AACE Ed-Media 2009 Presentation Mobbs

Using Online Music Composition Websites to Engage the Music Appreciation Student
AACE
ED-Media Conference
Honolulu, Hawai'i
June 2009
Kevin Mobbs, D.M.A.
University of West Georgia

Overview
In a typical Music Appreciation class, students learn music concepts and important works and composers
Due to the high level of training and complexity involved, historically, the music appreciation student is unable to apply these concepts
Technology now allows the non-musician music appreciation student to apply music concepts learned in class
This hands-on application, engages the student and solidifies concepts. Besides- it’s lots of fun

A Sample Lesson: Compose a Blues Song
Lesson Goals:
Learn the importance of repetition and contrast in the construction of music
Create a song using learned concepts of repetition and contrast

www.jamstudio.com

Lesson Description
Students learned details involving two main aspects of repetition and contrast in a traditional Blues song
Lyric form (AAB)
12 Bar Blues Progression (harmony)

The AACE-Ed-Media Blues
The best way to understand this process is to do it ourselves
We will focus on learning and creating the 12 Bar Blues Progression (harmony)
Feel free to write lyrics and volunteer to sing your song at the end of the session

The 12 Bar Blues Progression
Underlying a Blues song and the lyric is the 12 Bar Blues Progression (harmony).
The 12 Bar Blues Progression consists of 3 sections (A-A-B) which is further made up of four groupings (measures) of the beat.
3 sections multiplied by 4 groupings equals 12 Bar Blues Form.

3 sections (A/A/B) multiplied by 4 measures (groupings) equals 12 Bar Blues Progression.
12 Bar Blues Progression built on only 3 different chords: I-IV-V
I-I-I-I IV-IV-I-I V-IV-I-I
(as one example of 12 bar blues chord progression)
A
A
B

The numerals refer to the scale degree of any scale:
C D E F G A B C
What’s the 4-5-1 in the above scale?
1
2
3
4
6
5
7
8(1)
F (IV); G (V); C (I)

Element 2: Identify the 4, 5, 1
F; G ; A ; B-flat ; C; D; E
B-flat; C; F
B-flat; C; D; E-flat; F; G; A
E-flat; F; Bb
A; B; C; D; E; F; G
D; E; A
D; E; F-sharp; G; A; B; C;
G; A; D

Compose the 12 Bar Blues
3 sections (A/A/B) multiplied by 4 measures (groupings) equals 12 Bar Blues Progression.
12 Bar Blues Progression built on the chords: I-IV-V
I-I-I-I IV-IV-I-I V-IV-I-I
A
A
B
Spell the 12 Bar Blues from the following scale (use the above):
B-flat; C; D; E-flat; F; G; A;
Bb BbBb BbEbEbBb BbF EbBb Bb
The Infamous B-flat Blues

Compose the 12 Bar Blues: JamStudio.com
Bb BbBb BbEbEbBb BbF EbBb Bb
The B-flat Blues
OR
The AACE Ed-Media Blues

JamStudio: Enter Chords

JamStudio: Choose Instruments

JamStudio: Choose Style

JamStudio: Instruments/Style

JamStudio: Finished Song

JamStudio: Other Options

Summary
Anyone want to sing their lyrics?

The JamStudio link to the AACE Ed-Media Blues will be placed on the Wiki (address on handout)
Use music creation in any discipline
Many music websites are available

Resources

Wiki for today’s presentation
http://aaceblues.pbworks.com
EdTech forum for technical help
http://whistlingwhale.com/edtechforum/
Other music creation websites

http://www.soundjunction.com
http://lab.andre-michelle.com/fl-909
http://www.eye4u.com/showroom/websynth/websynth.htm
http://www.jamglue.com/
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/products/sdml/sdml.asp
http://www.tony-b.org/