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Barry Harris Diatonic Exercise #1

(Bilbao, Spain, maybe 2016)

Playlist: https://goo.gl/uVkcZQ Transcript: R.Glover


After showing this diatonic exercise Barry tells a student, "imagine if you could do this
in all 12 keys." The diatonic chord progression is:
I/IV, VII/III, VI/II, V/I, IV/VII, III/VI, II/V, I
It is one of Barry's easiest diatonic exercises to understand harmonically because the bass note
is always the root of each chord. For this reason, it is an excellent exercise to learn first
before taking on other similar diatonic exercises, most especially the "short and long form"
diatonic exercise which appears superficially to start with III/VI but in reality starts with a rootless
I/IV. It cannot be emphasized enough that practice in all 12 keys is essential.

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I IV VII III VI II V I

IV VII III VI II V I
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Barry Harris Diatonic Exercise #1 (last update: Aug 27, 2017 R.Glover)

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