Steve Barta - The Source

Pianist Steve Barta is a composer, author, producer, and recording artist. Lending his talent to symphonic orchestras, film scores, jazz ensembles, and solo piano, his original compositions reflect a great diversity of style. Referred to by jazz legend Herbie Mann as, a curious blend of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Aaron Copland, Steve is perhaps best known for fusing classical, jazz, and Brazilian influences to create a sound that is distinctly BARTA. He has shared the studio and stage with Herbie Mann, Stan Getz, Dori Caymmi, Paulinho DaCosta, Hubert Laws, and B.B. King, among many others.

Steves orchestral works include Heritage Suite, A Midwest Dream, Jumpin Jazz A Swinging Jungle Tale, and several pieces for jazz quartet and orchestra. In the early 1990s, Steve toured the Czech Republic with the Zilina Chamber Orchestra, where he premiered his Heritage Suite.

Steve currently has eleven recorded works, and several books of his compositions and arrangements. After his debut album Rossport, Steve teamed up with Jazz great Herbie Mann to create the Brazilian influenced Blue River. These recordings have received wide critical acclaim and radio airplay across the United States, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, the Middle East, and Canada. Each recording of original songs has its own striking sound yet captures Steves distinctive style. His five successful Christmas recordings reveal his talent in interpreting and arranging classics. All of Steves recordings and books are available exclusively on the Steve Barta Music label.

In 1991, Steve joined a distinguished list of concert pianists when the venerable piano maker Steinway & Sons recognized him as a Steinway Artist. As a Steinway Artist, Steve is provided with a Steinway grand piano on any concert stage in the world.

Steve, a resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado, spends most of his time composing. He accepts a limited number of private commissions each year, ranging from solo piano to full symphonic works. His hobbies include hiking, gardening, and the martial arts, where he holds the rank of black belt in American style Kenpo Karate.

For further information or contact, please visit Steve Bartas official website at: www.SteveBartaMusic.com

General Chord Information

All the chord examples on this page are given in the key of C.

Section One Scales

Ionian

(major)

Chord Choice:
Major 6
Major 7
Major 69
Major 9

Also known as :
Major scale

Quick note of interest: The interval of the Octave is one common element all musical cultures have. The octave is divided into twelve separate pitches before the starting pitch repeats at the octave. Several cultures have separated the octave into a different number of pitches besides these twelve. For example, the Persian culture separates the octave into twenty-four pitches. The Arabic culture divided the octave into sixteen pitches. One element that separates music from different cultures apart from each other is the breaking of the octave into smaller units.

Dorian

(minor)

Chord Choice:
Minor 6
Minor 7
Minor 69
Minor 9
Minor 11

Also known as :
Minor scale

Quick note of interest: The Dorian mode is named after the Dorian Greeks. The Dorian Greeks were one of the principal ancient Greek tribes, the others being the Achaeans, the Ionians, and the Aeolians. They were distinguished by language, society, and historical tradition.

Phrygian

Chord Choice:
Minor 7
Dominant 7 (#9)

Quick note of interest : The Phrygian mode is named after the ancient kingdom of Phrygia in Anatolia. Anatolia is a peninsula of Western Asia which forms the greater part of the Asian portion of Turkey. Also, the Phrygian mode was very trendy in American pop music of the late 1960s.

Lydian

Chord Choice
Major 7 (