Voice Leading for Bb Blues

Bob Sinicrope
Bob_Sinicrope@Milton.edu
Milton Academy

TI:ME Technology Areas Addressed:

Sequencing

Level:

High School

Class:

Instrumental

Equipment:

Computer, CODA Notepad, Internet access

Duration:

30 Minutes

Prior Knowledge and Skills:

Reading and writing music Knowledge of Chord Tones from Bb7, Eb7 and F7 Understanding of voice leading concept and principles

MENC Standards Addressed:

MENC 2: Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
MENC 3: Improvising melodies, harmonies, and accompaniments.
MENC 5: Reading and notating music.
MENC 6: Listening to, analyzing and describing music.

Materials:

Computer, CODA Notepad, Access to Internet
Bb Eb Triad Voice Leading Sheet (Finale)
Bb7 Eb7 Voice Leading Sheet (Finale)

Objectives:

To have students understand and evolve an ability to create, hear and perform voice lead guide tone lines. To learn spellings of chords and inversions of chords. To learn to connect chord tones from different chords with minimal motion and melodic interest. To hear lines over chord progressions.

Procedures:

Students would create two or three choruses of different voice lead guide tone lines on a simple Bb Blues progression. I will provide them with staff with chord tones on the sheet and they will choose different whole note chord tones that either 1) move minimally between measures or 2) create lines with melodic interest. They will write these on their computer and play them back on their computer and on their instruments.

Evaluation:

I will review their results and ask them to perform them with a Blues accompaniment with and without written music. I will listen for evidence of this skill in their soloing.

Follow Up:

Creating voice lead lines on other tunes such as Perdido or Rhythm Changes