Repertoire Exploration
The Orchestra Swings with Form Aim: How does form help musicians swing? Summary: Students establish an understanding of form and explore A-A-B-A form in “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” and 12-bar blues form in “Duke’s Place.” Materials: Link Up CD, Link Up Digital Resources, Link Up Student Guides Standards: National 2, 4, 7, 10; NYC 1, 2, 3 Vocabulary: blues, bridge, chord, chorus, form, harmonic changes, measure, scale
Musical Form In music, form is the road map for any piece, providing the overall layout or structure and defining how one section connects to the next. The form helps the musicians stay together and know where they are in the music. Some musical forms are specific to certain styles or periods of music; other forms span many styles and eras. In jazz, as the form repeats and the rhythm section maintains the beat, the other musicians can play the melody and have the chance to play improvised solos.
• What are some examples of how form is used in your life (e.g., following a recipe, map, or schedule)?
Exploring A-A-B-A Form in “It Don’t Mean a Taking a Chorus Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” In jazz, the A-A-B-A form is repeated multiple times; one time through the A-A-B-A form is a common form used in many styles full form is called a chorus. When a jazz of music. In many songs and jazz tunes, each of the four sections has eight measures, adding up to 32 musician “takes a chorus,” it means that measures of music. The A sections are the same or she or he improvises a solo over the form slightly different, and the B section (often referred to of the piece. For example, when you and as the bridge) is contrasting. your students have sung through the entire basic part of “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It • Learn the melody for “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Ain’t Got That Swing)” you have taken a Got That Swing)” on SG12. chorus. In the final concert, we will hear and • As you sing, use the Melodic and Lyric Patterns chart perform this chorus several times. on SG18 to follow the form. Play Track 24 “It Don’t Mean a Thing • Note when the melody repeats and when the melodic (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” (Washburne). pattern is different. You will hear the singer take a full chorus • Note similarities and differences in the lyrics for at the beginning, followed by the piano, each line. saxophone, trumpet, and drums each taking a half chorus (the A-A or B-A sections, respectively). To end the song, the singer takes it from the second half of the chorus and “tags” (or “takes us out”) by singing the “doo wah” lyrics three times.
30 Repertoire Exploration
Using Movement to Understand Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing A-A-B-A Form (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That • Ask students to sing the A section of “It Don’t Mean a Swing)” was one of the first compositions to Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” and create a include the word “swing” in its title. Duke movement for that section. Do the same with the B section, eliciting a contrasting movement. Ellington composed the piece during an intermission at a big band dance performance • Split the class into two groups and have the first group in Chicago. Legend has it that no one was sing the A section while the second group moves, and dancing until he enlivened the mood by have the second group sing the B section while the first introducing this song. Track 22 features group moves, switching parts for each chorus. Ellington’s big band along with famous • Play Track 26, “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got trumpeter and singer Louis Armstrong. That Swing)” (play-along). • Let’s try it out with the music. Sing along and perform your corresponding A and B movements.
Musicians Play with A-A-B-A Form
• Play Track 22 “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” (Armstrong complete), as performed by Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. For more information about Armstrong and Ellington, see SG35. • Follow the melody on SG12 while you listen to how the musicians play with the A-A-B-A form in this version of “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Creative Extension: Swing)” featuring Armstrong on vocals. (You will hear an introduction before the A-A-B-A pattern, or My Musical Form chorus, begins.) • Choose a time signature and • How is the melody different from what you see on work with the class to create two contrasting rhythmic patterns, the page? labelled A and B, in My Musical • Does knowing the form of the piece change how you Form on SG19. listen to the music? • Have the students practice clapping the rhythms while keeping a steady beat with their feet. Go Deeper • Divide the class into two groups Explore A-A-B-A form in Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm.” and assign each group one of the rhythms. • Write patterns on the board or on SG19 (e.g. A-A-B-A, A-B-A, etc.), and have the students perform the patterns, playing their section of the rhythm.
