TeachingtheBlues:YourFirstTenJazzLessonsajazzunitcurriculumbyChadOBrien

Thursday,January28,20169:00AM10:00AM

OverviewThe12barbluesformisalogicalplacetobegininstrumentaljazzinstruction.Notonlydoesitconstitutealargepercentageofstandardrepertoire,italsoprovidesaperfectvehicletoteachstudentsaboutthehistory,harmonicevolution,andexpressiveelementsofjazzand,perhapsevenmoreimportantly,improvisation.Toooftenthough,illequippededucatorsteachtheminorbluesscaleandthrowtheirstudentsinthedeepend.Thisapproachfailstoaddressthemostfundamentalaspectsofimprovisingthedominant/tonic(tension/release)relationship,useofidiomaticvocabulary,communicationbetweensoloistandaccompaniment,andtellingastorythroughmotivicdevelopment.Thewaytoaccomplishtheseobjectivesisbyteachingjazzasthegreatslearnedit:throughrepertoire.Byfocusingontuneswithspecificharmonicandrhythmicvocabulary,abeginningjazzinstructorcanhelpstudentsdevelopaworkingunderstandingoftheseelementswhilecreatingahealthyenvironmentforexploringastudentsownvoice.Afewnotesregardingthisunit...Thisunitwasoriginallydesignedformyowncurriculum.Mystudentsstartplayinginstrumentsin4thgradethisisthefinalunitoftheir6thgradeyear.Theyhavebeensingingandplayingmelodies,basslines,andharmoniestofolksongsfor2yearsandarefamiliarwithsolfeggeinmajor,minor,andmixolydian.Theycanread,write,andimproviseovertonic,dominant,andsubdominantinthekeysrequiredforthisunit.Theyhavetheexecutiveskillsneededforallrepertoire.Inadditiontothe10aforementionedlessons,Ihaveincluded5optionalstretchlessons.Iusethisextratimetoexpandthescopeofthisunittocovermorestandards.AsItellmystudents,thisprovidesamorerealisticrepresentationofthelifeofaprofessionalmusician:composing,transcribing,studyingtheoryandhistoryalongsideperformance,anddedicatingmorepracticetimetospecifictasks.Iftimedoesnotallowtheinclusionoftheselessons,Iencourageyoutorevisittheminlateryearsorincludethembutreducetherepertoiretoonlythefirstthreesongs.Afterthisunit,studentsareequippedtopursueamultitudeofdifferenttypesofjazz.Personally,Imovefromthistoteachingsimplestandards,focusingontheiiV.Youcouldalsoproceedlogicallytomodaljazz,rhythmchanges,orfunk.Thepossibilitiesareendlessbutaresuretoincludeimprovisationonatahighlevel!

BluesUnitLesson1CJamBlues

LessonObjectivesStudentswillperform(singing,thenplaying)themelodyandbasslinetoCJamBluesinConcertBbwithandwithoutsheetmusicStudentswillimprovisemelodiesoverthe12barbluesformStudentswillbeablecorrectlyuserelevantmusicalvocabulary(12barbluesform,riff,improvisation,leadsheet)StudentswillunderstandhistoricalcontextoftherepertoireProceduresListentoDukeEllingtonrecordingofCJamBluesandintroducehistoricalcontext(10)Teach,byrote,melodyandbassline(rootmovement)toCJamBluesinConcertBb(singing,thenplaying)(10)Explain/demonstrateimprovisingplayingrhythmsonthetwonotesofthemelody(5)Studentsimproviseinthisway(15)AssignmentPlaythroughthemelodyandbasslinetoCJamBlues(inBb)andimprovisewithplayalongtrack.Enrichment:LearnCJamBluesintwootherkeys.

