Blues

Starting Point/ Inspiration

The Thrill has Gone – BB King

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVxCtt3s_1M

This is Just One Way

Activities will change with each group and the result of the small group activities

….be flexible

Pre-requisite Knowledge

• Notes: A, C, D, D#, E, G• Keyboard Chords: C, F, G• Guitar/Uke Chords: A minor, D minor, E minor• Bass notes: A, D, E

Students might already have listened to or played the Blues, but this is not essential

Creating the Groove

Circle tasks:• Echo Rhythm Games• Improvisation Rhythm Games• Establish a ‘Rhythmic Head Groove’ with the

group• Count 8 quavers - Play three claps on different

beats• Establish several groups with interlocking

rhythms in this way

This activity now moves to instruments…

…then add one instrumental type at a time with the whole group in the room

Perhaps start with just percussion….

Work around C major / A minor harmony

Creating a satisfying performance could be the content of an entire lesson…

…or just the first half

When students have created an instrumental version of the groove with the teacher leading….

…they can work in small groups to create their own version

….refer to the exercise students have just completed ….

Think really carefully about the words you use when setting up small group tasks…

…..create and perform your own example if necessary

Small Group TaskAim: Students will create a their own groove around a single chord

• Keyboards – Create a rhythm where the chord C is played three times during an 8 beat cycle

• Ukes/Guitars - Create a rhythm where the chord A minor / A minor 7 is played three times during an 8 beat cycle

• Bass - Create a rhythm where the note A is played three times during an 8 beat cycle

• Percussion – Using the Rhythmic Head as a starting point, arrange this for the percussion instruments

• Voices – Find a suitable phrase that uses 4 or 5 words that can be repeated once during each count of 8

(The task can be simplified so that an instrumental group is sub-divided in 3, so that each group plays just once during each cycle at first)

Re-Group TaskAim: Collectively shape and perform the groove • Listen to each group’s work separately• Try different groups together until everyone can play as a whole group• Repeat the groove until it is comfortably established• Discuss the grove with the class… Would any of the groups like to change their part to make it fit better with the

others? Is it easier to count to know when to play, or to hear each part as a complete

rhythm? How long are notes being held (short, long, or a mixture)? Are all the parts the same dynamic? What keyboard sounds / guitar effects are being used?

• Shape the performance until it sounds musically rewarding

This is potentially another natural end point of a lesson

Small Group Task

Aim: Practice the groove changing between two notes / chords

• Keyboards – Practice playing the rhythm on an F, and then changing between the C and F patterns

• Ukes/Guitars - Practice playing the rhythm on a D minor, and then changing between the A minor and D minor patterns

• Bass - Practice playing the rhythm on a D, and then changing between the A and D patterns

• Percussion – Using the Rhythmic Head as a starting point, create a second pattern that is played on every 4th repeat

• Voices – Using the vocal phrase, start to develop a short melodic phrase over a chord of C and a chord of F

Re-Group Task

Aim: Practice collectively performing and changing between the two chords

• Perform the groove with the D minor /F major• Perform the grove with the A minor / C major• Number the chords 1 & 2 and practice changing when

a conductor indicates (initially the teacher however a student could also lead this)

Focus on creating a satisfying musical outcome

Small Group Task Aim: Learn the third and final chord / note and practice changing between them

• Keyboards – Practice playing the rhythm on a G, and then changing between the three chords

• Ukes/Guitars - Practice playing the rhythm on an E minor, and then changing between the A minor and E minor patterns

• Bass - Practice playing the rhythm on an E, and then changing between the A and E patterns

• Percussion – Starting with the initial head, create an arrangement of the two rhythmic phrases that lasts 12 cycles OR create a task that focuses upon the performance of the rhythmic phrases

• Voices – Create another short phrase to be used with the new chord

(An extension task could be to create a new rhythm for this chord)

Re-Group Task

Aim: Practice collectively performing and changing between the three chords to create the entire 12 bar pattern • Perform the groove with the E minor / G major• Perform the groove with the D minor /F major• Perform the grove with the A minor / C major• Number the chords 1, 2, & 3 and practice changing

when a conductor indicates• Slowly establish the entire 12 bar pattern

Developing a group sense of the complete 12 bar cycle may take some time…this is normal

Try to make knowing when to change a fun challenge…

Stop playing when you think you

should go to the next chord

Students leading the whole

group or their section

Listen to the BB King and identify the chords and changes as a group

Make one of the chords ‘silent’ so that

everyone stops playing for its duration

Half the group playing…half listening and directing the changes

Create a karaoke loop for students to watch & play along with in Garage Band – each chord a different colour

Add Some Improvisations

Start from a Warm Up

Improvised body percussion• Start with just a clap• Add a second..third…fourth sound

Work on 1 bar call and response phrases

Add the group’s vocal phrases and some percussion to the warm-up to make it more musically rewarding

Begin adding some instruments to the improvisations…

Start with single note improvisations…

Ask the percussion and bass groups to play whilst the class improvises…

Alternate between improvisations and whole class performances of the groove

Paired Task

• Ask student to work in pairs• 1 person should lead (call) the other respond• Improvise 1 bar phrases on an A• Change leader every minute or so• When comfortable add a note at a time from the scale

A, C, D, D#, E, G

( The percussion group may want to work on percussion improvisations or you may ask them to move to a pitched instrument)

Re-Group Task

• Set up the 12 bar groove on bass and percussion• Move around the group listening to the paired

improvisations• Alternate between the whole class groove and the

improvised sections to create a complete piece

As an extension task, the pairs could be asked to practice longer improvisations (4, 8 , 12 bars long)

Finishing the PieceCreate a final version of the piece with the class.

Think about the following:• How should the piece start?• Should everyone always play on the groove?• Should the piece have a dynamic shape overall?• Could the improvisations happen as part of the main groove or should they happen in a

discrete section?• Are any additional sections of music required, or do any need to be changed?• How will the piece end?

As the piece is finalised ask the group to reflect upon how it could be made to sound more like the BB King version. Use Flip Cameras to capture the performances so that students can reflect more accurately on their work. Spend time to make the final performance as refined as possible.

An extension task could involve dividing the group into two or three smaller ensembles who create their own arrangements using the material created by the whole class.