The Joys of Half & Whole Steppin'!
While it could be argued that scalar motion and arpeggiation traditionally make up the bulk of melodic lines in most genres, the use of smaller intervals, such as semi & whole tones (or half & whole steps), provides a useful and interesting melodic addition and alternative.
This technique came to the forefront in the early 1960's, most recognizably in the playing of Miles Davis, as well as members of his "2nd Great Quintet" - namely saxophonist Wayne Shorter and pianist Herbie Hancock.
Even as Major and minor 2nds are inherent in any Major or minor scale, their use chromatically - with consistant directional change - is the key to this technique's effectiveness.
This technique came to the forefront in the early 1960's, most recognizably in the playing of Miles Davis, as well as members of his "2nd Great Quintet" - namely saxophonist Wayne Shorter and pianist Herbie Hancock.
Even as Major and minor 2nds are inherent in any Major or minor scale, their use chromatically - with consistant directional change - is the key to this technique's effectiveness.
The example below illustrates a 12-bar segment of an exercise (extended in the free pdf download - link below), consisting of a simple 4-note cell - repeated and modified slightly within the measure - then transposed down a semitone. The 12-bars represent a once around the descending chromatic cycle, and by virtue of tritone substitution - the Cycle of 5ths.
The simple interval scheme, per measure, is:
up a whole step / down a half-step / down a whole-step
up a half-step / up a whole-step / down a half-step / down a half-step
connecting to the following measure via a descending half-step, where it repeats in each succeeding measure.
The simple interval scheme, per measure, is:
up a whole step / down a half-step / down a whole-step
up a half-step / up a whole-step / down a half-step / down a half-step
connecting to the following measure via a descending half-step, where it repeats in each succeeding measure.
Since it cycles around, you can begin this exercise at any point and anywhere on your instrument - its main purpose is to build technical dexterity - as it's a bit of a finger twister.
The audio example is of the first eight bars only, and attempts to illustrate how these close melodic intervals can function within harmony.
The audio example is of the first eight bars only, and attempts to illustrate how these close melodic intervals can function within harmony.
Try and develop your own Major/ minor 2nd exercises based on four and/ or eight note cells and move them around chromatically - or by any interval, for that matter.
B. Stern
B. Stern
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