Barry Harris' Scales of Chords

A genius approach to harmony

Chris Parks, guitar maestro and Barry Harris’ trusted protégé, distills a comprehensive harmonic method into 9 step-by-step lessons.

Transform your playing with Barry’s Scales of Chords. Renowned for their simplicity, these four foundational scales offer a musical solution to every chord you’ll find in the Great American Songbook.

As Barry once said, “You need to learn the rules so you can bend the rules, extend the rules, and come up with new answers.”

Level 3
9 videos
1 hour
LIVING NOTATION
Worksheets
Subtitles: English

Meet Your Instructor

Chris Parks began studying with the late, great Barry Harris in 1993 and still learns from his teaching every day. In addition to in-person teaching, he began sharing what he learned from Barry on his wildly popular YouTube channel in 2018.

Chris is Open Studio’s guitar guru and hosts five live coaching sessions in Open Studio Pro.

About Barry Harris’ Legacy

Barry Harris was a towering figure in the world of jazz, revered as a pianist, composer, and influential educator. Harris made significant contributions to the development of jazz theory and improvisation. His unique approach to harmonies, scales, and bebop language has revolutionized the way musicians navigate chord progressions, providing them with a deeper understanding and greater freedom of expression.

As a performer, Harris graced the stages of renowned jazz clubs and festivals worldwide, leaving audiences captivated with his virtuosic playing and soulful interpretations. With a career spanning over seven decades, Barry Harris’ playing and teachings live on to inspire and educate new generations of jazz musicians.

Course Contents

Course content

Creation Theory
Maj 6 Dim Drop 2
Min 6 Dim Drop 2
Dom7 Dim Drop 2
Dom 7b5 Dim Drop 2
Drop3 Voicings
Applications Maj 6 Dim
Applications Min 6 Dim
Concept of Borrowing
Playing with Family
First Movement Using Drop 2