“Giant Steps” is so challenging that Tommy Flanagan, the pianist on the original recording, could barely get through his solo before Coltrane took over. While this song is one of the most complicated in jazz, it’s also the perfect tool to learn a few basic music theory principles that drive Western harmony.
In this regard, how do you make a giant step?
Considering this, how many bars is Giant Steps?
Also, how many hours a day did John Coltrane practice when he was creating Giant Steps?
Is Giant Steps A Contrafact?
The composition itself is a contrafact of Charlie Parker’s tune “Confirmation”, with harmonic alterations to the original chord changes used by Coltrane in a number of his composition—this harmonic modification is commonly known as Coltrane Changes—most notably used in Coltrane’s “Giant Steps”.
Is Giant Steps improvised?
It’s Slonimsky. That book started all the jazz guys improvising in 12-tone. Coltrane carried that book around till the pages fell off”. It can be argued that “Giant Steps” does not fit the usual definition of 12-tone.
What are the Giant Steps chords?
The “Giant Steps” cycle is the culmination of Coltrane’s theories applied to a completely new chord progression.
| Chords | Scale | Change in scale |
|---|---|---|
| B♭7 → E♭Maj7 | E♭ major | V-I |
| F♯7 → BMaj7 | B major | V-I |
| Fm7 → B♭7 → E♭Maj7 | E♭ major | ii-V-I |
| Am7 → D7 → GMaj7 | G major | ii-V-I |
What is special about Giant Steps?
Recorded in 1959 and released in 1960, “Giant Steps” is iconic in part because it contains the first-issued recording of one of Coltrane’s most important compositions, also titled “Giant Steps.” It is also significant because it was Coltrane’s first LP to be released that was comprised solely of his own compositions.
Why is Giant Steps so difficult?
What makes “Giant Steps” difficult? The two main things are that it is usually played very fast (Coltrane’s original recording was north of 300 beats per minute) and that the chord progression constantly jumps from one key center to another, making it an obstacle course for the improviser.