CrossCurricular Music Project

1
Cross-Curricular Music Project

• The Blues and Composition
• (from Dark Blue to Light Hearted)
• by Peter Stone
• at St Gregorys School, Kent

2
Project Outline

• The project looks at one genre of music and the
  diversity within it. The development and changes
  within a genre of music are inseparable from the
  technological, social and political influences
  that have shaped it. These rich cross-curricular
  themes will be explored during the course of the
  project. The core outcome is to compose and make
  digital multi-track recordings of students
  compositions in a variety of styles within the
  genre. These are to be put on to a CD for which
  students will design and create the cover art and
  sleeve notes. Students will then consider how to
  market their product.

3
Genres of Music
Activities
Objectives

• Listen to a variety of blues music arranged in
  chronological order to show the development of
  the genre and to demonstrate the diversity. (For
  each piece students note how the music makes them
  feel, what they think it was about, what
  instrumentation was used.)
• Define the term genre in relation to musical
  style
• Discuss what characterises the genre of blues
  music

• To develop a vocabulary including words that
  convey emotion, some specialist vocabulary is
  used for music according to custom and
  convention.
• To create mind map for the above or create a
  glossary
• To appreciate that a musical genre can be a broad
  church in which there can be much diversity,
  however always with a common thread.
• To identify the themes and style that create the
  common thread within blues music.

Literacy
4
The Birth of the Blues
Objectives
Activities

• To understand where slaves were taken from, their
  journeys and living conditions and understand how
  this gave birth to blues music as an expression
  of melancholy and hopelessness.
• To understand the success of many of todays
  powerful nations was based on the exploitation of
  less-developed nations and consider the moral
  implications. Consider whether positive
  discrimination is fair as part of reparations or
  conscience easing?
• To understand that blues music is an expression
  of the slaves experience.

• Develop theme of the experience of slaves taken
  to the USA, discussing the trials and
  tribulations and the attitude of the slaver
  nations.
• Discuss discrimination and positive
  discrimination, citing examples from history and
  present day.
• Develop a list of words that describe all facets
  of the slaves experience. These will be used to
  generate song lyrics.

Citizenship
Links
Slavery Africans in America Declaration human
rights
5
Key tasks to be undertaken by individuals or
small groups of students findings to be
presented to whole group at next session
Research the history of slavery
Define discrimination and positive discrimination
KEY TASKS
Look at the lyrics to Brown Sugar by the Rolling
Stones compare and contrast to current gangsta
raps misogynist lyrics
Find out about the use of blue in art, colour
therapy and research into the environmental
effects of colour.
6
Key Task Review

• Students present key task findings to whole group
  and discuss before undertaking the following
  activities

Objectives
Activities

• Add to the list of vocabulary describing the
  slaves experience in the light of the task review
  and use this to generate song lyrics
• Examine the impact of Christianity on the slaves
  experience and its impact on the lyrical content
  and style of blues music.

• To write a poem about the slaves experience as a
  basis for the students first song
• To define gospel music

English / Literacy
7
Rhythm
Activities
Objectives

• Students learn to programme a drum machine and
  learn to engender emotions using rhythm

• Show students how to use a programmable drum
  machine to generate a variety of rhythms
• Give examples to students of differing kinds of
  music, for example

military rock funky tribal latin
8
The 12-Bar Blues

• The most common format for blues music is made up
  of the
• I IV V notes of a scale
• These are most commonly arranged over 12 bars.
  For example, in the key of A A/A/A/A/D/D/A/A/E/D
  /A/A

9
Melody and Improvisation
Minor pentatonic scale This is the starting point
for playing the blues. The scale uses five notes
that are minor or perfect intervals.
Extra notes can be added to give more of a blues
flavour. Flattened fifth, this creates the
classic blue note sound.
10
Alternative Variations

• Major third.

Major second / sixth.
11
Using Accompaniment Software
Activities
Objectives

• Use Band in a Box or other accompaniment
  programme to play a 12-bar sequence in a variety
  of styles, tempos and exploring major and minor
  keys.
• Try to replicate the feel of the different
  styles of blues music heard earlier in the
  project or even invent new ones.
• Try playing melodies on top of these
  accompaniments.

