Guitar 10-20-30

UNIT #5: BLUES, THE PENTATONIC SCALE, AND

IMPROVISATION (WEEK 7 AND 8)
10 CLASSES

Unit Overview: During Unit week we will immerse ourselves in the style of blues. We will
do this by listening to different blues players, learning the structure of blues, and playing blues
charts. This is an important genre to music and especially to guitar. We will also be exploring the
universal pentatonic scale (Major and Minor) as well as their use within improvisation. This will
intertwine well with our recent study of the blues genre as it can be used as an easy medium to
explore the use of the pentatonic scale.

Generative Topic: Exploring different genres allows students to use their general knowledge
to expand in a more specialized form. This unit involves a large amount of exploration for
students as well as self expression.

Aim/Big Idea(s): Throughout this unit students will explore Blues as a genre and the use of
the pentatonic scale as a means of improvisation. Students will explore popular artists in the
blues genre and have the chance to compose a blues piece.

Essential Questions:
1.) What is the generic form of the Blues?
2.) Who are some of the important contributors to the blues genre?
3.) What is the pentatonic scale?
4.) How can the pentatonic scale be useful in improvisation?

Outcomes Addressed: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the term form,

Students will recognize and discuss musical elements that repeat, and musical elements that
contrast, Students will recognize aurally the way that different genres, such as pop, Classical and
jazz, use the elements of music, Students will demonstrate an understanding of the term rhythm,
Students will define the terms tempo, meter and duration, Students will describe and discuss the
dynamics used in a given musical example, Students will demonstrate an understanding of
crescendo, decrescendo, accent, forte, mezzo-forte, mezzo-piano, piano.

Master List of Learning Activities and Experiences:

1.) Exploring the Blues (Listening)
2.) Blues (Form and Chords)
3.) Common Chords/Strumming in Blues
4.) Learning the Blues
1

5.) Creating a Blues Song (Groups of 2 or 3)

6.) The Pentatonic Scale: Analyzing the scale
7.) The Pentatonic Scale: In Blues
8.) Improvisation 101
9.) The Pentatonic Scale: A Source for Improvisation
10.) Blues Performances

Master List of Materials, Equipment and Resources:

1.) Guitars
2.) Tuners
3.) Chairs
4.) Smartboard
5.) Worksheets/Assignments
6.) Quiz/Exit Slep
7.) Resources: Apro Guitar-Brian Appleby, Guitar Method 1-Aaron Stang, Guitar Method Book
1-Will Schmid and Greg Koch, Sound Innovations for Guitar-Aaron Strang and Bill Purse,
Guitar School-Jerry Snyders.

Assessment:
Tool
1.) Exploring the
Blues (Listening)

2.) Blues (Form and

Chords)

Outcomes

Description

Students will demonstrate an

understanding of the term
form, Students will recognize
and discuss musical elements
that repeat, and musical
elements that contrast,
Students will recognize aurally
the way that different genres,
such as pop, Classical and
jazz, use the elements of
music,

This first activity will act as an

introduction for students to the
genre of blues and will be
heavy on listening to Blues.

Students will demonstrate an

understanding of the term
form, Students will recognize
and discuss musical elements
that repeat, and musical
elements that contrast,
Students will recognize aurally
the way that different genres,
such as pop, Classical and
jazz, use the elements of
music,

This activity will involve

students beginning to
understand blues in a more
formal way including common
keys and understanding the
form. This concept will be first
introduced and practiced and
then assessed.

FOR AS

OF

Tool
3.) Common Chords/
Strumming in Blues

4.) Learning the Blues

5.) Creating a Blues

Song (Groups of 2 or
3)

Outcomes

Description

Students will demonstrate an

understanding of the term
form, Students will recognize
and discuss musical elements
that repeat, and musical
elements that contrast,
Students will recognize aurally
the way that different genres,
such as pop, Classical and
jazz, use the elements of
music, Students will
demonstrate an understanding
of the term rhythm, Students
will define the terms tempo,
meter and duration

Once my students have began

to understand the fundamentals
of the blues in playing and as a
genre we will begin diving into
different chord voicing as well
as common strumming patterns
associated.

