Eddie Harris Intervallistic Concept Pdf

The Eddie Harris Intervallistic Concept is a comprehensive, three-volume pedagogical method designed to break musicians free from traditional scale-based improvisation. Originally published in 1971, this 321-page work is considered a "thorough and creative workout" for instrumentalists seeking to master non-linear, interval-centric melodic language. Core Philosophy: The "Eddieisms"

Harris’s method is grounded in a liberating musical philosophy often expressed through "Eddieisms" included in the text: "There are no wrong intervals if played in succession." "There are no wrong notes, only wrong connections."

"Musical sounds are the language of the world; only when [they] are analyzed and categorized is when man fails to realize that a musical sound is the beauty of life itself." Content Breakdown by Volume

The complete edition is typically structured into three distinct phases of learning: Focus Area Key Topics Covered Vol I Foundations

Intervallic patterns, scales, basic chord substitutions, and foundational theory. Vol II Advanced Techniques

Superimposing intervals, polytonality, and asymmetrical meters. Vol III Application & Styles

Applying intervals to blues, Latin, and funk; rhythmic variations; and melodic development. Key Educational Features

Broad Instrumentation: While Harris was a saxophonist, the book is designed for all single-line wind instruments (saxophone, trumpet, flute, clarinet) and is applicable to piano, guitar, and violin.

Technical Rigor: Includes extensive studies in altissimo playing, syncopation, polychords, and modulations.

Improvisational Freedom: The method emphasizes "skips" and large intervals to help players avoid the habit of simply running up and down scales. Availability & Purchase Options

The book is available in both physical and digital formats. While some online archives may host older scans, official copies can be found through several retailers:

The Eddie Harris Interverlistic Concept for All Single Line Wind Instruments eddie harris intervallistic concept pdf

Intervallistic Concept by Eddie Harris is a comprehensive instructional series (often found in three volumes) designed to help instrumentalists and composers break free from traditional linear patterns and embrace an "interval-centric" mindset. Core Content & Topics

The material is structured to build technique alongside harmonic and rhythmic fluency. Key areas covered include: Stretta Music Shop Harmonic Studies

: Exercises in chord substitution, polychords, superimposed triads, and cycles. Melodic Development : Detailed focus on intervals, sequences, and modulations. Advanced Technique : Extensive studies in altissimo playing , which was a hallmark of Harris's own style.

: Specific sections dedicated to syncopation and creative rhythmic resources. Philosophy

: Includes Harris's unique outlook on improvisation and music theory, famously referred to as "Eddieisms". Jamey Aebersold Jazz The "Eddieisms" Philosophy

A significant part of the book's content is the mindset it instills. Harris famously argued that there are no "wrong" elements in isolation, only poor connections: "There are no wrong notes, only wrong connections". "There are no wrong chords, only wrong progressions". "There are no wrong intervals if played in succession". Charles Colin Music Product Details

Intervallistic Concept By Eddie Harris - Jamey Aebersold Jazz

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

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 Eddie Harris Intervallistic Concept is a comprehensive,

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

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. Choose a single interval cell (example: ascending minor

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

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

How to practice (step-by-step exercises)

Choose a single interval cell (example: ascending minor 3rd, descending major 2nd).
Play the cell in one register 8 times, varying articulation each time (staccato, legato, accents).
Transpose the cell up a whole step and repeat; transpose again around an axis pitch.
Practice contour-preserving inversion and retrograde of the cell; keep a metronome at 60–80 BPM.
Create an 8-bar phrase by sequencing 4 different cells (2 bars each), then improvise over that phrase using only those cells.
For comping players: voice 2–3 notes from a cell as a chord voicing; move the voicing as the soloist plays cells.
For ensemble work: assign distinct cells to players and explore overlapping entrances and rhythmic displacement for 4–8 bars.

1. Context and Purpose

Eddie Harris was a jazz innovator known for his eclectic style, ranging from hard bop to fusion and jazz-funk. He was also a formally trained musician (Illinois State University) and a skilled pianist.

The Intervallistic Concept was written to solve a specific problem observed by Harris: many horn players were limited by "scalar" thinking (moving stepwise) and "pattern" playing (relying on memorized licks). Harris believed that true freedom on the instrument came from mastering intervals—leaps across the instrument's range—which forces the musician to hear and execute non-adjacent notes instantly.

Core elements (practical, specific)

Interval cells: Short motifs built from 1–4 intervals (e.g., m3 → P4 → M2). Treat each cell as a self-contained unit to be sequenced, inverted, or transposed.
Interval sequencing: Instead of thinking in scale degrees, sequence interval cells so the resulting pitch stream can cross conventional harmonic boundaries while retaining internal logic.
Registral mapping: Assign interval cells to fixed registral zones (low, middle, high). Repeating the same interval pattern in different zones creates contrast without changing the cell’s identity.
Contour-preserving transformations: Apply transformations that preserve the up/down contour of a cell (retrograde, transposition) to maintain recognizability while varying pitch content.
Symmetry and axis: Use interval symmetry (e.g., alternating m3 and P4) or an axis center (a pitch around which intervals mirror) to create tonal centers without relying on triadic harmony.
Rhythmic displacement: Offset interval cells by irregular rhythmic placements (e.g., starting on the “&” of a beat) to create forward momentum and surprise.
Chromatic saturation & color: Introduce chromatic neighbor tones between cell notes to blur tonal function and add tension, then resolve by returning to the original intervallic cell.
Layering & counterpoint: Combine different interval cells in counterpoint—cells with complementary intervallic content create emergent harmonic sonorities without predetermined chords.

Part 3: The Legend of the PDF – Why Is It So Hard to Find?

The search query "eddie harris intervallistic concept pdf" remains one of the most persistent "lost media" searches in music education. Why?

Out of Print: The original book was published by Hal Leonard in the 1970s and has been out of print for over 30 years. Physical copies, when they appear on eBay or AbeBooks, often fetch prices between $200 and $800.
Copyright Limbo: Due to estate disputes and the specific licensing of the "Varitone" method, the book has never been properly digitized by a mainstream publisher.
Low-Quality Scans: What few PDFs exist in the underground are often photocopies of photocopies. They are grainy, missing pages, and often illegible due to 1970s typewriter font degradation.
Misattribution: Many searches pull up the Eddie Harris Saxophone Method (which is different) or Jazz for the Electric Saxophone.

Warning to the seeker: While you will find links on blogspot.com, MediaFire, or various jazz forums, proceed with caution. Many are dead links, password-protected zip files, or simply malware. There is no official "Eddie Harris Intervallistic Concept PDF" for sale on Amazon or Apple Books.

Part 5: Workarounds and Alternatives to the PDF

Since the "Eddie Harris Intervallistic Concept PDF" is essentially a holy grail, here are the best alternatives for the serious student:

The "Intervallistic Concept" Transcriptions: Jazz educator Randy Halberstadt has published articles detailing the "Harris Cycles." Search for "Halberstadt Harris intervals" for PDF studies that recreate the system legally.
Joseph Schillinger’s System: Harris was heavily influenced by the Schillinger System of Musical Composition. If you want a 1,000-page PDF that explains the math, Schillinger is your source (though much drier).
Steve Coleman’s M-Base: Modern saxophonist Steve Coleman openly acknowledges Harris's concept as a precursor to his "Symmetrical Movement" language. Coleman’s website offers free PDF exercises that feel like a modernized Harris approach.
Intervallic Reading books: Books like Modus Novus (Lars Edlund) teach sight-singing via intervals without tonal context. It is the classical equivalent of Harris's jazz method.