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/