How To Create Solos (by Just Connecting 3rds)

Summary

In this video, the creator demonstrates the concept of 'connecting thirds' within the context of a blues progression. They showcase how simple thematic ideas, like connecting thirds with minor filler, can be used to develop intricate melodies and improvisational patterns. The creator discusses applying Barry Harris's chromatic scale to various scale types and chord families, emphasizing how this technique can enhance both improvisation and composition. The video serves as a teaser for a book that delves deeper into these concepts, teaching how to hang thematic ideas on different chord tones across all chord families.

Takeaways

• 😀 Connecting thirds can be a valuable improvisational technique in jazz and other styles.
• 🎵 The use of a chromatic scale, like Barry Harris's chromatic scale, can enhance thematic development and create more complex musical ideas.
• 🎶 A simple idea can be developed by hanging it on different chord tones, such as the root, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth of a chord.
• 🎸 Adding rhythm and filler to thematic ideas can significantly enhance their musical impact.
• 📖 The script refers to a book that demonstrates how to apply chromatic scales and thematic development to various scales like major, melodic minor, diminished, and whole tone scales.
• 🎹 Thematic development, when applied to chord families, can give rise to new variations of a single idea.
• 🎷 The approach involves starting with simple ideas, like connecting thirds, and gradually developing them across various harmonic contexts.
• 🎤 The book provides detailed techniques for applying Barry Harris's chromatic scale to all major and minor chord families.
• 🎶 The goal is to teach how to use a single thematic idea across multiple chord families, creating a deeper understanding of harmony.
• 📚 The speaker is promoting their book on Amazon that focuses on these techniques and includes examples of how to apply them in musical practice.

Q & A

What is the main theme discussed in this video?

The main theme of the video is demonstrating how thematic development can enhance improvisation and composition, particularly by using simple ideas and running them through different chord changes.

What technique does the speaker focus on in the video?

The speaker focuses on the technique of connecting thirds and adding minimal filler between notes, using them to develop simple thematic ideas across chord changes.

What is the significance of connecting thirds in music?

Connecting thirds is a technique where the player moves by intervals of thirds, creating smooth and coherent melodic lines. It helps in linking chord tones and building phrases that sound harmonically rich.

How does the speaker apply the technique of connecting thirds?

The speaker demonstrates the technique by playing thirds between notes, moving from one chord tone to another, and occasionally adding filler notes to create a smoother connection. This is shown across different chords like C7, F, and others.

What role does filler play in the speaker's technique?

Filler notes serve to bridge intervals between chord tones, adding a smoother flow and rhythmic interest to the melodic line without overpowering the primary idea.

What is the connection to Barry Harris's chromatic scale?

The speaker refers to Barry Harris's chromatic scale as a framework for understanding how to apply melodic and harmonic ideas to various scales and chord families, such as major, minor, diminished, and whole tone scales.

What does the speaker mention about chord families?

The speaker explains that they will show how to apply thematic development to all chord families, which include major, minor, dominant, minor seven flat five, and diminished chords. Each of these chord families can have thematic ideas applied to their various chord tones.

What is the value of thematic development in improvisation?

Thematic development allows musicians to create coherence in their improvisations by building on simple musical ideas. By repeatedly using and transforming a small motif, musicians can develop complex, expressive lines.

What is the speaker's approach to learning music theory in the video?

The speaker emphasizes understanding and applying simple thematic ideas across various scales and chord families. This includes learning how to use Barry Harris's chromatic scale in different musical contexts, making it a practical tool for improvisation and composition.

How does the speaker's book relate to the video's content?

The speaker's book expands on the topics discussed in the video by explaining how to apply the chromatic scale and thematic development to a wide range of scales and chord families, helping musicians understand and develop their improvisational skills.