BluesUnitLesson2CJamBlues

LessonObjectivesStudentswillperform(singingandplaying)themelodyandbasslinetoCJamBluesinseveraldifferentkeyswithandwithoutsheetmusicStudentswillimproviseoverthe12barbluesformwithmusicality:varyingdynamics,articulations,andnote/phraselengthsanddemonstratinganunderstandingofdominant/tonicrelationshipStudentswillbeablecorrectlyuserelevantmusicalvocabulary(transpose,etc.)ProceduresReviewmelodyandbasslinetoCJamBluesinBb(singing,thenplaying)(10)Demonstrate,thenallowstudentstopracticeimprovisingoverthebluesformusingthetwonotesofCJamBlues.Astheydo,encouragestudentstoexperimentwithvaryingdynamics,articulations,note/phraselengths,etc.(10)RepeatthisprocessinCand/orEb(20)AssignmentPlaythroughthemelodyandbasslinetoCJamBlues(inseveralkeys)andimprovisewiththeplayalongtrack.Usevarieddynamics,articulations,etc.tomakeyoursoloasinterestingaspossibletellastory.Enrichment:Transposeleadsheettonewkeys.

BluesUnitLesson3(Optional)CJamBlues

LessonObjectivesStudentswillperform(singingandplaying)themelodyandbasslinetoCJamBluesinseveraldifferentkeyswithandwithoutsheetmusicStudentswillimproviseoverthe12barbluesformwithmusicality:varyingdynamics,articulations,andnote/phraselengthsanddemonstratinganunderstandingofdominant/tonicrelationshipStudentswillcomposemelodieswithinspecificharmonicandrhythmicparametersStudentswillknowthehistoryofthebluestraditionandunderstanditsimportancetomusichistoryProceduresReview/PerformCJamBlues(inseveralkeysiftimeallows)(10)Composeoriginalriffbasedbluesheadasaclass(10)Presentation:Completehistoryoftheblueswithlisteningexamples(20)AssignmentIdentifyafamiliarsongthatfollowsthebluesform.Enrichment:Composeyourownriffbasedblueshead.

BluesUnitLesson4SonnymoonforTwo

LessonObjectivesStudentswillperform(singingandplaying)theminorpentatonicscale,melody,andbasslinetoSonnymoonforTwoinConcertBbwithandwithoutsheetmusicStudentswillimprovisemelodiesoverthe12barbluesformStudentswillbeablecorrectlyuserelevantmusicalvocabulary(minorpentatonicscale,jazzstandard,VIVblues,etc.)StudentswillunderstandhistoricalcontextoftherepertoireProceduresListentoSonnyRollinsrecordingofSonnymoonforTwoandintroducehistoricalcontext(10)Teach,byrote,melodyandbassline(rootmovement)toSonnymoonforTwoinConcertBb(singing,thenplaying)andtheminorpentatonicscale(15)Explain/demonstrateimprovisingplayingrhythmsonthefivenotesofthemelody(5)Studentsimproviseinthisway(10)AssignmentPlaythroughthemelodyandbasslinetoSonnymoonforTwo(inBb)andimprovisewithplayalongtrack.Enrichment:Learntheminorpentatonicscaleintwootherkeys.

BluesUnitLesson5SonnymoonforTwo

LessonObjectivesStudentswillperform(singingandplaying)theminorpentatonicscale,melody,andbasslinetoSonnymoonforTwoinseveraldifferentkeyswithandwithoutsheetmusicStudentswillimproviseoverthe12barbluesformwithmusicality:controllingtonalcontentpurposefullytobuildandreleasetensionStudentswillbeablecorrectlyuserelevantmusicalvocabulary(development,intensityinmusic,etc.)ProceduresReviewmelodyandbasslinetoSonnymoonforTwo(singing,thenplaying)andtheminorpentatonicscaleinBb(10)Demonstrate,thenallowstudentstopracticeimprovisingoverthebluesformusingtheminorpentatonicscale.Afterafewattemptseach,havestudentspracticedeveloping/buildingasolobystartingwithjustthetwonotesofCJamBluesandslowlyintroducingallfivenotesoftheminorpentatonicscale(15)RepeatthisprocessinCand/orEb,writingthescalefirstforeachkey(15)AssignmentPlaythroughtheminorpentatonicscale,melody,andbasslinetoSonnymoonforTwo(inseveralkeys)andimprovisewiththeplayalongtrack.DevelopyourideasandbuildintensityinyoursolobystartingwithjustthetwonotesofCJamBluesandslowlyintroducingallfivenotesoftheminorpentatonicscale.Enrichment:Besidestonally,howcanyourimprovisingbehighintensity?Lowintensity?Beabletodemonstrateaswellasdiscuss.

