▪ Western music is mostly based on 7 note scales. Barry Harris says we need an additional note to maintain symmetry and rhythmic balance. Hence, the 8 note scale. (Note: these aren’t scales in the narrow definition like the major and the dominant).
▪ The Barry Harris 8 note major scale is a major scale with an added note between the 5 and the 6.
▪ The Barry Harris 8 note minor scale is like the Barry Harris major scale, but we just flatten the 3rd.
▪ A closer look at the 8 note Barry Harris scale reveals it consists of a fully diminished 7th chord, and a 6th chord.
▪ The fully diminished 7th chord and the 6th chord that goes with it, create what we call: the scale of chords.
▪ The major scale of chords and the minor scale of chords:
▪ In the scale of chords, we can borrow notes from the 6-chord to the diminished or from the diminished to the 6-chord, and resolve (listen carefully, as the borrowed notes say: move me, resolve the tension).
▪ Using the scale of chords, and borrowing in the scale of chords, are two central improvisation techiniques in traditional Jazz. Every section of a tune (e.g. the ii in a ii-V-I), gets it own sclale of chords for improvisation. Find the relevant six-chord (see six chords chapter), improvise and borrow in that section.