April 7, 2014

April 7, 2014

Grade 7 Goals: This week our goals are to expand upon our understanding of the blues. We will experiment with blues lyrics, blues melodies and blues harmonies. 

During our first class of the week, we will continue chanting lyrics for the blues which use the 12 bar form (each line of words must last for 4 bars or 16 beats). We will listen to additional examples of the blues:

Call It Stormy Monday by T-Bone Walker

The Thrill Is Gone - B. B. King

and students will be asked to find their favourite blues songs and email the link to Mr. Simmons, our teacher candidate: bluesexamples@gmail.com. 

We will play patterns using the blues scale to create melodies using this backup track on youtube: 
Blues Backup Track (slow) 
We will discover this scale's unique properties for improvisation. If time permits, we will move on to blues harmony and learn about the 12 blues chord progression.

During our second class of the week, students will focus on blues harmony, learning how to build chords and how these chords are used in each of the 12 bars of the "Delta" blues. Standard 12 bar "Delta" blues form uses the following chord progression, based upon the I or 1 chord, IV or 4 chord, I or 5 chord:

Roman Numerals                                             Numbers

I        I        I       I                                           1          1          1           1

IV     IV     I       I                                           4           4          4           4

V      IV     I       I (or V)                                 5           4          1            1 (or 5)

Homework: Find your favourite blues song! Practice improvising using one, two, three or more notes for 12 bars without stopping. Complete the Whole Note Blues worksheet.

Grade 8 Goals:

During our first class of the week, we will review "Voyage of Queen Anne's Revenge", and listen to examples of incidental music which have 3 layers: melody, harmony and rhythmic pattern:

Robin Hood Theme (begins with rhythm, then adds harmony, then adds melody)

Terminator (begins with harmony, then adds rhythm, then adds melody)

Dark Knight Theme (begins with rhythm, then adds harmony, then adds melody)

Oblivion M83 Waking Up (begins with harmony, then adds rhythm, then adds melody)

James Bond Theme (begins with rhythm and harmony, then adds melody)

 Students will work to complete steps 1,2, and 3 of the creative process in creating their own incidental music. We will revisit the procedure for composing with chord notes and passing notes for our incidental music project. Students will apply this knowledge when creating their melody, harmony or rhythmic support part for their group. They will be given time to compose and rehearse together.

During our second class of the week, students will continue on step three of the creative process to complete the first section of their composition and practise it together.

Homework:  complete the first section of your incidental music and perform it expressively.