BluesUnitLesson6(Optional)SonnymoonforTwo

LessonObjectivesStudentswillperform(singingandplaying)theminorpentatonicscale,melody,andbasslinetoSonnymoonforTwoinseveraldifferentkeyswithandwithoutsheetmusicStudentswillimproviseoverthe12barbluesformwithmusicality:controllingtonalcontentpurposefullytobuildandreleasetensionStudentswillcomposemelodieswithinspecificharmonicandrhythmicparametersStudentswilldiscussthevalueofstandardrepertoireinartProceduresPlaytheminorpentatonicscaleandechovocabulary/scalepatterns(10)Review/performSonnymoonforTwo(10)Composeoriginalriffbasedbluesheadasaclass(10)Presentation:ListentoanddiscussdifferentversionsofSonnymoonforTwo(10)AssignmentComposeyourownriffbasedbluesheadusingtheminorpentatonicscale.Enrichment:ListentoaversionofSonnymoonforTwothatwedidnothearinclass.

BluesUnitLesson7Splanky

LessonObjectivesStudentswillperform(singingandplaying)theminorbluesscale,melody,andbasslinetoSplankyinConcertDbwithandwithoutsheetmusicStudentswillbeablecorrectlyuserelevantmusicalvocabulary(minorbluesscale,callandresponse,iiVblues,etc.)StudentswillunderstandhistoricalcontextoftherepertoireProceduresListentooriginalrecordingofSplankyandintroducehistoricalcontext(10)Teach,byrote,melodyandbassline(rootmovement)toSplankyinConcertDb(singing,thenplaying)andtheminorbluesscale(20)Echovocabulary/scalepatternsonminorbluesscale(10)AssignmentPlaythroughthemelodyandbasslinetoSplanky(inDb)withtheoriginalrecording.Enrichment:Transcribetheshoutmelody.

BluesUnitLesson8Splanky

LessonObjectivesStudentswillperform(singingandplaying)theminorpentatonicscale,melody,andbasslinetoSonnymoonforTwoinseveraldifferentkeyswithandwithoutsheetmusicStudentswillimproviseoverthe12barbluesformusingidiomaticvocabularyStudentswillbeablecorrectlyuserelevantmusicalvocabulary(idiomaticvocabulary,licks,etc.)ProceduresReviewmelodyandbasslinetoSplanky(singing,thenplaying)andtheminorbluesscaleinDb(10)WriteandplaytheminorbluesscaleinCthenlearnthemelodyandbasslineinC(10)Demonstrate,thenallowstudentstolead,echoingvocabulary/scalepatterns(10)Improvisesoloscontainingthisvocabulary(10)AssignmentPracticeimprovisingoverthebluesformusingvocabularyderivedfromthebluesscale.Uselicksthatweplayedinclassandtrytoinventyourownoriginalvocabulary.Enrichment:Listentosomeoftherecordingswehavestudiedinthisunit.Doanyofthesolosincludevocabularyfromthebluesscale?Trytoplaysomeofthelicksonyourinstrument.Iftheyarenotinfamiliarkeys,transposethem.

BluesUnitLesson9(Optional)Splanky

LessonObjectivesStudentswillperform(singingandplaying)theminorbluesscale,melody,andbasslinetoSplankyinseveraldifferentkeyswithandwithoutsheetmusicStudentswillimproviseoverthe12barbluesformusingidiomaticvocabularyStudentswillcomposemelodieswithinspecificharmonicandrhythmicparametersStudentswilldiscussthevalueofstandardrepertoireinartProceduresPlaytheminorbluesscaleandechovocabulary/scalepatterns(10)Review/performSplankyinConcertC(10)Presentation:Howtotranscribeandtheimportanceoflearningsolos(20)AssignmentTranscribetheshoutchorustoSplankyinDb.Enrichment:Transcribeachorusofabluessolo.

BluesUnitLesson1