31 SG 18
“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)”
ScoreScoreScoreScoreScore Melodic and Lyric PatternsScore Score
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Score Score Score Score Score Score Phrase swing swing ItItIt that that Itdon't don'tItdon't got got don'tdon't mean mean mean meanain't ain't amean a a thing it it athing athingthing if if thing if if if ifitthing thing it if it a a itain't itain'tain't ain't mean mean ain't got got gotdon't don't that gotthat that gotIt It that thatswing swing swing swing swing AAAAA A A It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing swing swing It It that that don'tdon't got got mean meanain't ain't a a it it thingthing if if if ifthing thing it it a a ain'tain't mean mean got gotdon't don't that that It It swing swing A A AA A A doodoodoo doo wah wah doo wah wah doo wahIt doowah wah swing swing doo swing swing wah dooIt wahItdon'tItIt wahdoo doo doo wah that that that that don'tdon'tdon't wah doowahdoodon'tdoowahdoo got got mean wah wah got got doowahdoo wahdoowahdoo wah doo doo meanwah meandoowahdoo mean mean awah doodoowahwah doodoowahain't ain't wah wah ain't ain't thing adoodoowah a a waha doowahwahdoo doo wah doodoowahthing it it thing it it thingthing wah doo wah doo if if if if doo wah wah doo wah ifwah it if ifdoo wahif doo doo wah itthing thing itthing thing it wahain't itdoowahdoodoowahdoo wah wah a a a a doowahdooain'tain't wahain't wahdoowahain't doo doo wah doowahdoo mean mean wahgot mean mean doowahdoo doowahdoowah wah wah doowahdoo that got gotwah got wahdoowahdoo got doo doo don't don't wahdon't don't doowahdoo that that that wah that swing doo doowahIt It It It doo wah wah swing dooswingwah swingwah swing doo doo doo wahwahwah wah wah doo doo AAAAA A A A A doo wah doo wah doowahdoo wah doodoowah wah doo wah doowahdoo wah doowahdoo wah doo wah swing swing doo that that doo wah got got wah doo wah wah swing swing doo wahain't ain't ItIt doo doo wah that that don't it it doowahdoo wah wah got got doowahdoo if if wah doo doo wah mean doodoowah wah wah ain't ain't It doodoowahthing thing a wahdoo doo wahdon't it it a a thingthing doo if if wah wah doo mean mean mean wah if if doo doo wah thing thing a itdon't don't it doowahdoo wah wah a a thingdoowahdooIt It ain't wah doo doo wah mean mean doowahdoo wah wah if doowahdoo got wah doo doo itdon't don't wah that doo It It ain't wah wah doo swingwah doo doo wah got wah wah that doo doo swing A A A A A A doo doo wahdoodoodoo wah wah wah wah doo ItIt wahdoo dooIt doo doowah wah wah wah sing sing Itdon'tdon't wah wahIt wahdon't wah is is doowahdoo doo doo doo doo don'tdon't wahdoowahdoo mean doowahdoo do do doowahdoomean doo wah wah wah wah mean wah wah meanwah doo doo wah doo doo doowah to to meana a a wah doodoowah doodoowahdoodoowah wah wah athing wah wah doogot got thing athing wah wahdoo doo wahdoo doo wahthing doo thing you you doo doowah doo doo wah wah wah wah all all all wah all wah wahwah all doo doo doo doo doowahdoo all you all you wah you doowahdoo doowahdoo wah wah doowahdoo wah wah doo yougot wah you wahthing thing gotwah doo doo doo doo doowah wahgot got a a wah todoowahdoo doowahdoo got to doowahdoo wah wah doo wah wah to wah wah to wah doodowahdoo doo doo doo mean mean do to do doo dodoowah doo is doo isdo wah wah wah wah isdon't don't wah singwahwah sing is wah doo doo doo doo sing is It It sing sing wah wah wah wah doo doo doo doo PhraseAAAA A A A It don't mean a thing all you got to do is sing wah wah doo doo doo wah wah wah It doo doo dooIt sing sing wah wah don't wah wah wah is is don't doo doo doodoo doo mean do do doowahdoo wah wah wah mean wah wah wah doo doo to to adoo a doo doo doodoowah wah wah thinggot got thing wahdoo doo wah wah you you doowahdoo doo doo doo wah wah wah all all all wah wah wah all doo doo doodoowahdoo doo you wah youdoowahdoo wah wah gotthing thing wah wah wah doo doo doogot doo doo a a to doowahdoowah wah wah to wah wah wah dodoo doo mean mean dodoowahdoodoo doo doo is wah wah don't don't is singwah doo doo sing doowahdoo It It wah wah wah doo doo doo wah A AA A A doodoodooItdoo wah wahdoo wah ItIt wahdon'tItIt doo wah doo sing sing sing sing wah wah doodon'tdon'tdon't wahdon't doo wah is is is is mean