MILES DAVIS ALL BLUES

AOS 3: POPULAR MUSIC CONTEXT

LESSON 1

KEY FACTS: LEARN THESE FOR HOMEWORK

COMPOSER: MILES DAVIS

YEAR: 1959

STYLE / GENRE: MODAL JAZZ

COUNTRY: USA

INSTRUMENTS: TRUMPET, ALTO SAX, TENOR SAX, PIANO, DOUBLE BASS, DRUMS

TONALITY: G MAJOR / G MIXOLYDIAN MODE

TIME SIGNATURE: 6/4 (JAZZ WALTZ)

KEY TERMS TO UNDERSTAND THIS LESSON:

12 BAR BLUES

MODES

RIFF

SWUNG QUAVERS

HEAD

IMPROVISATION

CHORD EXTENSIONS

COMPOSITION STARTING POINT: 12 BAR BLUES

BRIEF: ALL BLUES uses a mix of tradtional jazz features and elements and manipulates them to create an original piece of music. You will now do the same. You should use a typical 12 bar blues structure in G major as a starting point. Explore how Miles Davis develops this into All Blues, and then compose your own Blues piece, demonstrating your own flair and creativity throughout.

TIME ALLOWED: 10 HOURS.

15% OF YOUR OVERALL MARK.

QUESTION

HOW does Mile Davis turn

this into the more complex piece

of music ALL BLUES?

STANDARD 12 BAR BLUES IN G

POINTS TO CONSIDER & DISCUSSTEMPOTIME SIGNATUREINSTRUMENTATIONKEY SIGNATURE / TONALITYRHYTHMSCHORDSEXTENSIONS

MAKE A LIST OF YOUR KEY FINDINGS

10 MINUTE TASK1. SCORE THE BASIC 12 BAR BLUE IN G INTO MUSESCORE FROM THE PDF / HANDOUT PROVIDED - This will help you to get used to the basic functions of Musescore without having to think about being creative with your work.

INTO

WHAT WILL YOU DO TO TURN YOUR GENERIC 12 BAR BLUES FROM TASK 1 INTO AN ORIGINAL COMPOSITION?

QUESTION: HOW MANY NOTES IN A CHORD?

CHORDS AND EXTENSIONS

ANSWER: 3 OR MOREDON'T CONFUSE A TRIAD (3 NOTES ONLY - NORMALLY 1ST, 3RD AND 5TH) WITH A CHORD (WHICH CAN CONTAIN MANY DIFFERENT NOTES)

CHORDS AND EXTENSIONS

A basic chord (triad) uses degrees (notes) 1, 3 and 5 of it's' scaleWe may EXTEND by adding extra notes to it.

E.g. To create C7: (1)C, (3)E, (5)G, (7)B

DEGREE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

NOTE G A B C D E F G A B C D E

DEGREES OF G SCALE (MIXOLYDIAN MODE)

A chord symbol is a set of instructions telling you how to play each chord

G7 : G triad (1,3,5) plus the 7th G,B,D,F

How would you build a G11 chord?

DEGREE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

NOTE G A B C D E F G A B C D E

DEGREES OF G SCALE (MIXOLYDIAN MODE)

A chord symbol is a set of instructions telling you how to play each chord

G7 : G triad (1,3,5) plus the 7th G,B,D,F

How would you build a G11 chord?

FINALLY: You may alter (flatten or sharpen) any of the notes in a chord by putting a bracket around the # or b and degree of the scale.

KEYBOARD EXPLANATION GUITARIST EXPLANATION

CLASS TASK:

1. Experiment with chords on musescore or a keyboard / guitar until you come up with an altered 12 bar blues that you would like to use in your composition.

