These are not just clever sayings; they are the fundamental tenets of the Intervallistic Concept. The method is not about memorizing scales and chord tones in a vacuum. Instead, it is a rigorous, systematic workout designed to give the musician complete technical and mental freedom over the instrument. As described by the publisher, the book aims to develop a player's "technique and... harmonic and rhythmic resources" by focusing on the relationships between notes—the intervals—rather than the notes themselves in a linear, scalar context.
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To truly appreciate The Intervallistic Concept , one must first understand the immense creative force that was Eddie Harris. Born in Chicago on October 20, 1934, Harris was a true innovator whose impact on jazz extended far beyond his role as a tenor saxophonist. He is perhaps most famous for introducing the electrically amplified saxophone to the world, a pioneering move that expanded the instrument's sonic possibilities.
Here is a breakdown of the core technical areas the book systematically covers: eddie harris intervallistic concept pdf
Pattern-based exercises that force the mind to think through changing harmonic centers.
Years later, a graduate student named Mara found an older scan—one missing Eddie’s last pages. She contacted him from a city three time zones away, saying she’d been haunted by a half-remembered diagram. Eddie invited her over for coffee and an old tape he’d labeled “Practice, 2 AM.” They played through the diagrams, arguing gently about a diminished chord that should have been louder, about whether silence counts as rest or statement. Mara recorded their session and, with Eddie’s blessing, added her notes to the PDF: footnotes that were themselves questions.
The concept is structured to help musicians develop a "piano-style" approach on monophonic instruments, emphasizing leaps and non-linear melodic movements over standard stepwise scales. It is often sold as a three-volume collection or a single massive edition (approximately 192 to 321 pages depending on the publisher). Volume I (Foundations): These are not just clever sayings; they are
The large leaps required by the exercises are a fantastic workout for technique, finger coordination, and breath control. Players report using the book as a "great chop checker" and a "go to" for keeping their playing in shape.
Applying triplets, sixteenth notes, and syncopation to wide-interval jumps to make them swing.
Exercises designed to help players leap between notes with precision, breaking the habit of step-by-step motion. As described by the publisher, the book aims
At first it was harmless—students downloading, a few comments in online forums debating a lesson. Then musicians from distant cities began quoting Eddie in interviews, using his interval-dialogue to structure entire sets. A producer remixed a track with an Intervallistic bassline and turned Eddie's diagrams into synth arpeggios. The PDF circulated like a rumor, copied and recopied until pixels blurred and the odd margin note acquired a footnote no one had ever written.
This creates a jagged, leaping melodic line that sounds incredibly complex but remains strictly inside the underlying harmony. 3. The Digital Patterns
Expand your triads. Instead of playing a C major triad as C - E - G, play it as C - G - E (octave higher). This simple voicing change transforms a basic chord into an intervallistic statement. The Legacy of Intervallistic Jazz
Unlocking the Saxophone Grid: A Deep Dive into Eddie Harris’s Intervallistic Concept