Barry HarrisThe method

Learn with Chris Parks · Volume VIII of XIII

8Movement: from one chord to the next

Play the motion between chords, not a scale per chord: the connecting notes and the small movements that recur in hundreds of standards.

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Map of this module what each idea builds on
Be a movement playerRun one chord into the …Notes in common and not…I to IV minorIV6, raised IV diminish…Major to the relative m…I to the VI dominantThree, flat three, twoI to flat III diminishedMajor to every dominantBars 7 and 8 of the blu…The diminished scale: a…A half-diminished means…A minor 7 is two triadsScale outlinesSurroundsThink the dominant: put…Up and down to the thir…The tritone
Ideas in this module 11
  1. 1Be a movement player
  2. 2Run one chord into the next
  3. 3Notes in common and notes that surround
  4. 4I to IV minor
  5. 5IV6, raised IV diminished, I
  6. 6Major to the relative minor
  7. 7I to the VI dominant
  8. 8Three, flat three, two
  9. 9I to flat III diminished
  10. 10Major to every dominant
  11. 11Bars 7 and 8 of the blues

Idea 1 of 11

Be a movement player

Barry doesn’t paste a scale onto each chord; he plays movements, the way one chord goes to the next (I to IV minor, I to the relative minor, I to VI7, into the tritone). The phrase comes from Coleman Hawkins, who told Barry he didn’t play chords, he played movement, and Chris calls practising how to connect two chords smoothly the secret to soloing. The same movements recur in hundreds of standards, so knowing a few deeply matters more than knowing many tunes shallowly.

Practise it: Pick one movement, find its scales and timing in a real tune, and spend a whole session on lines through it, at two beats, four beats and two bars each.

Builds onScale outlines

Barry’s own pages10.1 Be a movement player7.3 Getting through changes

More on this 19 moments where Chris teaches it

Also called Playing movement, Movement, movements, little tiny movements, I don’t play chords, I play movement, this chord to this chord

Where Chris teaches it

  1. 0:34Movements in the first four bars of the blues · Episode 7
    The first four bars of the blues as a set of movements, not just C7, F7, C7.
  2. 10:19Movements in the first four bars of the blues · Episode 7
    Others stack scales on chords; Barry plays movements in enormous detail.
  3. 9:29Scales for Donna Lee · Episode 9
    Barry looks at ‘this movement into this movement’, not scale into scale.
  4. 6:34Comping for How High the Moon · Episode 16
    His thing is always talking about movement, in comping too.
  5. 0:05Playing the movement from major to relative minor · Episode 34
    Movement defined: from one chord to another and how you navigate with scales.
  6. 15:43Playing the movement from major to relative minor · Episode 34
    Practise one movement a day because it comes up in so many songs.
  7. 10:59Creating lines on the movement from I to the flat III diminished · Episode 41
    Practise one movement, I to flat-III diminished, for hours in different lengths.
  8. 11:34Creating lines on the movement from I to the flat III diminished · Episode 41
    Not ‘this scale for this chord’: Coleman Hawkins, Barry Harris and Bud Powell play movement.
  9. 5:02Middle of a blues: bars 5 to 8 · Episode 58
    All the little movements in bars 5 and 6 of a blues.
  10. 7:22How to create lines from scales, part 2 · Episode 61
    First pretty things on one chord; connecting chords is what Barry calls playing movement.
  11. 8:09How to create lines from V to I · Episode 64
    V to I as a movement.
  12. 3:56Blues Comping Using All 4 Scales of Chords · Episode 71
    F minor 6 to B minor 6 to B flat minor 6: a ‘little tiny movement’ Barry emphasizes.
  13. 0:36The secret to soloing: practising movements · Episode 117
    A tune is this chord going to this chord, which Barry calls a movement.
  14. 8:33The secret to soloing: practising movements · Episode 117
    Coleman Hawkins: I don’t play chords, I play movement.
  15. 9:18The secret to soloing: practising movements · Episode 117
    Wayne Shorter’s tape of Bird practising two- and four-bar things.
  16. 10:40The secret to soloing: practising movements · Episode 117
    Better to know the movements of fewer songs deeply than a thousand songs on the surface.
  17. 7:43Barry shows us much more than exercises: using thirds · Episode 122
    A-flat major goes somewhere (A-flat 7, G half-diminished to C7, or F7): learn to connect it.
  18. 6:34You’ve never played this on a blues · Episode 124
    Learning to improvise is learning to play from this chord to this chord.
  19. 12:19Think small, not big: F6, F7, B flat 6, B diminished · Episode 135
    There are only so many movements, so learn every little thing about each one.

