Barry HarrisThe method
Volume II · Lines Stage 6, line devices Idea 2 of 1012345678910
6.2

The augmented arpeggio and the diminished on the third of the dominant

Two more sounds Barry used inside a dominant: the diminished starting on its third, and the augmented arpeggio, which he called very important when the dominant resolves. In B♭7: D F A♭ (C♭), and B♭ D F♯.

In plain words

Running arpeggios through the B♭7 scale, Barry stopped the class on the one from the third, D F A♭ D: a diminished arpeggio sitting inside the dominant. He had it inverted so the same note was at the top and the bottom, and played up and down.

The 1998 workshop, part 137:49

In lines he took the diminished from the third of the dominant that was coming: run a B♭ major scale up and down to B, the third of G7, then go up the diminished from that B; or, on reaching the third of F, a diminished on that A. As a four-note diminished seventh it adds the ♭9 to the triad, a note outside the dominant scale (C♭ in B♭7).

Practising the blues with the horns, part 11:1119:3820:10The 1998 workshop, part 342:35jazzguitar.be members (usernames kept per post), Official Barry Harris Thread (jazzguitar.be forum thread) ¶1760jazzguitar.be members (usernames kept per post), Official Barry Harris Thread (jazzguitar.be forum thread) ¶1761

The augmented arpeggio Barry called pretty, and very important when going home, that is, when the dominant resolves. His drill in a B♭ blues: play the B♭ augmented arpeggio up and down, then down alone, and step into E♭ on its second and tonic. In another class he set C’s augmented triad, then the second and tonic of F7.

Practising the blues with the horns, part 21:20The 1998 workshop, part 139:34Feeling the ‘and’22:3723:14

He wanted the sounds in the ear as well as the fingers: rehearsing singers, he had them sing a major triad, then its augmented form, which he likened to the sun coming out, then minor and diminished triads.

Rehearsing April in Paris with the singers0:321:09

Step by step

  1. Inside a dominant scale, the arpeggio on the third is a diminished triad. Invert it so the same note is at the top and the bottom.

    B♭7, from the third
    𝄞♭
    1. D
    2. F
    3. A♭
    4. D
    First inversion
    𝄞♭
    1. F
    2. A♭
    3. D
    4. F
    Second inversion
    𝄞♭♭
    1. A♭
    2. D
    3. F
    4. A♭

    The 1998 workshop, part 137:49

  2. As a four-note diminished from the dominant’s third, it gives the 3, 5, ♭7 and ♭9 of the dominant.

    On the third of B♭7
    𝄞♭♭
    1. D
    2. F
    3. A♭
    4. C♭
    On the third of G7
    𝄞♭
    1. B
    2. D
    3. F
    4. A♭
    On the third of F7
    𝄞♭♭
    1. A
    2. C
    3. E♭
    4. G♭

    Practising the blues with the horns, part 11:1120:10jazzguitar.be members (usernames kept per post), Official Barry Harris Thread (jazzguitar.be forum thread) ¶1760jazzguitar.be members (usernames kept per post), Official Barry Harris Thread (jazzguitar.be forum thread) ¶1761jazzguitar.be members (usernames kept per post), Things I learned from Barry Harris Study Group ¶787

  3. The augmented arpeggio: the dominant’s root, its third and a raised fifth. Play it up and down.

    B♭ augmented
    𝄞♭♯
    1. B♭
    2. D
    3. F♯
    C augmented
    𝄞♯
    1. C
    2. E
    3. G♯

    Practising the blues with the horns, part 21:20Feeling the ‘and’22:37

  4. Going home, play the augmented down and step into the chord of resolution on its second and then its tonic.

    After B♭ augmented, into E♭
    𝄞♭
    1. F
    2. E♭
    After C augmented, into F7
    𝄞
    1. G
    2. F

    Practising the blues with the horns, part 21:20Feeling the ‘and’23:14The 1998 workshop, part 139:34

an added note, outside the scale

How he said to practise it

  • Invert the diminished arpeggio from the third, same note top and bottom, and play each inversion up and down.

    The 1998 workshop, part 137:49

  • Play the dominant’s augmented arpeggio up and down, then down only, and finish on the second and tonic of the chord it resolves to.

    Practising the blues with the horns, part 21:20

  • Pivot the diminished: play its first note, then take the other three an octave lower.

