just issues of connection, progression, or inflection. Music as Life Absolute Symmetry: Unlike scales, which have a "root,"

: He viewed musical sounds as a universal language that should be felt rather than overly over-analyzed or "chastised". Charles Colin Music Method Structure and Content

The book (often found as a 192-page spiral-bound edition or a multi-volume 321-page version) covers a wide array of technical and creative studies: Jamey Aebersold Jazz Interval Studies

: Exercises focusing on wide leaps and non-diatonic interval patterns to break away from standard scalar playing. Harmonic Expansion

: Includes hundreds of studies on chord substitution, polychords, superimposed triads, and modern cycles. Rhythmic Resources : Lessons on advanced syncopation and rhythmic modulations. Altissimo Mastery

: Harris provides numerous fingerings and exercises for the saxophone's altissimo range (e.g., specific fingerings for high

) to help players navigate the upper register with the same ease as the standard range. Practical Application Versatility

: While written by a saxophonist, the logic is "straightforward" and can be applied by flute, clarinet, trumpet, and trombone players, as well as pianists and guitarists. Flexibility

: The material is designed to be practiced either systematically from start to finish or randomly to spark immediate creativity. The book is published by Charles Colin Music Publications and is available through retailers like Jamey Aebersold Jazz EddieHarris.com specific interval exercise from the book or more information on his altissimo fingering charts Eddie Harris Intervallistic Concept Pdf - Facebook

Intervallistic Concept " by Eddie Harris is a comprehensive three-volume pedagogical work that revolutionized how wind players approach improvisation

. Below is an essay exploring the core principles and impact of this method.

The Architecture of Modern Jazz: Exploring Eddie Harris’s Intervallistic Concept How to Find or Reconstruct the Concept Legal

In the landscape of 20th-century jazz, few figures bridged the gap between commercial success and avant-garde experimentation as seamlessly as Eddie Harris. While often celebrated for his hits like "Exodus" or "Listen Here," Harris’s deepest contribution to the academic and practical study of music lies in his seminal work,

The Intervallistic Concept for All Single Line Wind Instruments

. This 321-page treatise offers a radical departure from traditional scale-based improvisation, proposing instead a framework built on the geometric and mathematical relationships of intervals. A Departure from Scalar Thinking

Traditional jazz pedagogy often prioritizes "running the scales"—matching specific modes to chord changes. Harris’s "Intervallistic Concept" challenges this by focusing on intervals as the primary building blocks of melody. He famously posited that "there are no wrong intervals if played in succession," suggesting that any note can function within a harmonic context if the intervallic logic remains consistent. This philosophy encourages musicians to think in wide leaps—fourths, fifths, and beyond—rather than stepwise motion, a technique central to his masterpiece "Freedom Jazz Dance". Structural Breakdown of the Method

The concept is traditionally divided into three volumes, each advancing in complexity: Volume I: Foundations:

Focuses on the basics of intervallic patterns and their application to standard harmonic progressions. It introduces students to "superimposed triads" and basic "intervallic cycles". Volume II: Advanced Intricacies:

Moves into polytonality and asymmetrical meters. Harris uses this section to explain how a single-line instrument can imply complex chords through carefully chosen intervals. Volume III: Stylistic Application:

Bridges theory and performance, demonstrating how these concepts apply to blues, Latin, and funk. This volume emphasizes rhythmic variations and melodic development across diverse genres. Technical Mastery and "Eddieisms"

Intervallistic Concept By Eddie Harris - Jamey Aebersold Jazz

Eddie Harris's "Intervallistic Concept" is a comprehensive instructional method for wind instruments that moves beyond traditional scales to focus on interval-based improvisation and composition. The 321-page text features extensive exercises on large interval skips, advanced harmony, and "Eddieisms" designed to enhance a musician's harmonic and rhythmic vocabulary. For more details, visit Official Eddie Harris Website Jamey Aebersold Jazz

Intervallistic Concept By Eddie Harris - Jamey Aebersold Jazz