2. Enter into musescore your complete, altered 12 bar blues.

HOMEWORK (ON SHOW MY HOMEWORK)

1. DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL MUSESCORE ON YOUR PC / MAC / TABLET AT HOME.Download | MuseScore2. LEARNT THE KEY FACTS FOR ALL BLUES - YOU WILL BE TESTED ON THIS ON MONDAY 7TH3. LISTEN TO ALL BLUES AT LEAST ONCE A DAY (IT CAN BE IN THE BACKGROUND WHILE YOU ARE DOING OTHER THINGS.4. ENSURE YOU CAN CONFIDENTLY PLAY THE FOLLOWING SCALES (ONE OCTAVE, ASCENDING ONLY) ON YOUR INSTRUMENT OR (KEYBOARD IF YOU ARE A VOCALIST)• C MAJOR • C MINOR• G MAJOR• G MINORTHERE ARE VIDEO LINKS ATTACHED TO GUIDE IF NEEDED.

MILES DAVIS ALL BLUES

AOS 3: POPULAR MUSIC CONTEXT

LESSON 2

RECAP FROM LAST LESSON

WRITE OUT THE FOLLOWING KEY FACTS FOR ALL BLUES:

COMPOSER:

YEAR:

STYLE / GENRE:

COUNTRY:

INSTRUMENTS:

TONALITY:

TIME SIGNATURE:

KEY FACTS:KEY TERMS TO UNDERSTAND THIS LESSON:

12 BAR BLUES

MODES

RIFF

SWUNG QUAVERS

IMPROVISATION

HEAD

CHORD EXTENSIONS

COMPOSER: MILES DAVIS

YEAR: 1959

STYLE / GENRE: MODAL JAZZ

COUNTRY: USA

INSTRUMENTS: TRUMPET, ALTO SAX, TENOR SAX, PIANO, DOUBLE BASS, DRUMS

TONALITY: G MAJOR / G MIXOLYDIAN MODE

TIME SIGNATURE: 6/4 (JAZZ WALTZ)

SCALES AND MODES

1) ON YOUR INSTRUMENT (OR A KEYBOARD) PLAY A C MAJOR SCALE2) NOW PLAY A C MINOR SCALE

HOW ARE KEY SIGNATURES AND SCALES RELATED?

3) ON YOUR INSTRUMENT (OR A KEYBOARD) PLAY A G MAJOR SCALE4) NOW PLAY A G MINOR SCALE

SCALES AND MODES

1) ON YOUR INSTRUMENT (OR A KEYBOARD) PLAY A C MAJOR SCALE2) NOW PLAY A C MINOR SCALE

A SCALE IS QUITE SIMPLY A SERIES OF NOTES

A KEY SIGNATURE TELLS YOU THAT YOU SHOULD MOSTLY BE USING THE NOTES OF THAT SCALE!

ALTHOUGH THE MAJORITY OF SCALES YOU ENCOUNTER ARE MAJOR OR MINOR, MODAL SCALES ALSO EXIST. ALTHOUGH THEY MAY SEEM CONFUSING AT FIRST, THEY ARE JUST MORE OF THE SAME.

MIXOLYDIAN MODE

TO FIND MIXOLYDIAN MODE IN OTHER KEYS VISIT THIS WEBSITEhttps://www.basicmusictheory.com/c-mixolydian-mode

DORIAN MODE

THE CHEATS GUIDE TO WORKING OUT MODES

• Ionian mode (same as major scale): All the white notes, starting on C• Dorian: All the white notes, starting on D• Phrygian: All the white notes, starting on E• Lydian: All the white notes, starting on F• Mixolydian: All the white notes, starting on G (This is the mode used in

All Blues)• Aeolian/ (same as natural minor scale) All the white notes, starting on A, B, C,

D, E, F, G, A• Locrian: All the white notes, starting on B

then just transpose if you are in a different key.

DO NOT PANIC IF THIS SEEMS COMPLICATED - IN MY 25 YEARS OF BEING A MUSICIAN, I HAVE ONLY EVER NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS IN ORDER TO TEACH IT TO OTHERS.

PERFORMANCE TASK:Play dorian mode starting on a D on your instrument/ a keyboard.Play phrygian mode starting on an E on your instrument/ a keyboard.

COMPOSITION TASK:1. Choose a mode to compose in, and enter it as a scale into

Musescore.2. If needed TRANSPOSE this scale into the you have chosen to write

your piece in3. Compose a 4 bar melody using only the notes in your chosen mode.4. DEVELOP your melody into a 12 bar head – remember you should

be doing more copying and pasting of your original material than creating new.

