12 Bar Blues
Composition Project
Name:- _______________
12 Bar Blues
Composition Project
In this project you are going to compose a 12 bar blues. You will learn the key
features of the 12 bar blues by performing them on your instrument. You will then
use music software to create a score of your composition and will print it off to
enable you to rehearse and perform your composition with your classmates.
By the end of this unit you should be able to:1) Compose a 12 bar blues.
2) Work as a small group to rehearse your composition.
3) Perform your composition confidently to the class.
4) Identify key features of the 12 bar blues compositional approach and use them in
your composition
5) Use music software to write your music.
6) Read and write music in the bass clef.
7) Check your own and other people’s work and give constructive feedback
suggesting how the composition/performance can be improved.
Task 1 – 12 Bar Blues Analysis
Listen to an example of a 12 bar blues and follow the score for it on the next page.
Complete the missing words in the boxes, then highlight examples of the concepts on
the score.
1
There are ____ beats in a bar.
12 Bar Blues
This piece uses the ________ scale.
The acoustic bass uses a ___________ _______
The drum kit uses a ________rhythm.
The piano part emphasises the off
beats. This is called ____________________
In the last bar, all the parts play a note that lasts
for ____ beats. This is called a ________________.
2
Task 2 – Think! Pair! Share!
Think!
Think about what concepts and instruments you might want to include in a 12 bar
blues. Write your ideas down in the space below...
Instruments
Concepts
Pair!
Pair up with someone and discuss your ideas.
Share!
Share your ideas with the rest of the class.
Task 3 - Structure
As you have heard in the listening tasks, the blues is based on a common chord pattern
called the 12 bar blues. In a 12 bar blues the chords are played in a set order.
I
IV
V
I
IV
IV
I
I
I
I
I
I
Play the scale below – D major. When we are in the key of D, you can see that G
is the 4th note of the scale and A the 5th.
I
V
IV
So, we say that when we are in the key of D...
Chord I = D
a)
Chord IV = G
Chord V = A
Using what you have just learnt, write in the basic pattern for a 12 bar blues in the key of D,
using the chords D, G and A. The first chord has been put in for you.
D
12 Bar Blues Chord Pattern
in the Key of D
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Task 4 –Writing chords
You have already learned to play the scale of D major. Basic chords are built up using
notes 1, 3 and 5 of the scale. Therefore the chord of D is played using D F# and A
1
3
5
D E F# G A B C# D
Play the scales of G and A major as written below, then draw in the chords of G and A.
G
A
B
C
D
E F# G
A B C# D E F# G# A
Learn to play these chords on the keyboard or guitar and how to move between them
quickly, then flip back to the last page and learn to play the chord pattern for the 12 bar
blues. Your teacher will give you time to practice this and then you will perform this
together as a class along with your teacher. Make sure you play in time with everyone
else!
Task 5 – Adding Chords to Your Music Software
a) Create a new file in your music software programme. If it asks you what key you
are in you will need to choose the option of D major.
b) Add in the chords of the 12 bar blues using semibreves (4 beat notes). The
information from tasks 3 and 4 will help you. Depending on your software, you
might be able to play them directly in from a keyboard or you might need to input
the notes manually.
Extension
To make your chords sound “jazzier” add in the note that is a semitone lower than the
7th note of the scale. E.g. for the D chord add in C, which is a semitone lower than C#.
This chord is now called D7.
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Task 6 – Adding a Drumkit Part
Drum notation doesn’t use the treble or bass clef, but instead uses it’s own special
notation. The notes below show you where some of the parts of the drum kit get
notated on the stave.
Bass Drum
Snare Drum
Ride Cymbal
Crash Cymbal
a) Try performing the following bass and snare drum rhythm using your right foot
and your left hand (complete with pen or pencil for a drumstick!) on your desk.
b) Once you have mastered it, input this part into your music software.
c) Try tapping out the following ride cymbal rhythm on your desk using a pen or
pencil in your right hand. You will need to “swing” your quavers (half beat notes)
so that they sound jazzy! Think of “cheese toast-ie, cheese toast-ie”.
d) Input this part into your music software. Depending on your software, you may
need to add the direction to swing the quavers – a symbol that looks like this.
e) Your completed drum part should look like this. Try playing it at your desk or on a
drumkit:-
Depending on your software, you might be able to use copy and paste to add this
rhythm to the other bars.
Extension
You could try adding crash cymbals at key points
Ask your teacher to show you how to add a drum fill in bars 4 and 8.
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Task 7 – Bass Clef
Here are the notes of the
bass clef. Write in
sentences to help you to
remember the note names.
Lines
G_______ B_______ D_______ F_______ A________
Spaces
A_______ C________ E________ G_______
Task 8 – Adding a Walking Bass
As you have heard, a walking bass is often used in jazz. A typical walking bass starts on
the 1st note of the given chord then plays the 3rd, 5th, 6th, flattened 7th, 6th, 5th, 3rd.
a) Look at the example below, for a walking bass in D. Write the note names in
underneath then learn to play on your instrument.
b) Now write out a walking bass for the chords of G and A on the staves below. The
first note has been given to you.
