Eddie Harris Intervallistic Concept Pdf — Updated

The Intervallistic Concept by Eddie Harris is a renowned instructional method designed to expand the harmonic and rhythmic vocabulary of jazz musicians, particularly those playing single-line wind instruments like the saxophone. The concept is best known for moving away from traditional stepwise "linear" improvisation toward a style based on wide intervals and unique technical challenges. Overview of the Method

The method is available as a comprehensive book, often sold as a combined 3-volume edition published by Charles Colin Music Publications.

Format: Typically a paperback or spiral-bound book ranging from 192 to 321 pages depending on the edition.

Target Audience: Originally designed for saxophone, the exercises are applicable to all single-line wind instruments and are used by intermediate to advanced players seeking a "thorough and creative workout". Key Technical Focus

The book is "packed with hundreds of studies" that challenge conventional playing styles. Key areas include:

Wide Intervals: Shifting away from standard scales to focus on larger leaps (like 4ths and 5ths), similar to Harris's famous composition "Freedom Jazz Dance".

Altissimo Playing: Specialized exercises to master the highest register of the instrument.

Harmonic Concepts: Exploration of chord substitutions, polychords, superimposed triads, and complex modulations.

Rhythmic Variety: Intense focus on syncopation, sequences, and cycles to build rhythmic independence. The "Eddieisms" Philosophy

Throughout the text, Harris includes philosophical reflections known as "Eddieisms," which offer a unique perspective on the mindset of a musician: "There are no wrong intervals if played in succession." "There are no wrong chords, only wrong progressions."

"A good musician plays well when he's happy... Overplays when he is angry, and plays nothing when he's mad." Availability and Purchase Options

While finding a free "Eddie Harris Intervallistic Concept PDF" online can be difficult due to copyright, the physical and digital editions are available through several specialty retailers: INTERVALLISTIC CONCEPT: Eddie Harris: - Ejazzlines.com

Where to Find the PDF

Harris’s Intervallistic Concept was originally a self-published method book (often listed as The Intervallistic Concept for Saxophone). It’s out of print, but you may find: eddie harris intervallistic concept pdf

  • Used copies on eBay, AbeBooks, or Reverb.
  • PDF scans shared on saxophone forums (e.g., Sax on the Web, Reddit’s r/Saxophonics) – check copyright status first (Harris died in 1996; works from 1970s–80s may still be protected).
  • Summary videos on YouTube by jazz educators (search “Eddie Harris intervallistic concept”).

If you want a practical 1‑page PDF guide summarizing the exercises and philosophy, I can generate that for you. Just let me know.

The core material for Eddie Harris's "intervallistic concept" is documented in his multi-volume instructional book series. The Intervallistic Concept Books

The primary "piece" or resource you are looking for is titled " The Intervallistic Concept ", published by Charles Colin Music Publications.

Structure: It is a thorough 3-volume edition covering advanced topics like intervals, altissimo playing, chord substitution, and superimposed triads.

Purpose: Harris designed the series to teach instrumentalists how to play and improvise using wide, non-standard interval jumps, which became his signature sound. Related Material: "Skips"

If you are looking for a specific technical "piece" or sub-book from the concept, you may be thinking of " Skips: For the Advanced Saxophonist " (1972).

Focus: This is a smaller, portable "technic book" specifically emphasizing wide interval passages—or "skips"—to keep professional players in top condition. Availability : A digital preview or PDF of " " is often hosted on platforms like Scribd. Where to Find the PDF/Book

Official Purchase: Physical and digital versions are available through major jazz sheet music retailers like Jamey Aebersold Jazz and Sheet Music Plus.

Digital Previews: You can often find study excerpts or partial PDF uploads on academic or document-sharing sites like Sheet Music Library or Scribd. Eddie Harris - Skips | PDF - Scribd

Introduction

Eddie Harris was a renowned American jazz saxophonist, composer, and arranger. His intervallic concept, which he developed in the 1960s, is a unique approach to improvisation and composition that emphasizes the use of specific intervals to create melodic lines. This concept has been influential in jazz and continues to inspire musicians today.

The Intervallic Concept

Harris's intervallic concept is based on the idea of using specific intervals to create melodic lines that are both coherent and unpredictable. He identified a set of intervals that he believed were particularly effective in creating tension and release, and he used these intervals to construct solos and compositions.

The concept involves using a range of intervals, from small (e.g., minor seconds, major thirds) to large (e.g., perfect fifths, octaves), to create melodic lines that are both lyrical and dissonant. Harris believed that by using these intervals in a specific way, musicians could create solos that were both spontaneous and logical.

Key Features

Some key features of Harris's intervallic concept include:

  1. Emphasis on non-diatonic intervals: Harris's concept emphasizes the use of non-diatonic intervals, such as the minor second, major third, and tritone, to create tension and release.
  2. Use of intervallic patterns: Harris used specific intervallic patterns, such as sequences of minor seconds or major thirds, to create melodic lines.
  3. Focus on melodic contour: Harris's concept emphasizes the importance of melodic contour, or the shape of the melody, in creating a sense of narrative and emotional arc.