    Practising the blues with the horns, part 112:0212:40

In Barry’s words

Each one plays from the moment he says it. Every other moment he teaches it is listed below.

There’s another arpeggio that comes in that’s pretty: the augmented arpeggio.

Practising the blues with the horns, part 2, The Hague, 1989–98. After naming the three important arpeggios of B♭7 in a blues class with horns. 1:20 Watch on YouTube at 1:20

When you’re going home, there’s another arpeggio that’s very important, and that’s the augmented.

The 1998 workshop, part 1, The Hague, 1989–98. Going home means a dominant such as B♭7 resolving. 39:34 Watch on YouTube at 39:34

We played D, F, A-flat, and D. That’s a diminished arpeggio... If you had to invert that, you gotta have the same note on the top.

The 1998 workshop, part 1, The Hague, 1989–98. Picking out the diminished arpeggio on the third of B♭7. 37:49 Watch on YouTube at 37:49

Where this comes from

Everything above is drawn from these. Open any one to check it.

Every moment he teaches it9 moments in 6 recordings

Each time opens the transcript there; the video plays when you are online.

The 1998 workshop, part 1

The Hague, 1989–98 — 80 min On YouTube

  1. 37:49

    Points out the diminished arpeggio D F A♭ D inside B♭7 and has the class invert it.

    Watch on YouTube at 37:49

  2. 39:34

    Calls the augmented very important when going home, after recapping the three important arpeggios.

    Watch on YouTube at 39:34

Practising the blues with the horns, part 2

The Hague, 1989–98 — 8 min On YouTube

  1. 1:20

    The augmented arpeggio: B♭ augmented up and down, then down into the second and tonic of E♭.

    Watch on YouTube at 1:20

Feeling the ‘and’

The Hague, 1989–98 — 44 min On YouTube

  1. 22:37

    Gives a phrase on C’s augmented triad, then the second and tonic of F7.

    Watch on YouTube at 22:37

Practising the blues with the horns, part 1

The Hague, 1989–98 — 26 min On YouTube

  1. 1:11

    B♭ major up and down to the third of G, then up the diminished from there.

    Watch on YouTube at 1:11

  2. 19:38

    On the third of F, adds another diminished to the blues phrase.

    Watch on YouTube at 19:38

  3. 12:02

    Calls the diminished a pivotal thing: first note, then the other three an octave down.

    Watch on YouTube at 12:02

The 1998 workshop, part 3

The Hague, 1989–98 — 76 min On YouTube

  1. 42:35

    Asks for the diminished coming up from the third of F in an ensemble line.

    Watch on YouTube at 42:35

Rehearsing April in Paris with the singers

The Hague, 1989–98 — 31 min On YouTube

  1. 0:32

    Singers sing major, augmented, minor and diminished triads; the augmented is like the sun coming out.

    Watch on YouTube at 0:32

From the lessons1 lesson, 2 points

Notes taken from Barry’s classes, each tied to the moment it comes from.

Arpeggios inside the dominant scale

  1. Idea

    A dominant seventh scale has three important arpeggios, built on the tonic, the fifth and the seventh. For B-flat 7 these are B-flat major (tonic), F minor (fifth) and A-flat major (seventh). Barry found the one on the seventh the most interesting: it is an A-flat major arpeggio, but it still means B-flat 7, so if you fill in between its notes, use B-flat 7 scale notes, not A-flat major. Another pretty one to add is the augmented arpeggio, which he called very important for going home (B-flat 7 resolving); the diminished can be used too.

    Practising the blues with the horns, part 20:130:46The 1998 workshop, part 139:0139:34

  2. Exercise

    Play an arpeggio on each degree of a dominant scale such as B-flat 7. Barry pointed out the diminished arpeggio on D (D, F, A-flat) that turns up among them, and had the class invert it so the same note is on top and bottom, playing it up and down.

    The 1998 workshop, part 136:1737:49

In writing8 notes

What his interviews, his students’ class notes and other teachers’ articles add.

How other teachers explain it4 videos, 3 series episodes

Barry’s students, and their students, teaching it their way. A second opinion, not Barry.

In the teaching series

Episodes on this idea in the long series by other teachers. Each name opens that whole series in order.

Isaac Raz

Pete Martin

Things I’ve Learned From Barry Harris

Read further6 links

These open on the web.

Free to read

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