Idea 2 of 11

Run one chord into the next

Many players finish a phrase on one chord, pause, and start again on the next; Barry runs the line across the change, especially at the spots people skip, such as the bars before a bridge, a long major chord going to a dominant, or the change after a resolution. Lines for the dominant and lines for the tonic are not enough on their own: Chris lands the dominant line on a note of the new chord (its 5, 3 or 2, for example) and carries on with what he knows from that degree.

Practise it: Find the tricky spots in a tune (B flat into F sharp 7 before the Cherokee bridge, B flat into D7 before the rhythm bridge) and write several lines that cross each one, ending your dominant line on different notes of the new chord.

Builds onBe a movement playerThink the dominant: put the ii away

Barry’s own pages7.3 Getting through changes10.1 Be a movement player

More on this 15 moments where Chris teaches it

Also called Connecting V to I, playing through the changes, the tricky spots, don’t stop before the bridge, playing the resolution

Where Chris teaches it

  1. 9:53Playing with the family of dominants · Episode 10
    Playing through the changes as opposed to over them.
  2. 1:19The bridge of Cherokee and tricky spots · Episode 11
    Two bars of B flat before the Cherokee bridge: run it into F sharp 7 instead of pausing.
  3. 5:25The bridge of Cherokee and tricky spots · Episode 11
    Start the next phrase on B major running into E7, not fresh on the E7.
  4. 7:36The bridge of Cherokee and tricky spots · Episode 11
    Rhythm changes: don’t leave the B flat bars before the D7 bridge out.
  5. 8:51The bridge of Cherokee and tricky spots · Episode 11
    Confirmation bridge: B flat major running into A flat 7.
  6. 3:57Scales for How High the Moon · Episode 14
    How High the Moon: G major into C7; the fifth of G is the second of C.
  7. 7:51Scales and soloing for A Night in Tunisia · Episode 18
    Night in Tunisia: vary where the line and the breaks fall across E flat 7 and D minor 6.
  8. 7:47Playing with the family of dominants on All the Things You Are · Episode 59
    Whatever you play, resolve it nicely, from D7 or A flat 7 into G major.
  9. 0:00How to create lines from V to I · Episode 64
    Connecting D7 lines to G major lines is a problem even for Chris.
  10. 1:06How to create lines from V to I · Episode 64
    Set-up: two beats of A minor/D7 into G major inside a III-VI-II-V turnaround.
  11. 2:10How to create lines from V to I · Episode 64
    D7 chord up from the fifth, down the scale, ending on D, the fifth of G.
  12. 4:40How to create lines from V to I · Episode 64
    Start with a chord up from the third and land on the third of G.
  13. 7:05How to create lines from V to I · Episode 64
    Landing on the second: surround G to come out of it.
  14. 8:09How to create lines from V to I · Episode 64
    This is a movement: V to I, with two or four beats each.
  15. 1:46Making lines with the tritone’s minor · Episode 66
    Closest notes from E flat minor into G major: E flat to D or E, G flat to G, B flat to B or A.

Idea 3 of 11

Notes in common and notes that surround

When a line goes from one scale to the next, Barry said there are only two possibilities on the new chord’s first beat: land on a note the two scales share, or surround a note of the new chord with two notes of the old scale. B flat 7 to E flat 7 differs by one note, and C and D surround E flat 7’s D flat; B flat 7 to its tritone E7 shares only the third and seventh, and the other notes surround. Chris says this idea, which Barry mentioned only a few times, changed how he plays through changes.

Practise it: For each change in a tune, list the notes in common and the notes that surround, then practise landing on a common note on beat one or surrounding the new note from the beat before.