Students will demonstrate an

understanding of the term
form, Students will recognize
and discuss musical elements
that repeat, and musical
elements that contrast,
Students will recognize aurally
the way that different genres,
such as pop, Classical and
jazz, use the elements of
music,

In this activity students will

begin playing some common
blues pieces by themselves and
then as groups.

Students will demonstrate an

understanding of the term
form, Students will recognize
and discuss musical elements
that repeat, and musical
elements that contrast,
Students will recognize aurally
the way that different genres,
such as pop, Classical and
jazz, use the elements of
music, Students will
demonstrate an understanding
of the term rhythm, Students
will define the terms tempo,
meter and duration, Students
will describe and discuss the
dynamics used in a given
musical example, Students
will demonstrate an
understanding of crescendo,
decrescendo, accent, forte,
mezzo-forte, mezzo-piano,
piano.

This will be a project which

combines aspects of theory,
composition, form and blues
knowledge. Students will get
into groups of 3 and create their
own very basic blues piece.

FOR AS

OF

Tool
6.) The Pentatonic
Scale: Analyzing the
scale

7.) The Pentatonic

Scale: In Blues

8.) Improvisation 101

Outcomes

Description

Students will demonstrate an

understanding of the term
form, Students will recognize
and discuss musical elements
that repeat, and musical
elements that contrast,
Students will recognize aurally
the way that different genres,
such as pop, Classical and
jazz, use the elements of
music, Students will
demonstrate an understanding
of the term rhythm, Students
will define the terms tempo,
meter and duration

This will be an introductory

lesson which dives into the
pentatonic scale and its many
uses. Students will begin to
analyze this scale as well in
accordance to how they
function within the blues
progression.

Students will demonstrate an

understanding of the term
form, Students will recognize
and discuss musical elements
that repeat, and musical
elements that contrast,
Students will recognize aurally
the way that different genres,
such as pop, Classical and
jazz, use the elements of
music, Students will
demonstrate an understanding
of the term rhythm, Students
will define the terms tempo,
meter and duration

This will be the beginning of

the practical use of this scale
and students will begin to get to
explore the use of it within
blues music.

Students will demonstrate an

understanding of the term
form, Students will recognize
and discuss musical elements
that repeat, and musical
elements that contrast,
Students will recognize aurally
the way that different genres,
such as pop, Classical and
jazz, use the elements of
music, Students will
demonstrate an understanding
of the term rhythm, Students
will define the terms tempo,
meter and duration, Students
will describe and discuss the
dynamics used in a given
musical example, Students
will demonstrate an
understanding of crescendo,
decrescendo, accent, forte,
mezzo-forte, mezzo-piano,
piano.

This activity will be the first

activity where students are
introduced to the concept of
improvisation in a basic way.
This type of improvisation will
be based off of the pentatonic
scale and students will begin to
explore using their ears as well
as theoretical knowledge.

FOR AS

OF

Tool
9.) The Pentatonic
Scale: A Source for
Improvisation

10.) Blues
Performances

Outcomes

Description

Students will demonstrate an

understanding of the term
form, Students will recognize
and discuss musical elements
that repeat, and musical
elements that contrast,
Students will recognize aurally
the way that different genres,
such as pop, Classical and
jazz, use the elements of
music, Students will
demonstrate an understanding
of the term rhythm, Students
will define the terms tempo,
meter and duration, Students
will describe and discuss the
dynamics used in a given
musical example, Students
will demonstrate an
understanding of crescendo,
decrescendo, accent, forte,
mezzo-forte, mezzo-piano,
piano.

This activity will be the second

activity where students are
introduced to the concept of
improvisation in a basic way.
This type of improvisation will
be based off of the pentatonic
scale and students will begin to
explore using their ears as well
as theoretical knowledge.
Students will be broken into
pairs where one will play the
chords and the other will have
the opportunity to practice the
pentatonic scale as well as
improvisation.

Students will demonstrate an

understanding of the term
rhythm, Students will define
the terms tempo, meter and
duration, Students will
describe and discuss the
dynamics used in a given
musical example, Students
will demonstrate an
understanding of crescendo,
decrescendo, accent, forte,
mezzo-forte, mezzo-piano,
piano.

