When first hearing the term “tenth” in music, it may seem baffling, but it’s simply a way to tell you that we have now jumped an octave over the initial eight notes of the scale. It’s really an interval in 3rd that now contains a note that is substituted by a higher or lower note, octave-wise. This is how a 2nd can become a 9th, for example. In this case, a 3rd becomes a 10th. This is just some basic theory dealing with the mathematical relationships of notes.
Perhaps the most important aspect of any of these kinds of note relationships is the ability to recognize them when you hear them. A tenth is an extremely easy interval to recognize, due to its rather extreme “octave jump”
The “monotony” that we are trying to break up here is the simple fact that many of these typical 3rd harmony licks are just too mundane and overplayed, and it’s amazing how fresh they can sound as 10ths. As an example of this new way of playing and hearing, we will take some of the most overplayed turnaround runs and lead runs, and substitute for them with these new “split octave” 10ths. You’ll soon see what a refreshing approach this can be to add to your playing.—Arlen Roth
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