Sing the Blues

Music composition can be easy with a little software assistance. The class uses Garageband to listen to, write, sing, and record a blues song. They listen to the song provided through the software, write their own lyrics to the song,...

Middle schoolers examine the musical styles of call and response and the blues while delving into the difficult lives of many jazz musicians. Travelling in the South was challenging for black musicians during this time and the...

Explore music through the decades with an engaging video brought to you by the 5-part harmony acapella group, Pentatonix. Genuine musical talents sing through a variety of popular music from the 11th century to the 2010's. Artists...

Students define and compose a blues text and sing a blues song. They sing each phrase of "The St. Louis Blues" after it is modeled by the teacher. In the end, they sing the whole song with accompaniment.

Students explore women and music in the 20th century. In this music lesson, students study the relationship between literature and music through The Color Purple and music by Ethel Waters, MA Rainey, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Ella...

Learners describe the form, instruments, vocal techniques, scale, rhythm, and improvisation of the country blues style as expressed in "The Matchbox Blues'" by Blind Lemon Jefferson.

Young scholars demonstrate and/or describe the form, instruments, vocal techniques, scale, rhythm and improvisation of the Chicago blues style as expressed in "Long Distance Call Blues" by Muddy Waters.

Students perform a keyboard accompaniment for the blues. Using the chords C F and G and pentatonic scale with blues notes, they sing both a traditional and an original blues to such accompaniment.

Students learn the basic elements of blues and different lyric structures.

Students demonstrate writing lyrics for a twelve-bar blues pattern by writing two verses of a blues song and then recording themselves singing over a stock blues pattern using Apple's Garage Band. Requires a networked keyboard lab.