This will be the final

performance of this Unit where
students will be allowed to
perform a piece of blues music
they have written or a standard.
This can be, but is not limited
to, a solo performance. Students
will be required to use the blues
form and the pentatonic scale in
one form or another within this
performance.

FOR AS

Unit Lessons Overview:

Lesson #1:
Lesson Overview: In this first lesson students will be introduced to blues as a
genre. This will involve a lecture which will contain a fair amount of listening.
Students will be introduced to this genre in a personal way that is memorable.
Activities:
1.) Exploring the Blues (Listening)
2.) Blues (Form and Chords)
5

OF

3.) Time to practice

Assessment: Blues (Form and Chords) (FOR)

Lesson #2:
Lesson Overview: In this second lesson students will be introduced to the chords,
form and strumming patterns associated with the genre of Blues. Students will be
practicing and studying generic blues patterns during this class.
Activities:
1.) Blues (Form and Chords)
2.) Common Chords/Strumming in Blues
3.) Exploring Form and Chords worksheet

Assessment: Blues (Form and Chords) (OF)

Lesson #3:
Lesson Overview: In this lesson students will have the chance explore the genre of
the blues in a deep and meaningful way. Students will begin to explore songs from
a list of approved blues tunes and students will spend time analyzing and playing
these songs during the lesson.
Activities:
1.) Learning the Blues
2.) Exploring different blues songs
3.) Practice/Play time

Assessment: Exploring different blues songs (OF)

Lesson #4:
Lesson Overview:
Activities:
1.) Introduction of Project for the day
6

2.) Creating a Blues Song (Groups of 2 or 3)

3.) Work time

Assessment: Creating a Blues Song (Groups of 2 or 3)

Lesson #5:
Lesson Overview: In this class students will be given a short amount of time at the
front where they will be asked to practice and prepare for an informal performance
of the piece they had created the previous day. This project will be marked on
assuring they use proper form, strumming pattern and chords associated with the
blues genre.
Activities:
1.) Practice and organizing time
2.) Informally Performing a Blues Song (Groups of 2 or 3)
3.) Jam time

Assessment:

Lesson #6:
Lesson Overview: In this new week of this unit we will be diving deeper into the
pentatonic scale and students will have to a chance to look at it in both a theoretical
as well as practical way.
Activities:
1.) The Pentatonic Scale: Analyzing the scale
2.) The Pentatonic Scale: In Blues

Assessment: The Pentatonic Scale: Analyzing the scale (OF)

Lesson #7:
Lesson Overview: In this lesson we will be reviewing the pentatonic scale and
then beginning s lecture on Improvisation. Once a lecture on this new subject is
completed students will have the opportunity to use this scale in a improvisational
experiment.
Activities:
7

1.) The Pentatonic Scale: In Blues

2.) Improvisation 101
3.) Beginning to explore improvisation

Assessment: The Pentatonic Scale: In Blues (FOR)

Lesson #8:
Lesson Overview: This lesson will be solely focused on using the the pentatonic
scale in a blues setting. Students will have the chance to create small groups where
they will be asked to experiment with this concept and begin preparing either a
written blues piece or simply getting more comfortable with improvisation.
Students will begin preparing something to perform on the final day this week
which demonstrates an understanding of the pentatonic scale as well as the blues.
Activities:
1.) The Pentatonic Scale: A Source for Improvisation
2.) Group Practice
3.) Project work time.

Assessment: Group Practice/Project work time. (FOR)

Lesson #9:
Lesson Overview: This lesson will be solely focused on using the the pentatonic
scale in a blues setting. Students will have the chance to create small groups where
they will be asked to experiment with this concept and begin preparing either a
written blues piece or simply getting more comfortable with improvisation.
Students will begin preparing something to perform on the final day this week
which demonstrates an understanding of the pentatonic scale as well as the blues.
Activities:
1.) The Pentatonic Scale: A Source for Improvisation
2.) Group Practice
3.) Project work time.

Assessment: Group Practice/Project work time. (FOR)

Lesson #10:
8

Lesson Overview: This will be the final class of the week and students will show
what they have created using the last two classes. This class will be focussed on
these performances and any extra time will be used to Jam/Practice.
Activities:
1.) Blues Performances
2.) Practice/Jam time

Assessment: Blues Performances (OF)