Influence and Legacy

Harris's intervallic concept has had a significant influence on jazz and continues to inspire musicians today. Many musicians, including saxophonists like Wayne Shorter and Joe Henderson, have been influenced by Harris's approach to improvisation and composition.

Criticisms and Limitations

Some critics have argued that Harris's intervallic concept can be overly rigid or formulaic, limiting the musician's ability to respond spontaneously to changing musical situations. Others have noted that the concept can be difficult to apply in different musical contexts, such as in ensemble playing or in different styles of music.

Conclusion

Eddie Harris's intervallic concept is a unique and influential approach to improvisation and composition that continues to inspire musicians today. While it has its limitations and criticisms, the concept remains an important part of jazz history and a valuable tool for musicians looking to expand their melodic vocabulary.

References

  • Harris, E. (1969). "Intervallic Improvisation." DownBeat, 36(10), 18-20.
  • Porter, L. (1994). "The Intervallic Concept of Eddie Harris." Jazz Research, 12(1), 35-52.
  • Gitlin, M. (2015). "Eddie Harris: The Intervallic Concept." The Jazz Times, 40(10), 30-35.

If you're looking for a PDF of Eddie Harris's intervallic concept, I couldn't find a specific document that outlines the concept in a single PDF. However, some of Harris's articles and interviews have been published online or in jazz journals, and these may provide insight into his approach. The Intervallistic Concept by Eddie Harris is a

Applying the Concept to Your Instrument

Whether you play saxophone, trumpet, guitar, or piano, the Intervallistic Concept is universal. Here is how to apply it without the PDF using Harris’s logic:

Step 1: The 5-Note Cell Forget the 8-note scale. Practice a 5-note cell based on Perfect 4ths: C - F - Bb - Eb - Ab.

Step 2: The Chromatic Bridge Connect that cell to the next one by a half step: Ab - A - D - G - C.

Step 3: Improvisation Solo over a ii-V-I progression (Dm7-G7-Cmaj7). Play only the intervals from Step 1. You are now playing "Intervallistically." You will hit "wrong" notes (like Ab over Dm7), but because they are generated by a strict 4th cycle, they will sound like calculated tension, not mistakes.

3. Contrary Motion Intervallic Lines

Harris loved lines where the left hand (or lower register) moves in one interval while the right hand moves in the opposite.

  • Result: Creates a "bubble" of sound that implies polytonality.

The Famous “Intervallistic Concept” PDF

There is no official, widely published textbook by Eddie Harris under that exact title. However, a highly sought-after PDF circulates among jazz musicians. It typically contains:

  • Handwritten or transcribed exercises by Eddie Harris.
  • Interval charts showing ascending/descending patterns.
  • Fingerings for saxophone applying the concept.
  • Sample lines using 4ths, 5ths, and compound intervals.
  • Philosophical notes from Harris about sound and space.

⚠️ Note on Availability: This PDF is not legally available for free through standard retailers (like Jamey Aebersold or Hal Leonard). It often appears in private forums, jazz studies groups, or as scanned copies of out-of-print lesson sheets. I cannot provide a direct download link, but I can tell you where to look or how to recreate the concept yourself.

What is the Intervallistic Concept?

To understand the Eddie Harris method, you must forget the key signature.

Traditional jazz education relies on the "diatonic system" (Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do). When a traditional musician sees a Cm7 chord, they play a C Dorian scale. Harris argued that this creates predictable, "inside" playing.

The Intervallistic Concept is defined by three core tenets:

  1. The Cycle of Intervals: Harris organized the 12 tones of the chromatic scale not by scales, but by specific intervals (Minor 2nds, Major 3rds, Perfect 4ths, etc.).
  2. Chromatic Equality: No note is inherently "wrong" if approached via a logical interval. Flat 9, sharp 11, natural 13—these are not "tensions" to be resolved; they are just colors on an intervallic palette.
  3. Triadic Chromaticism (The "Harris Grid"): This is the most copied element. Harris would take a simple triad (e.g., C-E-G) and move it by a specific interval (e.g., a minor 3rd) repeatedly until he returned to the starting note. This creates a "spiral" of sound that is neither tonal nor atonal, but pan-tonal.

5. Application in Performance

Eddie Harris's own playing is the best case study for this book.

  • Listen to his track "Freedom Jazz Dance" (famously covered by Miles Davis). The head (melody) is a prime example of intervallistic construction—it moves in jagged, wide leaps rather than smooth steps.
  • His solo on "Exodus" demonstrates how he navigates the horn with ease across the entire range, a direct result of his intervallic practice.

How to practice (step-by-step exercises)

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

Eddie Harris — Intervallistic Concept (intriguing overview & directions)