Walking Bass in G
Walking Bass in A
c) Learn to play these on your instrument and then play them in the correct order for
the 12 bar blues (refer to page 3). When you get to the chord of A, you will only
need to use the first bar of the walking bass you have written above.
d) Now add a walking bass part to your chords and drumkit part. Either play or
manually input this part into your music software.
e) Listen to your piece and check that all your notes are entered accurately.
Partner Check
Ask your partner to check your work so far, making sure that the chords, drums and
walking bass have been entered accurately. If it doesn’t sound right, something will
probably need fixed!
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By this stage you have created your basic 12 bar blues accompaniment. You may wish
to export this as an audio/MIDI file to email to yourself. If you have an instrument at
home you can try improvising along with the track or working on the following tasks
with it. You can also log on to the following websites which have blues backing tracks
for you to improvise along with... You could even try playing with one in a different key!
http://www.torvund.net/guitar/index.php?page=Backing_blues
http://jammer.net.ru/en/mpjam_blues_misc.html
http://www.12bar.de/backing_midi.php
Task 9 – Note lengths
Write in underneath each note and rest how many beats it lasts for.
Notes
_____
_____
Rests
______
_____
______
___+____
_____
_____
Task 10 – Composing Rhythm Boxes
Fill in the 3 rhythm boxes below with different rhythms so that each box adds
up to 4 beats. Once you have completed this, learn how to clap your rhythm and
clap it to your partner.
Rhythm Box 1
Rhythm Box 2
Rhythm Box 3
4
4
Partner Check
Ask your partner to complete the following:Tick
“I have checked the rhythm boxes and each one adds up to 4 beats.”
“I have listened to my partner clap their rhythms and they can clap
them accurately”
Task 11 – Writing Your Melody
In the analysis sheet, we saw that bars 1 and 3 used the same rhythm and that each line
finished with a longer note.
a) Choose what order you would like your rhythm boxes to come in, making sure that
you repeat one of the boxes and that you have a longer note at the end of the line.
b) Order of rhythm boxes:7
c)
Write the rhythms onto the first single line here.
4
4
f)
Learn to play the blues scale as given below.
g) Now try playing the rhythms you have written using any combination of the notes
of the blues scale. Once you have decided on an idea that you like, transfer this onto
the stave, directly under the rhythm for that bar.
h) You will remember from the analysis sheet that line 2 was the same as line 1. Copy
the same notes you have written in line 1 into line 2.
i)
To complete line 3, choose one rhythm box and use it for bars 9, 10 and 11, finishing
the line with a semi-breve (4 beat note) in bar 12.
j)
Now choose what notes you want to play line 3 and write them in.
Partner Check
Ask your partner to complete the following:Tick
“I have checked the melody and it uses only notes of the blues scale”
“I have checked that lines 1 and 2 are the same”
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Task 12 – Adding Your Melody
It is now time to add your melody to your music software to complete your 12 Bar
Blues.
If you are inputting your notes manually onto your score, you will have set the score to
be in the key of D. As a result of this, all the F’s and C’s will automatically be made into
F#’s and C#’s. To make them natural, which you need for the melody of your piece, add
the natural symbol to each F and C (see below).
Natural symbol
Task 13 - Composition Self Assessment
Now that you have finished your 12 bar blues, take time to listen to it. Are you happy
with how it sounds?
It may be that some notes from your melody clash with your chords creating
“dissonance”. Sometimes this can sound ok in a composition, but sometimes you will
need to change some notes in the melody to make it fit. In the box below write down
the bar numbers of any bits that don’t sound right, then try to fix them.
Task 14 – Print off!
When you are happy with your composition, print it off and give it to your teacher to
check.
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Task 15 – Rehearse
You should now get into small groups to practice your compositions. Listen
carefully to each other so that you can help and encourage each other.
Remember that a good performance should include



Accuracy in pitch and rhythm
A steady and appropriate tempo
Dynamics – you can add these as you rehearse
Task 16 – Perform!
Your teacher will record your group performing your piece to the rest of
the class. Write down 2 things that you thought went well with your
performance and your partner’s performance. Then write down 1 thing that you
think you and your partner need improve in your next group performances. Discuss
your grid with your partner.
My Performance
Partner’s Performance
Wish
“I Can...” Self assessment grid
Complete the grid using:-
A = I can do this really well
B = I am beginning to do this well
or C = I need to spend more time
on this
... compose a 12 bar blues
... work as a small group to rehearse my composition
... perform my composition confidently to the class
... identify key features of the 12 bar blues compositional
approach and use them in my composition
... use music software to write my composition
... check my own and other people’s work and give
constructive feedback
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Pupil
Teacher