AACE
ED-Media Conference
Honolulu, Hawai'i
June 2009
Kevin Mobbs, D.M.A.
University of West Georgia
Overview
In a typical Music Appreciation class, students learn music concepts and important works and composers
Due to the high level of training and complexity involved, historically, the music appreciation student is unable to apply these concepts
Technology now allows the non-musician music appreciation student to apply music concepts learned in class
This hands-on application, engages the student and solidifies concepts. Besides- it’s lots of fun
A Sample Lesson: Compose a Blues Song
Lesson Goals:
Learn the importance of repetition and contrast in the construction of music
Create a song using learned concepts of repetition and contrast
www.jamstudio.com
Lesson Description
Students learned details involving two main aspects of repetition and contrast in a traditional Blues song
Lyric form (AAB)
12 Bar Blues Progression (harmony)
The AACE-Ed-Media Blues
The best way to understand this process is to do it ourselves
We will focus on learning and creating the 12 Bar Blues Progression (harmony)
Feel free to write lyrics and volunteer to sing your song at the end of the session
The 12 Bar Blues Progression
Underlying a Blues song and the lyric is the 12 Bar Blues Progression (harmony).
The 12 Bar Blues Progression consists of 3 sections (A-A-B) which is further made up of four groupings (measures) of the beat.
3 sections multiplied by 4 groupings equals 12 Bar Blues Form.
3 sections (A/A/B) multiplied by 4 measures (groupings) equals 12 Bar Blues Progression.
12 Bar Blues Progression built on only 3 different chords: I-IV-V
I-I-I-I IV-IV-I-I V-IV-I-I
(as one example of 12 bar blues chord progression)
The 12 Bar Blues Progression
A A B
The numerals refer to the scale degree of any scale:
C D E F G A B C
What’s the 4-5-1 in the above scale?
The 12 Bar Blues Progression
1 2 3 4 65 7 8(1)
F (IV); G (V); C (I)
F; G ; A ; B-flat ; C; D; E
B-flat; C; F
B-flat; C; D; E-flat; F; G; A
E-flat; F; Bb
A; B; C; D; E; F; G
D; E; A
D; E; F-sharp; G; A; B; C;
G; A; D
Element 2: Identify the 4, 5, 1
12 Bar Blues Progression built on the chords: I-IV-V
I-I-I-I IV-IV-I-I V-IV-I-I
Compose the 12 Bar Blues
A A B
Spell the 12 Bar Blues from the following scale (use the above):
B-flat; C; D; E-flat; F; G; A;
Bb Bb Bb Bb Eb Eb Bb Bb F Eb Bb Bb
3 sections (A/A/B) multiplied by 4 measures (groupings) equals 12 Bar Blues Progression.
The Infamous B-flat Blues
Compose the 12 Bar Blues: JamStudio.com
Bb Bb Bb Bb Eb Eb Bb Bb F Eb Bb Bb
The B-flat BluesOR
The AACE Ed-Media Blues
JamStudio: Enter Chords
JamStudio: Enter Chords
JamStudio: Choose Instruments
JamStudio: Choose Style
JamStudio: Instruments/Style
JamStudio: Finished Song
JamStudio: Other Options
SummaryAnyone want to sing their lyrics?
• The JamStudio link to the AACE Ed-Media Blues will be placed on the Wiki (address on handout)
•Use music creation in any discipline
•Many music websites are available
Resources•Wiki for today’s presentation
•http://aaceblues.pbworks.com
•EdTech forum for technical help•http://whistlingwhale.com/edtechforum/
•Other music creation websiteshttp://www.soundjunction.comhttp://lab.andre-michelle.com/fl-909http://www.eye4u.com/showroom/websynth/websynth.htmhttp://www.jamglue.com/http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/products/sdml/sdml.asphttp://www.tony-b.org/