Line
𝄞
C4FGC5
  1. F
  2. G
Line
𝄞♭♭
C4C5A♭B♭
  1. B♭
  2. A♭
Line
𝄞
C4EGC5
  1. E
  2. G

Builds onRun one chord into the nextSurrounds

Barry’s own pages7.3 Getting through changes6.5 Surrounding notes (approach from above and below)

More on this 14 moments where Chris teaches it

Also called connecting movements, Barry’s secret to playing through changes, which two notes surround the next chord’s note

Where Chris teaches it

  1. 6:23Playing with the family of dominants · Episode 10
    D7 into F7: surrounding the tonic of F7.
  2. 2:00The bridge of Cherokee and tricky spots · Episode 11
    B flat into F#7 before the Cherokee bridge: F and G (5th and 6th of B flat) surround F sharp.
  3. 4:58Scales and soloing for A Night in Tunisia · Episode 18
    E flat 7 into D minor: B flat and A flat surround A.
  4. 13:42Movement: Major to the Sixth Dominant · Episode 35
    Surrounding G, the fifth of C7, at the end of an F to D7 line.
  5. 1:51Movement: I Major to IV Minor · Episode 36
    C major into F minor: the 3 and 5 of C surround F, the 5 of Bb7.
  6. 0:38Barry’s secret to playing through changes · Episode 153
    Bb7 to Eb7 at the start of the blues: you only have notes in common and notes that surround
  7. 1:45Barry’s secret to playing through changes · Episode 153
    Going through Bb7 note by note: only D is not in Eb7, and C and D surround its Db
  8. 3:06Barry’s secret to playing through changes · Episode 153
    A common note: from the 2nd of Bb7 with two half steps, landing on F (the 2nd of Eb7), then down the important arpeggio
  9. 3:51Barry’s secret to playing through changes · Episode 153
    A surround on beat four of the Bb7 bar, so the Db of Eb7 lands on beat one
  10. 7:47Barry’s secret to playing through changes · Episode 153
    Bb7 to E7: only D and Ab/G# in common (3rd and 7th swap); Bb and C surround B, Eb and F surround E, F and G surround F#
  11. 11:01Barry’s secret to playing through changes · Episode 153
    The aim: make five changed notes sound as smooth as one
  12. 11:37Barry’s secret to playing through changes · Episode 153
    The same for any tune, such as B major to D7 in Giant Steps
  13. 3:55Ways to play the first four bars of the blues · Episode 160
    Bb7 to E7 and E7 to Eb7 have more surrounding notes; go through each degree
  14. 7:11Scale outlines: the first step to improvising · Episode 163
    In the Cherokee bridge: B major’s Eb and Db surround the D, the flat 7 of E7

Idea 4 of 11

I to IV minor

Barry always names the IV minor from its dominant: F minor in C is played as the B flat 7 scale. The movement appears as I, I7, IV, IV minor (the blues), as I straight to IV minor (Yardbird Suite, Lady Bird), or as IV, IV minor, back to I (Just Friends), and everything you practise on the flat VII dominant then resolves to the I by the nearest notes. Its important minor arpeggio and surrounding notes connect the scales, and the IV minor can also be heard as a minor 6.

Practise it: Run B flat 7 ideas (chords up, half-step rules, pivots, important arpeggios) into C major, landing on the nearest chord tone, for one bar each and for two bars each.

Builds onBe a movement playerThink the dominant: put the ii away

Barry’s own pages10.7 Movements classical pianists know8.4 Playing with the family

More on this 12 moments where Chris teaches it

Also called IV minor back to I, four minor as the flat 7 dominant, 1, 1 dominant, 4 major, 4 minor, four minor, the flat 7 dominant