• To familiarise with software
• To identify different music styles, both
  contemporary and traditional
• To be able to replicate music they have heard
• To examine the different emotional effect of
  major and minor keys
• To use software as a tool for rehearsal and
  improvisation

Band in a Box demo link
12
Writing the Songs
Objectives
Activities

• To understand the importance of meter and rhyming
  patterns when writing lyrics
• To appreciate the range of possible rhyming
  schemes present as a mind map
• To explore alternative words, phrases and
  metaphors to convey ideas, emotions and to help
  with meter and rhyme
• To complete a composition on the theme of slavery
  in a style consistent with that of early blues
  music, adapting their poems on slavery to form
  the lyrics.
• To understand that the job of a composer is to
  write the music and lyrics. They may wish to
  perform the music themselves. However, if they
  write only what they can play, this may limit the
  creative possibilities. Using more experienced
  musicians may result in a better overall
  performance.

• Discuss and give examples of meter in prose and
  how, when combining this with music, syllables
  and bar values must combine to produce a
  comfortable and melodic combination.
• Rhyme examine alternative rhyming conventions,
  for example couplets, alternate lines, no rhyme,
  etc.
• Students use the slavery poems as a basis for
  lyrics over a 12-bar structure, taking into
  account meter and rhyme
• Using the backing software, devise a melody for
  the lyrics

English
English
13
Multi-Track Recording
Activities
Objectives

• To appreciate advantages of multi track such as
  being able to record at varying times or places
  with any number of musicians, and that mistakes
  can be corrected after the event.
• To appreciate that an ensemble playing together
  may achieve a good vibe that cannot be achieved
  by building up piece by piece.
• To gain hands-on experience of multi-track before
  the recording of their songs.

• Students are shown a simple demonstration of
  multi-track recording. This can be done using a
  computer-based system or a stand-alone digital
  recorder.
• Students discuss the advantages and disadvantages
  of being able to record in real time versus by
  building up a song track by track.
• Students experiment by quickly recording a number
  of tracks themselves.

Free multi-track recording software
14
Key tasks to be undertaken by individuals or
small groups of students findings to be
presented to whole group at next session
To research the effect of Christianity on the
slaves experience and the change from
hopelessness to hope in gospel music.
To research the influence of Martin Luther King
on black civil rights.
Key Tasks
To research the historical process of
emancipation of slaves in the USA
To research the impact of Abraham Lincoln on the
abolition of slavery
Links Martin Luther King Abraham Lincoln
abolition of slavery
15
Feedback of Findings
Students assigned the four tasks on the previous
page should present their findings to the rest of
the group so members of all groups understand the
full range of issues. This process of sharing
information and mutual moderation should continue
throughout the project at key points. Examples
of work can be accessed from slide 19 included
here.
16
60s Art Design CD Cover
Alongside the recording of the music, students
will design cover artwork for their finished CD.
In the 1960s, after the blues had become popular
with both black and white Americans, European
musicians also started to play blues music. For
this reason, the students will research and use
1960s pop and op art for the CD cover artwork.
17
Writing and Recording 4 more tracks

• The students should compose a further four
  tracks. The nature of these recordings should
  reflect the changes both society and technology
  have made to blues music.
• For example, Gospel Rhythm and Blues Rock
  and Roll Rock Funk Soul Hip Hop R B.

18
Intellectual Property and Royalties

• Discuss with students the principle of ownership
  of intellectual property, how the originator may
  benefit from and defend their rights to income
  from their ideas. Give some examples of both
  literary and musical plagiarism (e.g. My Sweet
  Lord by George Harrison and The Ghost Busters
  theme tune by Elmer Bernstein).
• Students can create a spreadsheet to show who
  had contributed to each composition. It also
  allowed them to calculate and allot for each
  student a percentage of the intellectual property
  of each composition according to input. Costs of
  production could also be recorded and balanced
  against sales to calculate profit to be
  distributed according to percentages.