wahdoo doo doo wah mean wahmeandoowahdoo do do mean do do doowahdoo meana wah wah doowahdoo wahdoowahdoo wah to to doo doo to to awahthing adoowahdoo a a wah doodoowahwahthing doodoowahthinggot got wah wah thinggot got thing doodoowah wah doodoowahwahdoo doo wah doodoowah you you you you wah all doowah doodoo wah wah all all all all all alldoo wah all you wah doowah doo doo wah you you you yougotwah doowahdoodoowahdoo wah wah doowahdoo gotgotthing thing wahgotthing thing wahdoowahdootogot doo doo wahdoowahdoo a a wah a a to todoowahdoo todo doowahdoowah to wah wah doowahdoo wah wahdoowahdoo do do mean mean doo doo do mean mean wah isdo doowahdoo wah doo sing doowah is is is doo is wah wah don't don't don't don't doosingwah sing singwah sing doo doo doo wahIt It It It wahwah wah wah doo doo AAAAAA A A A A doo wah doo wah doowahdoo wah doodoowah wah doo wah doowahdoo wah doowahdoo wah doo wah sing sing is is doodoo do do wah wah ItIt to to doo sing sing wah wah doodon't wahgot got is is wah doo doo you you mean do do doowahdoo wah wah doowahdoo wah It doo doo to to all all wah a don't doodoowah wah wah thinggot got thing doodoowah wahdoo doo wah you you meanthing thing doo wah wah doo all all a a aall all wah doo doo wah thing mean mean you you doowahdoo wah wah doowahdoo got thing thing wah doo doo don't don't wah a a all to doowahdoo It It wah wah doowahdoo wah doo doo do mean mean you wah doo is gotdoo wah wah don't don't wah sing doo doo wah toIt It wah wah do doo doo is sing A A A A A A doo doo wahdoodoodoo wah wah wah wah doo wahdoohot hot dooIt doo It doowah wah wah wah It wah wahIt wah wah makes doowahdoomakes doo doo It doo doo makes or or wahmakesdoowahdoodoowahdoo doowahdoo doomakes wah wah wah wah wah wahno wah sweet sweet nowah doo doo doowah doo doo no no wah doodoowah doodoowahit's it's nodoodoowah wah wah wah wah doo diff diff wah diff wah wahdoo doo -doo doo wah- rencedoo diff rence- rencediff- doorence doowah doo- doo rence wah wah if if wah wah wah wahif wah if wah doo doo if doo doo doowahdoo if ifwah rence rence doowahdoo doowahdoo- - doowahdoo wah wah wah wah doowah diff diff wah wah doo doo it'sdoowah doo doo wahit'sit's wah doowahdooit's doowahdoo doowahdoo sweetdoo wah wah no no sweet wah wah it's sweetwah wah wah doowahdoo doo sweetdoo doo or or sweet ordoo doowah doomakes makes doo or wah wah wah wah orwahwahwah wah doo doo It It doo doo hothot hothot wah wah wah wah hot doo doo doo doo BBBB B B B It makes no diff- rence if it's sweet or hot wah wah doo doo doo wah wah wah doo doo hot hot dooItwah wah It wah wah makes doo doo doo doo makes or or doowahdoo wah wah wah wahno sweet sweet wah wah doo doo no doo doo doo it's it's doodoowah wah wah diff diffwah doo doo - rence wah wah -doowahdoo rence doo doo doo wah if if wah wah wahif wah wah doo doo if doodoowahdoo doo wah rence rence - - doowahdoo wah wah diff diff wah wah doo doo it's dooit's doo doo doowahdoo wahsweet no no wah wah sweet wah wah wah doo doo ordoowahdoo ordoo doo doomakes makes wah wah wahIt It doo doo hot doowahdoohot wah wah wah doo doo wah B BB B B Phrase It hot hot Ithot hot ItJustItJustmakesgot got ItJustJustmakesmakesmakesJustmakesgivegive or or or or nogive you you give nogiveno sweet sweet thatno sweet sweet thatno thatdiff thing thing that it's it's -it's it's rencethat diffdiff rhydiff rhy diff ry ry rhy---- rence- rence--- thmrence rhy thmrence-- thmrhy--ev ev thmif-- if if thm if if if if if ifevevev thm thm rence rence ev rence rence ------it's- - ev ry ry diff diff rhy rhy diff diff it's ryit'sit's sweetit's ry thing rything sweet sweetthing no no that that sweet no no or sweet thing you you thing youor or or orgive give youmakes makes youmakes makes hot gotIt It gotJust Just hotIt It hothotgothotgotgot B B Just give that rhy-- thm ev ry thing you BgotBBBB hot hot or or sweet sweet hot hot ItItJustgot got Justit's it's makesgive or or give you you no sweet sweet that if if thing thing thatIt it's it's diff rhy ry ry makesrhy rence rence ------rence thm--thm diff diff ev ev no if if if no no ev diffev thm thm rence rence ------rencemakes makes ry rhy rhy diff diff ryit'sit'sIt It thingif that that thingsweet no no sweet you you or orgive give makes makes it'sgotJust Just It It hotgot