Where Chris teaches it

  1. 3:22Movements in the first four bars of the blues · Episode 7
    Blues: C, C7, F, F minor; F minor is B flat 7.
  2. 5:57Chord Ideas in C Major · Episode 27
    The four chord made minor in the chord exercise.
  3. 0:35Movement: I Major to IV Minor · Episode 36
    C major then F minor 7, thought of as B flat 7.
  4. 2:30Movement: I Major to IV Minor · Episode 36
    Lines: surround F, come down the F minor arpeggio, land on the third of C.
  5. 7:32Movement: I Major to IV Minor · Episode 36
    Hearing F minor with a major 7th instead of B flat 7.
  6. 12:29Movement: I Major to IV Minor · Episode 36
    Lady Bird: two bars of C major, then F minor 7 and B flat 7.
  7. 0:35IV Minor (Just Friends) · Episode 88
    Just Friends in F: Bb major, Bb minor (thought of as Eb7), F major
  8. 1:51IV Minor (Just Friends) · Episode 88
    Eb7 usually resolves to Ab; here find the connecting notes, like Db to C
  9. 4:31IV Minor (Just Friends) · Episode 88
    Chords up from the fifth, third and seventh of Eb7 into F
  10. 10:16IV Minor (Just Friends) · Episode 88
    Barry likes the 4th of Eb7; Frans Elsen preferred the major 7 sound; Barry likes both
  11. 12:03IV Minor (Just Friends) · Episode 88
    It can also be Bb minor 6; Barry doesn’t think in modes
  12. 3:54Don’t Be Bored of the Blues · Episode 91
    Bb blues bass line: Bb, Bb7, Eb, Eb minor (or Ab7), back to Bb

Idea 5 of 11

IV6, raised IV diminished, I

A common movement heard in bass lines and from Bud Powell: the IV6 chord, the diminished on the raised fourth, then the I, often with the fifth in the bass. It often comes as I6, I7, IV6, raised IV diminished (in F: F6, F7, B flat 6, B diminished), where B flat 6 becomes B diminished by moving just two notes. It turns up in bar 6 of the blues, in I Got Rhythm and in Honeysuckle Rose, often next to IV going to IV minor, and should be known both as chords and as lines.

Practise it: Play every inversion of each step as chords, then improvise lines that start the IV6 from the note you are already on, and take it to other keys.

F6
𝄞
C3FACD
  1. F
  2. A
  3. C
  4. D
Bb6
𝄞♭
C3C4DFGB♭
  1. B♭
  2. D
  3. F
  4. G

Builds onBe a movement player

Barry’s own pages10.2 First progressions to know10.7 Movements classical pianists know13.1 The blues the Barry way13.2 Rhythm changes (‘seven songs in one’)

More on this 14 moments where Chris teaches it

Also called One to the sharp four diminished, the raised four diminished, four, sharp four diminished, one with the fifth in the bass, F6 F7 Bb6 B diminished, four dominant to sharp four diminished

Where Chris teaches it

  1. 5:13Movements in the first four bars of the blues · Episode 7
    Blues in C: F6, F sharp diminished, C6 with the fifth in the bass.
  2. 5:28Comping for How High the Moon · Episode 16
    C6 to C sharp diminished to G6 over the G major bars of How High the Moon.
  3. 10:15First 4 Bars of I Got Rhythm · Episode 20
    Rhythm changes: B flat 6 to E flat 6 to E diminished.
  4. 2:18Middle of a blues: bars 5 to 8 · Episode 58
    In a C blues: F7 to F sharp diminished, or skip F7 and play the diminished.
  5. 4:29Middle of a blues: bars 5 to 8 · Episode 58
    F major to F sharp diminished, or F major to F minor.
  6. 5:36Middle of a blues: bars 5 to 8 · Episode 58
    For F minor Barry would play a B flat 7 scale.
  7. 9:25Lines Using Drop 2 on Rhythm Changes · Episode 68
    Rhythm changes: IV dominant to sharp-IV diminished, or E flat 6 to E flat minor 6.
  8. 7:18Blues Comping Using All 4 Scales of Chords · Episode 71
    In comping, E diminished after E flat 7 to lead back to B flat 6.
  9. 0:35Think small, not big: F6, F7, B flat 6, B diminished · Episode 135
    Found in Honeysuckle Rose, the start of the blues and I Got Rhythm: F6, F7, Bb6, B diminished.
  10. 1:14Think small, not big: F6, F7, B flat 6, B diminished · Episode 135
    F6 is F A C D; change the D to E-flat for F7.
  11. 1:51Think small, not big: F6, F7, B flat 6, B diminished · Episode 135
    Bb6 is B-flat D F G; B-flat moves to B and G to G-sharp for B diminished.
  12. 5:02Think small, not big: F6, F7, B flat 6, B diminished · Episode 135
    A slick way Barry played it: start the Bb6 from the F you are already on.
  13. 9:25Think small, not big: F6, F7, B flat 6, B diminished · Episode 135
    By number (I, I7, IV, sharp IV diminished): in B-flat it is Bb6 Bb7 Eb6 E diminished; in C, C6 C7 F6 F-sharp diminished.
  14. 10:33Think small, not big: F6, F7, B flat 6, B diminished · Episode 135
    Shell voicings moving only the note that changes.