Maths
ICT
19
Examples of students work

• Extract from Martin Luther Kings speech
• End of International Slavery
• End of American Slavery
• Gospel mind map
• Music and emotions
• Colour research and therapy
• Writing lyrics

CD Design
Click below to see students lyrics and hear their
compositions
'All Shades of Blue' (Traditional Blues)
Black and Blue (Rhythm and Blues)
A Reward in the Long Run (Gospel Funk)
Look Like Me (Rock)
Walkin Out the Door (R B)
20
Lesson Plans supporting information

• Lesson Plan 1 Lesson Plan 5
• Lesson Plan 2 Lesson Plan 6
• Lesson Plan 3 Lesson Plan 7
• Lesson Plan 4 Lesson Plan 8
• Assessment
• Glossary
• Test to assess learning outcomes
• Evaluation of whole project

21
Acknowledgements

• Images

One of the objectives of this project was to
understand the concept of intellectual property
this concept applies to visual images as well as
music and the written word. Images used in this
guide were taken from the website of the Library
of Congress http//www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/082_s
lave.html, whose website states it is unaware of
any restrictions on the use of these images for
educational purposes.
Technical Information
Our recordings were made using Zoom MRS4, Cubase
and rhythms developed using Rolland DR20, Groove
Agent and Yamaha DW55.
22
All shades of blue Captured and taken away from
home Nothing to do and all alone Hunger is
growing too hard to bear What have I done to
deserve this dispair Battered and beaten all
shades of blue Cant run or hide what can I
do Working out here the sun is so hot If you
stop they just leave you to rot I am so dirty I
feel unclean How can these people be so
mean? Battered and beaten all shades of
blue Cant run or hide what can I do My eyes are
weak cant keep them open Please help my heart is
broken I feel so hopeless so sad as well For what
I just cant tell Battered and beaten all shades
of blue Cant run or hide what can I do
23
Black and Blue Cramped and packed into a
confined space Hunger and despair on each mans
face Sickness and smells in the musty air Praying
and hoping for someone to care Im black and Im
blue But does that really bother you Travelling
thousands of miles across the ocean Rocking and
swaying in a sickening motion Taken to work in
the USA Hot and dirty every week every day Im
black and Im blue But does that really bother
you Leaving behind our family and
friends Wishing this nightmare would come to an
end We are beaten our wives are raped Hopeless
and lonely not knowing our fate Im black and Im
blue But does that really bother you
24
A reward in the long run
Working all day my hands are sore Working all day
my hands are sore Now Ive found God Ive got
something to live for My life has changed and it
feels real strange My life will never end Ive
been working all day in the scorching sun Ive
been working all day in the scorching sun Been to
church now our hope has begun Our hopelessness
turned to happiness My life will never end God
is with me thats why Ive prayed God is with me
thats why Ive prayed Im goin to heaven when I
lay down my spade Theres a place called heaven
where I can live for ever My life will never
end God will be waiting when the day is done God
will be waiting when the day is done Hope in my
heart helps me carry on Theres a place where I
can rest a place where I feel blessed My life
will never end
On our journey we have some hope On our journey
we have some hope With God on our side were gonna
cope Every faithful girl and boy will have a
heart filled with joy My life will never
end Jesus will be there when we arrive Jesus
will be there when we arrive Remembering our
faith will keep us alive People dont cry I dont
care if I die My life will never end
25
Look Like ME!
You make us wear clothes that we just dont like
All we want to wear are shoes that say Nike We
want to wear jewellery to make us shine Just by
wearing a ring were crossing the line Hear my
plea I just wanna look like me Im not tryin to
draw attention I still risk a detention The
uniform we wear is so colourless Wearing our own
clothes we can express We desperately need to
wear bling bling And we deserve girls trousers
that dont ming Hear my plea I just wanna look
like me Its just Ive got a passion for
fashion Theres no comfort in our footwear We
all have blisters and we wanna swear We have
uniform dark clothes and shoes Look at us weve
got the blues Hear my plea I just wanna look like
me No individuality with this style
brutality Please help us we cant stand it no
more Were literally begging down on the
floor What we say comes right from the heart We
hate our uniform we want a fresh start Hear my
plea I just wanna look like me Why does school
dare to question what I wear
26
Walkin out the door
Walkin out the door I know that you are
upset That our house is up for let You drove me
crazy I couldnt cope Do you really expect to go
and elope? I couldnt cope with you anymore So
now Im walkin out the door You know how much I
loved the cat Your reckless driving means now
hes flat If only we had eyes to see we really
were not meant to be I couldnt cope with you
anymore So now Im walkin out the door Now Im
engaged to another man Try to cope as best you
can Unlike you he has some fashion sense He
spends pounds you spent pence I couldnt cope
with you anymore So now Im walkin out the door