The Jazz Sax & Improvisation Blog of Saxophonist Bobby Stern - bobbysternjazz.com

A Whole Lotta Sole - Giant Steps 027, sus2, sus4, 125

1/13/2023

A Whole Lotta Sole!
Giant Steps 027 - sus2, sus4, 1-2-5

Sus2, sus4, 027, 1-2-5?? These are all ways of expressing the same thing; namely a 3-note, non-triadic configuration - or trichord - containing the intervals of a Major 2nd and a Perfect 4th in its prime form (root position).

Exploring these configurations and using them in your melodic lines - both improvised and composed - can help take one "out of the ordinary path", to quote John Coltrane, as he referred to his own then revolutionary use of the Descending Major 3rds Cycle (aka "Coltrane Changes"), which gave birth to a number of his challenging compositions, the best known being "Giant Steps".

Using "Giant Steps" chord changes, I composed a one-chorus (16-bar) etude, featuring the aforementioned trichord as a basis for the solo melodic line.

'Tranein' with Triads - Alternating Major & Minor

5/19/2021

'Tranein' with Triads - "Coltrane Changes"
Alternating Major & Minor Triads

Cycle drawing by John Coltrane gifted to Yusef Lateef.

Here's a trio of groovy "Trane Changes" sequence exercises, featuring alternating Major & minor triads, descending in whole steps.

This can be a useful device in simplifying what is thought to be a challenging set of chord changes.

As you may know, one of John Coltrane's legacies is his exploration of the Descending Major 3rds Cycle, which resulted in his iconic classic "Giant Steps", as well as a number of reharmonizations of then contemporary Pop and Jazz Standards - such as "How High the Moon" ("Satellite") and Charlie Parker's "Confirmation" ("26-2"), among others.

Since the Major 3rds Cycle divides the octave into three equal tonal areas (C-Ab-E), Coltrane interposed a diatonc dominant before each (C Eb7-Ab B7-E G7), resulting in a strong dominant to tonic (V7 - I) harmonic resolution to each subsequent tonal center.

Step Up Your Game! - The Major 3rds Cycles - Ascending & Descending

12/18/2020

Step Up Your Game!
The Major 3rds Cycles - Descending & Ascending

The Major 3rds Harmonic Cycle, in both its descending and ascending form, has historically been an effective harmonic device for improvisers and composers alike.

Pioneered by the iconic John Coltrane, the descending version of this cycle has become commonly known as "Coltrane Changes" (on which his tune "Giant Steps" - among others - is based). At the same time, the ascending cycle - coined here as "Retrosteps" - has been explored to a far lesser degree.

The original intention, as in Coltrane's case, was his use of this cycle as a substitution for the common ii-V7-I harmonic movement. While harmonic resolution in Perfect 4ths / 5ths (Cycle of 5ths) is the foundation on which Western harmony is based, both descending and ascending Major 3rds Cycles offer creative alternatives.

Changin' Trane's / Retrosteps - New Edition Revised & Combined

5/31/2020

“Changin' Trane's / Retrosteps”
New Edition Revised & Combined

This edition of “Changin' Trane's / Retrosteps” combines two previous volumes - “Changing Trane's” and “Retrosteps” - a collection of sequences and exercises based on the “Cycle of Major 3rds” - both Descending (aka “Coltrane Changes” or “Giant Steps Changes”) and Ascending (dubbed here as “Retrosteps” or “Reverse Coltrane Changes”).

The vast majority of sequences here have been tweaked, updated and improved from the originals.

For blog posts describing the original editions of each book, follow the links for each title above. Further examples are given below.

0 1 3 Calling...Super Augmented!

11/29/2019

0 1 3 Calling...Super Augmented!
An Introduction to the 013 Trichord & Super Augmented Scale

The scale in the title of this latest Shortbook™ was originally referred to as "Super Augmented" in a previous blog post from several years ago.

Among other names, it's been identified primarily as the inverse of Messaen's 3rd mode of limited transposition, as well as "Tcherepnin Nonatonic Mode 1", "Genus Chromaticum", and "Augmented Nine".

