Building phrases from small pieces (class phrases)

Barry teaches short phrases named by numbers. The ‘five’ phrase is one you can play every time you reach the five; in his example it starts on the major seventh and runs down to the five. He has the class repeat and play each phrase after him, using only scale notes, then adds the ‘four’ and ‘three’ phrases, and finally has everyone play 5, 4, 3, 2 all together in a row.

The 5-4-3-2-1 phrase0:362:183:294:14

A phrase in F major that Barry offers as a break: take the sixth chord (the 1, 3, 5 and 6 of the scale) and start with three of its notes, beginning with the 5th and 6th. Then hit the 2nd and go chromatically from there (the caption does not make the target note clear), and keep the line going.

Rhythm changes: scales, not chords8:229:30

A C7-to-F phrase that a student came up with, which Barry spelled out for the class: on C7 play the 5th, 6th and 7th, come down the chord from the seventh, then take the seventh of C7 to the third of F. He then combined it with the rest of the other class phrase, counting it out with the ‘ands’.

Feeling the ‘and’19:06

Anything you do from one degree of the scale can be done from any degree and put in the same spot. Barry noticed that a class phrase played from the second could have fit the bridge of Cherokee, and had the class play the one from the second over C-sharp minor seventh to F-sharp 7.

The 1998 workshop, part 125:01

When a passage moves through three chords, players don’t always run every one. Sometimes they skip the first chord and come down the second; sometimes they ignore the first two and get to the third, passing up the chance to grab the second. Drill options such as running the first chord and getting to the third, and running the first and getting to the second. Barry also starts a chord up from a half step below its first note, for example on the tonic of B flat major.

The 1998 workshop, part 150:4154:0854:5758:33

In the rests between phrases, imagine you are making up the phrase about to come. Practise seeing a phrase before you play it: you may not see the whole thing, but seeing its beginning gets you started and you carry it through. Even when playing set class phrases, try to look a little ahead as if you were inventing them.

Feeling the ‘and’31:2632:01

Barry explained that he doesn’t especially want students to play his class phrases. He is showing how to put musical things together and making them conscious of rhythm, and he hopes they learn to put things together like that when they solo. He praised the nice legato touch of two of the players, telling one he was doing it well and with power.

Feeling the ‘and’33:08

Rules give you many ways to play something, and the player who knows the most ways will be the best. You cannot practise every way; that’s impossible. Instead you carry rules in your head and let them govern your playing.

The 1998 workshop, part 2: breaking the habit33:38