sweet or hot B B B B B B B B B Just ItItJust ItJust got got Justgot got JustItdon'tgivedon't swing swing Itdon'tdon'tgivegivegivegivedon't thatmean that that mean you you you you mean thatthat got got mean that that thing thing mean thing thing a rhy a a-- thmrhy athing rhy rhything ry ry ry ry rhy athing----ain't ain't -- thm thm thing-- thm thmthingev ev ev ev it it if ifev if if if if it itevev ifev itev ry it thm thm thm thm -- -- ain't-- -- itain't ryain't ry ry rhy rhy rhy rhy thing thing ryain'tain't thing a a thing thingyou thing that that got that that got gotyou you you youthat mean mean got that thatgotgive give give give thatgot that swing swingdon't don't swinggotgotJust Just gotJust Just got swingIt It swing It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing got got you you It thing thing ItJustgot got don't swing swing don't ry ry give that that mean you you ev ev mean got got that thing thing Just a a thing rhy ry ry thm thm thingain't ain't -- -- give---- thm rhy rhy ev ev it it if that if that that if if itev it rhy thm thm -- -- give give --ain't thmain't rything thing rhy rhy a a Just Just thing that that gotev got you mean mean that thatgive give ry swingdon't don't swinggotJust Just thing It It you got AAAA A A A A AA It ItItItdon'tIt don'tdon't swing swing don't swing swing don't mean mean that that mean that that mean mean a got got got got athing a a a thingthingthingthingain't ain't ain't ain't if it it if it it if it if if if if it if if it it itain'tain'tain'tain'tain't thing thing thing thing got a a a a that got got got got that mean mean that mean mean that that swing swing swingdon't don't swingdon't don't swing It It It It A A doodoodoo doo wah wahdoo wah wah doowah wah doo doo wah doo wah doo doo wahdoo wah wahdoowahdoo wah wah doodoowahdoowahdoo doo doo wahdoowahdoo wah wahdoowahdoo wah wah wah wahdoodoowah doodoowah doodoowahdoo doo wah doodoowahwah wah doodoowah wah wahdoo wah wah doo doo doo wah doo doo wah doo wah wah wah wah wah doowahdoo doowahdoodoowahdoo doo doo wah wahdoowahdoo wahdoowahdoo wah wah wah doodoowah wahdoodoowah doodoowah wahdoo doo wahdoodoowah wah doodoowah wah doo wahdoo wah wah doo doowah doo doo wah doowah wah wah wah doo doo PhraseA AAA A swing swing that that got got ItIt don't swing swing ain't ain't that that mean it it got got It a if if don'tthingthing ain't ain't meanthing thing it it if if a a a if if it it thing mean mean ain't thing thing don't don't if a a It It got it mean mean that ain't swingdon't don't It It got that swing A A A A doo wah doo wah doowahdoo wah doodoowah wah doo wah doowahdoo wah doodoowah wah doo wah doodoo wah wah wah wah doo doo wah doo doo wah wah wah doodoowah doodoowah doo doo wah wah wah wah doodoowah doowahdoo doo wah wah wah wah doo doo doo doo wah wah wah wah doowahdoo doowah doo doo wah wah wah wah doodoowah doodoowahdoo doo wah wah doo wah wah doo doo doo wahwah wah wah doo doo A A A A A A A doo doodoo wahdoodoo wah wah wah wah doo wahdoowah wah doowah wah doo doo wah wahwah doo doo doo doo wahdoowahdoo wahdoowahdoo wah wah wah wah doodoowahdoodoowahdoo doo doo wah doo doo wah wah wah doodoowah wah wah wah wah doodoowah doodoowah doodoowah doodoo doo doo doo wah wah wah wah doo doodoo wah wah wah wah doo doo wahwah doo doo doo doo wah wah doowahdoo wah wah wah wah doowahdoodoowahdoodoowahdoo doo doo doo doo doo wah wah wah wahdoodoowah wah wah wah doodoowah wah wah doodoowah doodoowah doo wahdoo doo doo doo wah wah doowah doo doowahdoo wah wah wah wah doo wah doo doo wah doo doo wahwah wah wah wah wah doo doo doo doo wah wah doo doo doo wah wah wah doo doo wah wah doo wah wah wah doo doo doo doo wah wah doowahdoo wah wah wah doo doo wah doo doo doo wah wah doodoowah wah doo doo wah wah wah doowahdoo doo doo wah wah doo wah wah wah doo doo wah doodoowahdoo doo wah wah wah doowahdoo wah wah doo doo wah doo doo doo wah wah doodoowahwah wah wah doo doo wah doo doo doowah doo wah wah wah doo doo wah doodoowah wah wah wah doo doo doo wah
35 SG 19
My Musical Form
Create two contrasting rhythmic patterns. A B
List several different combinations of the A and B patterns below (e.g. A-A-B-A, A-B-A, etc.):
Now, perform your arrangement!
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