8 BAR INTRO

PIANO TRILL - SUSTAINED

(FUNCTIONS AS A TONIC PEDAL)

SYNCOPATED SWUNG DRUMS - BRUSHES

RATHER THAN STICKS = SUBTLE, RELAXED EFFECT

AS INTRO BARS 1-8.BARS 9 & 10 SUSTAINED

BASS NOTES. RETURNS TO OPENING

RIFF BARS 11 &12

12 BAR HEAD

RHYT

HM

SEC

TIO

N12 BAR HEAD

0-20 secs 21-52 secs

BARS 1-8 AS INTRO, 9 & 10 - RESTS, RETURNS WITH

TRILL BARS 11 & 12

AS INTRO THROUGHOUT

PIZZICATO DOUBLE

BASS RIFF - SWUNG

QUAVERS

FRO

NTL

INE

BAR 5 - ENTERS WITH

2 BAR RIFF, REPEATED

BAR 5 - ENTERS WITH

2 BAR RIFF, REPEATED

RESTING THROUGHOUT

RIFF

FO

R 4

BARS

BAR 1-8 - RIFFBARS 9 &10 - CHANGE

TO LEGATO ACCOMPANIMENTBAR 11 & 12 - RIFF

BAR 1-8 - RIFFBARS 9 &10 - CHANGE

TO LEGATO ACCOMPANIMENTBAR 11 & 12 - RIFF

MUTED - COOL RELAXED, SUSTAINED MELODY

MUTED - COOL RELAXED, SUSTAINED MELODY

BAR 1-8 - RIFFBARS 9 &10 - CHANGE

TO LEGATO ACCOMPANIMENTBAR 11 & 12 - RIFF

BAR 1-8 - RIFFBARS 9 &10 - CHANGE

TO LEGATO ACCOMPANIMENTBAR 11 & 12 - RIFF

BARS 1-8 AS INTRO, 9 & 10 - RESTS, RETURNS WITH

TRILL BARS 11 & 12

AS INTRO THROUGHOUT

AS INTRO BARS 1-8.BARS 9 & 10 SUSTAINED

BASS NOTES. RETURNS TO OPENING

RIFF BARS 11 &12

53 secs - 1min 2 secs 1 min 4 secs - 1 min 35 sec

RIFF

FO

R 4

BARS

1min 36 sec - 1 min 46 1 min 47 secs - 3 min 53

sec

48 (4X12) BARS TRUMPET SOLO

RIFF

FO

R 4

BARS

UNMUTED - CLEAR, CRISPER SOUNDSTILL SMOOTH AND RELAXED.

SHORTER PHRASES, LESS SUSTAINED NOTES AND MORE SYNCOPATED RHYTHMS THAN HEAD

OFTEN IN HIGH RANGE OF INSTRUMENTRESTING

RESTING

3 mins 54 secs –4 mins 1 secs

RHYT

HM

SEC

TIO

NFR

ON

TLIN

E

RIFF

FO

R 4

BARS

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

48 (4X12) BARS4 mins 2 secs - 6 mins 4 secs-

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

RIFF

FO

R 4

BARS

48 (4X12) BARS6 mins 15 – 8 mins 16

6 mins 5 secs –6 mins 14 8 mins 17 –

8 mins 26

24 (2X12) BARS8 mins 27 – 9 mins 28

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

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RIFF

FO

R 4

BARS

9 mins 29 –9 mins 38

YOUR NOTES HERE

12 BAR HEAD

RHYT

HM

SEC

TIO

N12 BAR HEAD

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

FRO

NTL

INE

RIFF

FO

R 4

BARS

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

10min 10 - 10min 19 10 mins 20 – 10 mins 50

RIFF

FO

R 4

BARS

10 mins 51 –11 mins 01 11 mins 02 - end

12 BAR CODA9 mins 39 – 10 mins 9

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

YOUR NOTES HERE

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HOMEWORKComplete the structural overview of All Blues. The following keywords may be of use to youYou should use the set work summary provided to help you.

Muted Virtuosic

Mixolydian mode

Syncopated

Swung

Comping

Unmuted / open

ScalesRide cymbal

Chromatic