How do improvisors communicate when performing in a band?

In this lesson, we will consolidate our learning about band musicianship by examining how blues bands communicate with each other. We will learn about what makes a great blues musician and improviser, and how to improvise our own phrases within a structure.

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Quiz:

Intro quiz - Recap from previous lesson

Before we start this lesson, let’s see what you can remember from this topic. Here’s a quick quiz!

Q1.What types of instruments were used in early blues music?

Percussion and guitarBrass and woodwindConcertina and vocals

1/8

Q2.What technique is often used in blues singing?

SlidesTremoloSlap

2/8

Q3.How is the drum kit often played in blues music?

With sticksWith brushesWith their hands

3/8

Q4.What technique describes this: 'when the player uses their hand to make a sound on the fretboard when they play bass'

SlapTremoloVibrato

4/8

Q5.What is a bottlenecking?

Moving your fingers very quickly when holding down the string so that the sound ‘wobbles’Using a bottleneck or other implement to cover all the strings and slide up and downSliding on the same string to the next note to make it smooth

5/8

Q6.What is a string bend?

Moving your fingers very quickly when holding down the string so that the sound ‘wobbles’Bending the string on the fretboard to alter the pitchSliding on the same string to the next note to make it smooth

6/8

Q7.What is a vibrato?

Sliding on the same string to the next note to make it smoothBending the string on the fretboard to alter the pitchMoving your fingers very quickly when holding down the string so that the sound ‘wobbles’

7/8

Q8.What is a crushed note?

Bending the string on the fretboard to alter the pitchAlternating really quickly between two pitches/chordsPlaying really short notes, usually a step away from the main note

8/8

This quiz includes images that don't have any alt text - please contact your teacher who should be able to help you with an audio description.

Unit quizzes are being retired in August 2023

Why we're removing unit quizzes from the website >

Quiz:

Intro quiz - Recap from previous lesson

Before we start this lesson, let’s see what you can remember from this topic. Here’s a quick quiz!

Q1.What types of instruments were used in early blues music?

Percussion and guitarBrass and woodwindConcertina and vocals

1/8

Q2.What technique is often used in blues singing?

SlidesTremoloSlap

2/8

Q3.How is the drum kit often played in blues music?

With sticksWith brushesWith their hands

3/8

Q4.What technique describes this: 'when the player uses their hand to make a sound on the fretboard when they play bass'

SlapTremoloVibrato

4/8

Q5.What is a bottlenecking?

5/8

Q6.What is a string bend?

6/8

Q7.What is a vibrato?

7/8

Q8.What is a crushed note?

Bending the string on the fretboard to alter the pitchAlternating really quickly between two pitches/chordsPlaying really short notes, usually a step away from the main note

8/8

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Worksheet

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This quiz includes images that don't have any alt text - please contact your teacher who should be able to help you with an audio description.

Unit quizzes are being retired in August 2023

Why we're removing unit quizzes from the website >

Quiz:

How do improvisers communicate when performing in a band?

Don’t worry if you get a question wrong! Forgetting is an important step in learning. We will recap next lesson.

Q1.What is improvising?

Following a scoreCopying another musicianMaking up the music on the spot

1/10

Q2.What should you do to communicate when playing in a band?

Shout across to the other playersMake hand signalsListen and make eye contact

2/10

Q3.In blues, how do you decide what pitches to improvise with?

Use a major scaleUse pitches from the blues scaleUse random notes and see what sounds good

3/10

Q4.Which pitches are heard in the G major blues scale?

G A B D E GG A B C D E F# GG Bb C Db D F G

4/10

Q5.When do you improvise in "Bags' Groove"?

Between the heads.At the end.All the way through.

5/10

Q6.Choose the correct option for the 12 bar blues.

IV, IV, I, I / I, I, I, I / V, IV, I, II, I, I, I / IV, IV, I, I / / V, IV, I, IV, IV, I, I / I, I, I, I / IV, IV, I, I

6/10

Q7.What is a turnaround?

When chord I at the end of the 12 bar blues changes to chord V to take us back to the beginningWhen chord V at the end of the 12 bar blues changes to chord I to take us back to the beginningWhen your repeat a section in the blues

7/10

Q8.How do blues players know how to improvise in C jam blues?

They play a question and answerThey follow the sheet musicThey improvise over one round of the 12 bar blues

8/10

Q9.What is a typical head arrangement structure?

Intro, head, chorus, chorus, chorus, head, codaCoda, head, chorus, head, chorus, headIntro, chorus, head, head, head, chorus, coda

9/10

Q10.What two pitches are used in the melody of C Jam Blues?

C and DC and EC and G

10/10

This quiz includes images that don't have any alt text - please contact your teacher who should be able to help you with an audio description.

Unit quizzes are being retired in August 2023

Why we're removing unit quizzes from the website >

Quiz:

How do improvisers communicate when performing in a band?

Don’t worry if you get a question wrong! Forgetting is an important step in learning. We will recap next lesson.

Q1.What is improvising?

Following a scoreCopying another musicianMaking up the music on the spot

1/10

Q2.What should you do to communicate when playing in a band?

Shout across to the other playersMake hand signalsListen and make eye contact

2/10

Q3.In blues, how do you decide what pitches to improvise with?

Use a major scaleUse pitches from the blues scaleUse random notes and see what sounds good

3/10

Q4.Which pitches are heard in the G major blues scale?

G A B D E GG A B C D E F# GG Bb C Db D F G

4/10

Q5.When do you improvise in "Bags' Groove"?

Between the heads.At the end.All the way through.

5/10

Q6.Choose the correct option for the 12 bar blues.

IV, IV, I, I / I, I, I, I / V, IV, I, II, I, I, I / IV, IV, I, I / / V, IV, I, IV, IV, I, I / I, I, I, I / IV, IV, I, I

6/10

Q7.What is a turnaround?

7/10

Q8.How do blues players know how to improvise in C jam blues?

They play a question and answerThey follow the sheet musicThey improvise over one round of the 12 bar blues

8/10

Q9.What is a typical head arrangement structure?

Intro, head, chorus, chorus, chorus, head, codaCoda, head, chorus, head, chorus, headIntro, chorus, head, head, head, chorus, coda

9/10

Q10.What two pitches are used in the melody of C Jam Blues?

C and DC and EC and G

10/10

Lesson summary: How do improvisors communicate when performing in a band?

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Time to move!

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This was the final lesson in the unit Band Musicianship 2: The Blues.

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