Bebop Piano Legend Walter Bishop, Jr. Explains His Theory of Fourths

[alaincharnier1971]

wow, this my new favorite piano player

[Mojorider622]

Hes great! Only wish his piano was in better tuning.

[peperplanet]

run a google search for 'walter bishop, a study in fourths' I found a free pdf file of it some where out in the big electron...

[pcsuper1]

I love the rawness of this tutorial :)

[peperplanet]

this is by far the best jazz lesson/video i have ever seen! I'm going to need to teach this one to my guitar...

[u0yckuf]

Far out!

[Bugera369]

Can someone further explain what he starts to say at 10:17? I keep listening to it but I just can't seem to wrap my head around what he's saying..thanks in advance.

[BradBenMusic]

@Bugera369 - He's talking about moving a set of 4ths in minor thirds, like moving through a diminished chord. So in a ii-V-I progression in C, he's doing this: over D-7 play C-F-Bb/Eb-Ab-Db. Over G7 play F#-B-E/A-D-G, and brings you back around to C.

[JazzVideoGuy]

@BradBenMusic Thanks for the help, BradBen. Sounds like you know what you're talking about.

[jaythanbishop]

This is the NEW link for the Study of Fourths Book by Master Walter Bishop jr playpianowithsparks This is a Dot Com domain...

[DajaWaja]

@jaythanbishop HEY thanks a lot for the book!!! This is of great value!!!

GUYSSSS if you see his webpage be sure to download bishop's study of fourths!!! I'm so happy i found this for free!!

[Modes9]

He's coming from the same place as Nicolas Slonimsky. Joe Farrell, Woody Shaw, and Joe Diorio also do things like this. I've never heard of him before today. It's scary to think that there are lots of great anonymous guys like this out there!

[ImaniHekima]

Thanks so much for sharing this. Very useful information. :-)

[MrTre89]

i heard some tenor madness in there

[DoomCity202]

damn!!!

 i need to work on my left hand

[meniedotnok]

kjkjkjkjkj

[paulj0557]

oops, I meant at around 12:13, but what am I saying Walter is a master with many many beautiful resolutions

[paulj0557]

oops, I meant at around 12:13 

[paulj0557]

That resolution at 11:13 is righteous!

I play guitar and I broke a couple of strings way back when, I was in the middle of nowhere with no money so I re-tuned the guitar in an open 5th tuning.

Of the original strings EADGBE the two strings missing were the D and high E ( beside B).

I re-tuned these 4 strings F#,C#,C#,F# ( or GDDG for simplicity's sake)

The 2 inner C#'s are unison, but one is a wound string & the other is not.

It is neither maj,min,aug,dim until any 1 fret is held. Good4writing

[MesahJarJarBinks]

I am a novice in Music Theory, and this stuff is like rocket science.

[mharbaugh]

Whoa...it sounds like your fighting the boss in an RPG! Great video!

[caracolitoumiracolo]

GRAZIE! ;)

[blackvitruvianman]

Such a celestial sound!!

[bemaniac2]

This sounds good but to be honest his stuff is a little hard to understand 

[richcardiff]

I used to go for lessons with him when I was a kid . Great memory .Richard Dunn

[Bbrookie]

I am trying to obtain a copy of his book " AStudy in Fourhts"

Can anyone help me?

[jaythanbishop]

playwithwithsparks is a dot com website. Go there to get a FREE download of this GREAT resource.

[Bbrookie]

@jaythanbishop This website does not work. is the correct spelling?

[Bbrookie]

This website does not work. Is this the correct spelling?

@jaythanbishop

[Bbrookie]

@jaythanbishop Is this the correct spelling?

[keysings]

reminds me of Tarkus and many of Keith Emerson's Improvisations..well done!

[Aud]

I had the pleasure of interviewing Walter at Ronnie Scotts many years ago....almost 30 years ago in fact. We discussed his 'Theory Of Fourths' but it went way above my head near the end. An outstanding musican who never received the plaudits that he were due and deserved.

[angeloamericano]

Walter is a genius and monster player. I wish he were better know.

[postatility]

Magical!!Some of these runs that Walter is demonstrating literally stop me in my tracks,they're so clear and beautiful.They are the basis of many compositions that have great majesty,dignity,strength and power.From this presentation,it is clear that "Bish"was as beautiful a spirit as he was a musician,with a very clear and gentle manner.

[hueman17]

JVG rules!!!

[Burn121212]

sounds like Emerson

[jaythanbishop]

Contact me and I will GIVE you a FREE copy of this GREAT book: A Study in Fourths... Just click on my name for details to contact me.....

[jaythanbishop]

He gave me his book "A Study in Fourths" and I've practiced out of it for years and it is such an ear opener... I think he would want every student of music to posses a copy and i want to give you that opportunity to have a copy of his book "A Study in Fourths" You can locate it at:

[ericsandmeyer]

Keith Emerson-esque

[laumeister]

I love fourths! :D

It reminds me of Willy Wonka.

[mrstrings65]

Ive heard this stuff in many action films.

[Morahman7vnNo2]

What an interval! Bird was right!

[TheRhodeslady]

This is great :) XXX

[777cc777]

If you like 4ths.. check out Scriabin's middle output ~ and see what else can be done from that starting point (althogh really, Scri's music is *a bit* more than "about 4ths".. however.. 4ths were involved in the transition period). Check out Op 65 Number 3 ~ late period but a cool use of 4ths (in a diff way than the harmonic 4th period, but still, 4ths!)

[sweenus]

Actually, it was Lyle "Spud" Murphy's theory as Walter clearly states. Walter developed it.

[10erMadness]

Im so happy i could Cry!

[marsalone]

Thanks a million for posting this. I've been trying to track down the original VHS of this for years. This video is incredible, showing insight into how he thinks about the 4th theory and also how he thinks about playing in general. Not only was Bish a great bebop player but his contribution of the 4th theory to music is awesome. His music in the 70's sounds fresh and modern because of it. Going back and listening to the albums, now I know what it is about the sound that sounds so 20th century.

[jaythanbishop]

Hello Marsalone, I happen to have his book which he gave me years ago. I am willing to give you a copy... Just visit my site and download it for FREE... Contact me via my channel here at youtube and I'll get you a copy.....

[greati9]

@jaythanbishop

Hey i wanna copy send me the link

[daniredo]

this is great!!! Thank you for posting it!!!!

[soonerryan2000]

Could not stop watching. This was excellent. Thank you for posting!

[HuggumsMcgehee]

He gives us so much insight in this video. You could watch over and over and over again.

[robertojimenez204]

One of the first jazz educators. Thanks a lot Video guy !

[Aiden057]

cool segment, thanks for posting this.

[radio555]

I always wish more jazz musicians would make videos explaining stuff. niiiice.