I'll still go with "Super Augmented", however, since among other aspects of its scalar construction, it contains two overlapping 6-note Augmented Scales, linked by a common Augmented triad.

"Pretty super!", I'd say. It also contains a trio of 013 Trichords, a Major 3rd apart - forming a 9-note (nonetonic) scale.

"But..what", you ask "is an 013 Trichord?" Or - better yet - what is a trichord, period?

Shortbook of the Month: RETROSTEPS - The Cycle of ASCENDING Major 3rds

8/22/2017

Shortbook™ of the Month: RETROSTEPS - The Cycle of ASCENDING Major 3rds

“RETROSTEPS – The Cycle of ASCENDING Major 3rds” is an expression of some of the relationships and subsequent ideas I've stumbled upon while coming to grips - and having fun - with the legendary John Coltrane's so called “Giant Steps Changes” (aka “Coltrane Changegs”), and known technically as the “Cycle of DESCENDING Major 3rds”.

Coltrane's original intention for this cycle was as a harmonic substitution device that would take him “out of the ordinary path”, meaning the common ii-V7 cadences that most standards and jazz tunes were (and are) based on.

Retrosteps is a further variation of the Major 3rd cycle – the “Cycle of ASCENDING Major 3rds” - the directional description in caps being of primary importance.

Changing 'Trane's - The Cycle of Descending Major 3rds

5/23/2017

Shortbook™ of the Month: Changing 'Trane's - The Cycle of Descending Major 3rds

If you are reading this, it probably means that you are, to some degree, already familiar with the short harmonic progression that has come to be known alternately as "Coltrane Changes" or "Giant Steps Changes".

Among self proclaimed theory nerds (such as yours truly), it's also known by its more accurate description, namely "The Cycle of Descending Major Thirds", which is in fact, exactly what it claims to be.

Made famous by legendary saxophonist and innovator John Coltrane, he crafted the cycle into a number of his own well known compositions, which were all recorded between March, 1959 and late October, 1960 on the Atlantic label. One of the earliest and most influential among them being, of course, “Giant Steps”.

'Trane Changing Tracks - Rhythmic Variety

11/21/2016

'Trane Changing Tracks - Rhythmic Variety

In belated remembrance of the late John Coltrane's 90th birthday, here's a cute little four bar "digital pattern" exercise based on the Cycle of Descending Major 3rds (a.k.a. Coltrane Changes) through the keys.

As mentioned previously in these pages, 'Trane used these four note digital groupings, played in eighth notes, to better negotiate the rapid tempi of several of his classic originals (Giant Steps, Countdown, Satellite, etc), which were based on the descending Maj. 3rd Cycle.

'Trane had an arsenal of these groupings, many of them variations of simple 1235 on Maj. chords (C-D-E-G on C Maj) and b7123 on dominant chords (Db-Eb-F-G on Eb7), as classic examples.

A 'Trane Back@sswards - The Cycle of Ascending Major Thirds

6/20/2016

A ‘Trane Back@sswards - The Cycle of Ascending Major Thirds

"Giant Steps, Giant Steps, Giant Steps"! How we love ya! As one of John Coltrane's best known originals, it's been an obstacle course as well as a right of passage for several generations of aspiring improvisers since its recorded inception in 1959.

Despite its notoriety, "Giant Steps" is but one of 9 known Coltrane originals in which he featured, in whole or in part, the Cycle of Descending Major 3rds, aka "Coltrane Changes ("Countdown", "Satellite" and "26-2" are some of the others).

Originally, 'Trane's intended use of this cycle was as a substitution for the more mundane ii-V7 harmonic movement as well as a device, which in his own words, "...would take me out of the ordinary path".

Since the Cycle of Major 3rds uses three key centers and divides the octave into 3 equal parts, regardless of direction (eg. B-G-Eb / descending or B-Eb-G / ascending), this poses a question: What's the difference in the quality and effect of a descending cycle (Coltrane Changes, aka Giant Steps Changes), as opposed to an ascending one?

To ponder this query, let's take a few giant steps back, so that we might get a more cosmic view of the larger picture. Shall we?