Idea 6 of 11

Major to the relative minor

Going from the I chord to its relative minor through the seventh chord (half-diminished) and the three chord made dominant. Barry plays the half-diminished and III7 as one dominant scale down to the third of the III7. The time available changes the line: one bar of F in Confirmation versus two bars of E flat in There Will Never Be Another You.

Practise it: Play F major up, then C7 down from the seventh to the third of A; then build lines starting on and off the beat, and repeat with the two-bar version in E flat.

Builds onA half-diminished means the dominant whose third it isBe a movement player

Barry’s own pages10.1 Be a movement player7.3 Getting through changes10.3 Moving a chord through its scale into the next chord (6-6-6 instead of ii-V-I)

More on this 6 moments where Chris teaches it

Also called I - VII half-diminished - III7 - VI minor

Where Chris teaches it

  1. 7:10Movements in the first four bars of the blues · Episode 7
    In the blues: the one going to the relative minor (A minor in C).
  2. 4:26Playing with the family of dominants · Episode 10
    D7 into B7 when a song goes to the relative minor.
  3. 5:10Scales for How High the Moon · Episode 14
    How High the Moon: E flat major, diminished, E flat 6 with the 6 in the bass, C minor 7 with the 7 in the bass, A half-diminished, D7, G minor.
  4. 0:38Playing the movement from major to relative minor · Episode 34
    F major, E half-diminished, A7, D minor, as in Confirmation.
  5. 3:24Playing the movement from major to relative minor · Episode 34
    A triad up from the tonic, then the C7 scale down, a diminished from the third of A7.
  6. 8:28Playing the movement from major to relative minor · Episode 34
    There Will Never Be Another You: two bars of E flat, then B flat 7 to the third of G, to C minor.

Idea 7 of 11

I to the VI dominant

The I chord moving to the dominant on the sixth (F to D7), usually followed by the ii-V. Play the I scale up and down to the third of the VI7, then target the next chord. Alternatives are its tritone (I to flat III7) or skipping it and running I straight into the II dominant.

Practise it: Learn F major up and down to F sharp in several places, build lines ending on the third of D7, then try the same with one bar each and with two beats each.

Builds onUp and down to the third ofThe tritoneBe a movement player

Barry’s own pages10.1 Be a movement player7.3 Getting through changes

More on this 5 moments where Chris teaches it

Also called one into six dominant, I to flat III7, I straight into II dominant

Where Chris teaches it

  1. 5:07Scales for Donna Lee · Episode 9
    Donna Lee: a full bar of A flat into F7, or into B7 (its tritone).
  2. 8:11Scales for Donna Lee · Episode 9
    Or skip the VI7 and run A flat straight into B flat 7, the II dominant.
  3. 0:34Movement: Major to the Sixth Dominant · Episode 35
    F major to D7, then G minor to C7; four beats each versus two.
  4. 2:21Movement: Major to the Sixth Dominant · Episode 35
    From the tonic, one half step between 6 and 5, then 5-4-3-2 to the third of D.
  5. 7:51Movement: Major to the Sixth Dominant · Episode 35
    Go down to D, then the flat 7 of D7 as the tonic of C7 with one half step.

Idea 8 of 11

Three, flat three, two

In place of iii, VI, ii, V, players from Bird and Bud to Sonny Rollins slide the iii minor down by half steps through the flat-iii minor to the ii and V, as in bars 3 and 4 of rhythm changes in B flat (D minor 7, C sharp minor 7, C minor 7, F7) or a turnaround near the end of a tune. Because each minor 7 is also the major triad on its third, you can walk the minor arpeggios down (D, C sharp, C minor) or the matching majors (F, E, E flat), mixing directions and inversions and ending on the third of the dominant.

