Lesson Information Form

Lesson #: 2/3 Date of lesson: 11/17/2023

Objectives:
Students will be able to:
- Improvise over a 12 bar blues using chord tones.
- Keep track of the form of the blues, with some assistance from a teacher.
- Review:
- Explain the difference between how scales are used in improvisation and
how they are used in other contexts.
- Improvise over a 12 bar blues using the minor pentatonic scale

Review Part I- Minor Pentatonic (P/A)

- Play through the scale on quarter notes with the class.
- Bottom to top
- Top to bottom
- Ask: What is the difference between a scale like we play in a warmup and
how we improvise with a scale?
- In a warmup we play a scale up and down, when improvising, we
use the scale as a collection of notes.
- Skipping notes (1 4 b3 5 4 7 5 1)
- Ask for student suggestions for other ways to play the scale.

Improvisation- Minor Pentatonic (P/C)

- 4 bar solos
- Feedback
- 12 bar solos
- Feedback

Review Part II- The Blues Form (A)

- Ask:
- How many bars are in a blues? (12)
- How many lines are in a blues? (3)

Chord Changes (P/A)

- Roots
- Ask: What is the root of a chord?
- The 1st note of the chord- in its name
- Ex: If I say Abmi7, what is the root? (Then ask the same question
with an absurdly complicated chord)
- Using the sheet and backing track, play through the blues together- use
whole notes on the root of each chord.
 - Each student improvises 4 bars using only roots. Help them keep track of
the form.
- Roots/3rds
- Ask: What is the third of a chord?
- Second note of each chord (look at the sheet)
- Ask students to identify the 3rd of each chord based on the sheet-
instrument specific (i.e. ask alto saxes about chords in G blues)
- Using the sheet, play through blues together using roots and thirds on
Charleston rhythm (write on board and do quick example)
- Each student improvises 4 bars using root/3rd of each chord
- Triads
- Ask: What is the 5th of a chord?
- Third note of each chord (look at sheet)
- Using the sheet, play through the blues together using the root, 3rd, and
5th on “1 2+” rhythm (write on board and do quick example)
- Each student improvises 4 bars using root/3rd/5th of each chord
- Full Seventh Chords
- Same process as before, with 7th chords
- Use “1+2+” rhythm
- Each student improvises a full chorus using all four chord tones
Combine Changes and Minor Pentatonic (P/C)
- Students each take 1 chorus over a blues.
- 1st line should be using arpeggio notes
- 2nd line should be using minor pentatonic
- 3rd line can be either
- [If time]: Students will each take a chorus over the blues using both the minor
pentatonic scale and chord changes. Alternate whenever they want.

Open Note Quiz (A)

- See: Open note quiz file

Assessments: An open note quiz was used to test for student knowledge, as well as
informal assessment throughout the class.

Materials:
- Bb Blues Arpeggio Sheets (Concert, Bb, Eb, F, Bass Clef), have students pick
these up as they enter
- Bb Blues Open Note Test Sheets
- Notate the concert Bb minor pentatonic scale on the board for these instruments:
- C (concert), Bb, Eb, F, Bass Clef
- Piano
- Speakers and internet-capable device
- Bb blues backing track https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIuET8GLujE
Class Groupings:
Full Group

Cite sources for recordings, books and any published materials used in this lesson.

JAZZ LICK DAILY Backing Tracks. “Blues in Bb Backing Track 120 bpm - FULL
BAND.” YouTube, 21 Mar. 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIuET8GLujE