Eddie Harris built his method on the belief that "there are no wrong notes, only wrong connections." By internalizing this philosophy alongside the relentless technical drills in the book, you don't just become a faster saxophonist—you become a more fearless improviser. You learn to embrace the unknown intervals, to leap into the void with confidence, and to trust that your ears will find a musical way home.
Beyond the complex notation, The Intervallistic Concept serves as a window into Harris's unique musical philosophy. He populated the margins of his method books with clever aphorisms, affectionately dubbed that encourage students to embrace mistakes and treat music as a living language: “There are no wrong intervals if played in succession.” “There are no wrong chords, only wrong progressions.” “There are no wrong notes, only wrong connections.”
Often sought after by modern musicians as the "Eddie Harris Intervallistic Concept PDF," his instructional material represents a radical departure from traditional scale-based and chord-scale improvisation. Instead of thinking in linear lines or standard arpeggios, Harris unlocked a geometric, wide-interval method of navigating harmony.
In the pantheon of jazz innovation, Eddie Harris occupies a unique throne. Known primarily as the master of the electric saxophone and the composer of the fusion anthem "Freedom Jazz Dance," Harris was also a profound musical philosopher. While many jazz musicians focused on harmonic progression (chord changes) or modal scales, Harris looked at a more granular building block: .
The concept is traditionally divided into three volumes, each advancing in complexity: Volume I: Foundations:
Intervallistic Concept By Eddie Harris - Jamey Aebersold Jazz
Harris was a master of the altissimo register. Wide interval practice builds the exact voicing control needed to hit high notes effortlessly.