Practise it: With two beats each, go up one arpeggio and down the next, mixing minor and relative-major shapes and their inversions; then add a half step before a note or a triplet.

Am7
𝄞
C3ACEG
  1. A
  2. C
  3. E
  4. G

Builds onA minor 7 is two triadsBe a movement player

Barry’s own pages10.2 First progressions to know10.1 Be a movement player6.4 Arpeggio inversions and permutations

More on this 18 moments where Chris teaches it

Also called Three to flat three to two, III to flat III to II, Minor and major arpeggios walking down in half steps, A minor to A-flat minor to G minor, 3 minor, flat 3 minor, 2 minor turnaround, D-7, C#-7, C-7, F7, chromatic rundown, D minor and F major arpeggios for D minor 7

Where Chris teaches it

  1. 2:43First 4 Bars of I Got Rhythm · Episode 20
    The rundown and playing each minor 7 up, ending on the third of F7.
  2. 3:23First 4 Bars of I Got Rhythm · Episode 20
    One up, the next down, the third up; and other orders.
  3. 15:38First 4 Bars of I Got Rhythm · Episode 20
    Recap of the first four bars of rhythm changes.
  4. 0:00Lines on the III, flat III, II Minor Turnaround · Episode 40
    In G: B minor 7 to B flat minor 7 to A minor 7 to D7.
  5. 0:37Lines on the III, flat III, II Minor Turnaround · Episode 40
    It replaces 3-6-2-5 near the end of many songs.
  6. 5:13Lines on the III, flat III, II Minor Turnaround · Episode 40
    Only two bars, two beats each: plenty of room for pretty lines.
  7. 8:39Middle of a blues: bars 5 to 8 · Episode 58
    In a C blues: E minor, E flat minor, D minor.
  8. 11:18Middle of a blues: bars 5 to 8 · Episode 58
    Barry hears that E flat minor as A flat 7: C major into A flat 7 into G7.
  9. 7:28Do You Know Rhythm Changes? · Episode 101
    D minor 7 is a D minor triad and an F major triad
  10. 8:10Do You Know Rhythm Changes? · Episode 101
    Walking down: D minor, C# minor, C minor arpeggios, and F, E, Eb major
  11. 9:01Do You Know Rhythm Changes? · Episode 101
    Inversions, and one up, one down, one down, two up
  12. 11:34Do You Know Rhythm Changes? · Episode 101
    Down two notes of F major, a half step, four notes of E major, then C minor, with a triplet
  13. 0:00Triad, chord or arpeggio? · Episode 129
    A minor 7 is an A minor triad (A C E) plus a C major triad (C E G).
  14. 2:49Triad, chord or arpeggio? · Episode 129
    The iii chord, then the same chord a half step down, then the ii: A minor, A-flat minor, G minor, then the V.
  15. 3:26Triad, chord or arpeggio? · Episode 129
    A-flat (G-sharp) minor is also a B major arpeggio.
  16. 4:04Triad, chord or arpeggio? · Episode 129
    Bird comes down from the fifth of A minor, then repeats it on G-sharp minor.
  17. 6:28Triad, chord or arpeggio? · Episode 129
    Adding one scale note before an arpeggio note: B-flat before the A, D before the C.
  18. 8:51Triad, chord or arpeggio? · Episode 129
    Bird, Bud, Rollins, Barry and Hawkins all have things on this movement, built on those two arpeggios.

Idea 9 of 11

I to flat III diminished

A movement from the I chord to the diminished on the flat third (G major to B flat diminished, then A minor 7-D7). Its sound is different from the familiar I-to-VI diminished, and it can be slipped into any turnaround, or into a blues, since most turnarounds are I to VI.

Practise it: Spend a session on just I to flat-III diminished, two beats, four beats or two bars each.

