The Giant Steps Scratch Pad

BUILD YOUR TECHNIQUE AND CREATIVITY FOR THE GIANT STEPS CYCLE

Looking for a practice book to help you master “Giant Steps”? The Giant Steps Scratch Pad will help you develop the chops you need.

While plenty has been written about the theory behind Coltrane changes, this is the first book of extensive practice material I’m aware of that is designed to help you actually improvise on John Coltrane’s benchmark tune. In it you’ll find:

• A brief overview of “Giant Steps” theory
• Insights and tips for using this book as a practice companion
• 155 licks and patterns, from digital to boppish, divided into two parts to help you cultivate facility in both the A and B sections of “Giant Steps”
• 2 pages featuring the augmented scale–the “universal scale” for Giant Steps harmony

“Giant Steps” isn’t innately hard. It’s just different and unpracticed. This book gives you a wealth of material to help you take Coltrane’s lopsided chord changes and make music with them. Choose the edition that fits your instrument—Bb, C, Eb, bass clef, or the comprehensive Giant Steps Scratch Pad Complete—and then get started today.

AVAILABLE IN TWO FORMS

• Separate editions for C, Bb, Eb, and bass clef give you 155 licks in the correct transposition for your instrument.
• Complete edition covers all 12 tone centers in treble clef, giving you a grand total of 1,860 licks. It is available as a PDF download only. Read more about the Complete edition here.

SEE BOTTOM OF PAGE FOR ORDERING INFORMATION.

Read Reviews of The Giant Steps Scratch Pad Complete
* Franco Balena’s review in Saxopedia
* Multi-instrumentalist Brett Pimental’s review on his site for woodwind players

Hear me playing “Giant Steps.” And look for updates as my personal facility with the changes increases–because my own journey with this tune is far from over.

The Giant Steps Scratch Pad got its start years ago as I began tackling the challenge of “Giant Steps.” In the ever-expanding galaxy of books containing licks and patterns for ii-V7-I’s, blues, rhythm changes, and so forth, I found nothing for Coltrane changes. Plenty on Coltrane’s theory, but no practical application. So I began jotting down my own ideas in a notebook, and over time the ideas added onto each other until I had quite a collection dealing with both the A and B sections of “Giant Steps.”

It occurred to me that other jazz instrumentalists would find the material useful. So I transcribed it using notation software, added two pages utilizing the augmented scale, and wrote a section that briefly describes Coltrane’s theory and shares practice tips and insights. Then I self-published the book in C, Bb, Eb, and bass clef editions.

Click on and enlarge the two images above and to your immediate right to view a couple of page samples from the Bb edition. Better yet, print them out and take them to the woodshed with you. This book is meant to be played, not just read.

The topmost sample is from the book’s “A” section. Each line covers the first four bars of “Giant Steps”; transpose down a major third and you’ve got the complete eight-bar phrase.

The second page is from the “B” section. Each exercise covers the full eight bars of that section, so no transposition is necessary.

The copyright watermarks, by the way, appear only on these sample pages, not in the actual product.

To the best of my knowledge, there’s no other practice resource like The Giant Steps Scratch Pad. If you’re ready to tackle Coltrane changes, this book will give you plenty to keep you occupied for a long time to come.

PRAISE FOR THE GIANT STEPS SCRATCH PAD

“Ever since John Coltrane recorded ‘Giant Steps,’ its chord progression has been a rite of passage for aspiring improvisers. Bob’s book The Giant Steps Scratch Pad presents a practical approach to Coltrane changes that will challenge advanced players and provide fundamental material for those just beginning to tackle the challenge of Giant Steps.’” —Ric Troll, composer, multi-instrumentalist, owner of Tallmadge Mill Studios

“In this volume, Bob has created an excellent new tool for learning how to navigate the harmonies of ‘Giant Steps.’ This is a hands-on, practical approach with a wealth of great material that will be of assistance to students of jazz at all levels of development.” —Kurt Ellenberger, composer, pianist, jazz educator and author of Materials and Concepts in Jazz Improvisation

Order Here

STANDARD-KEY EDITIONS, 32 PAGES. AVAILABLE FOR C, Bb, Eb, AND BASS CLEF INSTRUMENTS, BOTH IN PRINT AND AS  PDF DOWNLOADS.
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THE GIANT STEPS SCRATCH PAD COMPLETE–252 PAGES COVERING ALL 12 TONE CENTERS. AVAILABLE IN TREBLE CLEF AS A PDF DOWNLOAD ONLY.

Single-key instant PDF downloads, $9.50
C edition
Bb edition
Eb edition
Bass clef edition
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Giant Steps Scratch Pad Complete instant PDF download, $21.95

All 12 tone centers in treble clef.
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JACKETED PRINT EDITIONS—RETAIL QUALITY WITH FULL-COLOR COVER, $10.95 plus shipping: order here through Lulu.com. Standard key only.