Builds onBe a movement playerThe diminished scale: a diminished plus four tonics

Barry’s own pages10.2 First progressions to know8.7 The diminished as ‘ruler’

More on this 5 moments where Chris teaches it

Also called flat-three diminished

Where Chris teaches it

  1. 0:36Creating lines on the movement from I to the flat III diminished · Episode 41
    In G: G major, B flat diminished, A minor 7, D7, one measure each.
  2. 1:45Creating lines on the movement from I to the flat III diminished · Episode 41
    On the diminished, the scale with a half step below each note (the dominant tonics).
  3. 8:37Creating lines on the movement from I to the flat III diminished · Episode 41
    Different from the usual I-to-VI diminished sound.
  4. 9:15Creating lines on the movement from I to the flat III diminished · Episode 41
    Throw the flat-three diminished into a regular turnaround.
  5. 11:54Middle of a blues: bars 5 to 8 · Episode 58
    Flat-three diminished in bars 7-8 of a C blues.

Idea 10 of 11

Major to every dominant

Chris takes G major and moves it to each of the twelve dominants, naming why each matters or a tune that uses it. That links your vocabulary across standards: once you can move G major to E-flat 7 for Out of Nowhere, you have it for every tune with that move.

Practise it: Practise G major into each dominant in turn, with several ways to make each one smooth, then do it in other keys.

Builds onBe a movement playerThe tritone

Barry’s own pages10.1 Be a movement player7.3 Getting through changes8.5 The tritone

More on this 10 moments where Chris teaches it

Also called the secret to soloing, covering all the movements

Where Chris teaches it

  1. 1:09The secret to soloing: practising movements · Episode 117
    G major to G7: blues, or any tune going to the IV major.
  2. 1:44The secret to soloing: practising movements · Episode 117
    G major to A-flat 7, the tritone of D7.
  3. 2:16The secret to soloing: practising movements · Episode 117
    G major to A7, as in Watch What Happens.
  4. 3:02The secret to soloing: practising movements · Episode 117
    G major to B-flat 7, the tritone of the sixth dominant, as in Giant Steps.
  5. 3:47The secret to soloing: practising movements · Episode 117
    G major to B7, to the relative minor, as in All of Me.
  6. 4:22The secret to soloing: practising movements · Episode 117
    G major to C7 in How High the Moon; Barry people just play C7, not G minor to C7.
  7. 4:56The secret to soloing: practising movements · Episode 117
    G major to D-flat 7, the tritone of G7, as in This Is the End of a Beautiful Friendship.
  8. 5:29The secret to soloing: practising movements · Episode 117
    G major to D7 (one to five) and to E-flat 7, as in Out of Nowhere.
  9. 6:41The secret to soloing: practising movements · Episode 117
    G major to E7 (one to the sixth dominant) and to F7 (one to the four minor).
  10. 7:19The secret to soloing: practising movements · Episode 117
    G major to F-sharp 7, heading to the III chord through the VII dominant.

Idea 11 of 11

Bars 7 and 8 of the blues

In a B-flat blues, bars 7 and 8 head to C minor. Besides D minor to G7, the chord before C minor can be C-sharp (D-flat) minor, D-flat 7 (the tritone of G7) or D-flat diminished, and all of them resolve to C minor. That gives three different movements from B-flat major for the same spot, which Chris says you can also hear in Hawkins, Bird and Bud.

Practise it: Make up lines from B-flat major into each version (minor, dominant, diminished) and into C minor, for example coming down a chord from the second of D-flat 7.

Builds onBe a movement playerThe tritone

Barry’s own pages13.1 The blues the Barry way10.1 Be a movement player8.5 The tritone

More on this 5 moments where Chris teaches it

Also called D minor to C-sharp minor, dominant or diminished

Where Chris teaches it

  1. 1:13You’ve never played this on a blues · Episode 124
    D minor to G7, or to C-sharp minor, or to D-flat 7, then C minor.
  2. 1:48You’ve never played this on a blues · Episode 124
    D minor to D-flat diminished also goes to C minor: the C-sharp can be dominant, minor or diminished.
  3. 3:00You’ve never played this on a blues · Episode 124
    Line treating it as D-flat 7: one half step between its third and second, then down a chord from its second.
  4. 4:13You’ve never played this on a blues · Episode 124
    A triad up from the root of B-flat (1, 2, 3, 5), then a C-sharp minor arpeggio down to C minor.
  5. 6:02You’ve never played this on a blues · Episode 124
    Three movements from B-flat major that all work in the same spot.