Pop and Rock Music Handout.1.22.15

Educational Uses of Classic Pop and Rock Music Equip, Inspire, Excite, Achieve, and Go! with popular music Presented by Jim Tinter ([email protected])

I. Three Chord Bliss — I IV V Chords. Letters in ( ) represent the key of the song. A. Lots to choose from: “Green Onions” (F) - Booker T & The MG’s, “Pride and Joy” (Eb) - Stevie Ray Vaughn, “Lucille” (C# or C, it varies. Probably a tape speed issue) - Little Richard, “Bama Lama Bama Loo” (F) - Little Richard, “Barbara Ann” (F#) - Beach Boys, “The Twist” (E) - Chubby Checker, “Peppermint Twist” (C) - Joey D and the Starliters, “At the Hop” (Ab) - Danny and the Juniors, “Hound Dog” (C) - Elvis Presley, “Hard Headed Woman” (C) - Elvis, “Too Much” (Ab) - Elvis, “I Feel Good” (D) - James Brown, “Johnny B. Goode” (Bb) - Chuck Berry. B. Movement activity to “Green Onions,” by Booker T and the MG’s. (Could be done with any of the tunes listed above. 1. Movement Level 1 (individual): I — pat legs; IV — clap; V — snap w/hands over head. Simultaneous imitation (leader faces students and students imitate exactly, at the same time). a) Extension 1 — Say “one, four and five” on beat 1 of each chord. b) Extension 2 — Sing the root pitch of each chord. Use “I, IV, V” or solfege (do, fa, so). 2. Movement level 2 (preparation for partner activity): I — pat, clap; IV — patty cake (clap/pretend to clap partner’s hands, both at the same time (clap, partner, clap, partner). V — snap over head. a) Extension 1 — Alternate hands on IV chord patty cake (clap, right, clap, left). 3. Movement level 3 — Pick or assign partners. Concentric circles. Face partner. Level 2 movement but on IV chord, clap partners hands on the patty cake. On V chord, clap partners hands above head (high ten). 4. Movement level 4 — Same as level 3 except on the last two beats of the chorus, do a right step- together. What I would say in the last two measures: “One two three four, step to the right, step together.” Now you have a new partner and are at the beginning of the tune. II. Musical People - TBA - Tuneful, Beatful, Artful (may not be literate)...John Feierabend. Emphasize making music rather than just learning about music. III. Considerations A. Embrace the teachable moment. B. Choose wisely - try to find quality examples and be able to justify using them. Know your school culture. C. Using classic tunes (older) can lessen dissension. D. Never play music blind! E. Shifting controversy — How artists are perceived by society. 1. Artists who started controversially then became mainstream: Elvis, Ozzy Osbourne (“Crazy Train” is heard at numerous sporting events). 2. Artists who started benignly then became controversial: Michael Jackson, Miley Cyrus. F. The day the music changed — 1981 (MTV). “I saw that song.” Most pop music is intimately connected with a video. Reduces opportunities to use one’s imagination. IV. Christmas with Elvis — Teachable moments. A. “All Shook Up” played on guitar and sung by 4th grader, Robert Rossman. B. A word to music educators by Robert as a college student. Encourage, recognize, nurture your students! V. Flea trainers place limits and restrict opportunities. Fleaberators remove obstacles and embrace possibilities. A. The Lion King — “I Just Can’t Wait to be King.” 5th grade flutes playing in F# & G major. VI. Cool recorder examples A. “Stairway to Heaven” — alto, tenor, & bass recorders. B. “Wild Thing” — Ocarina (sweet potato). You Tube: Troggs — Wild Thing 1992. Easy solo to play. GGEGEGEGGE…. Uses the notes E, G, A & B. Figure out the rest by ear. VII. More three chord bliss A. “Lucille,” by Richard Pennington (Little Richard, the wild man!). 1. Faster tempo, “Green Onions” level 4 movement activity w/partner. VIII. Listening opportunities A. Word Painting. 1. Nat King Cole — “The Christmas Song.” “…to see if reindeer really know how to fly.” 2. Tommy James — “I Think We’re Alone Now.” “...the beating of our hearts is the only sound.” B. The break (or the freeze). 1. Mamas and Papas — “Monday, Monday.” 2. Rascals — “Good Lovin.’” C. Dynamic contrast. 1. Aerosmith — “Back in the Saddle.” Also word painting & how not to sing! 2. Elvis Presley — “An American Trilogy.” An exceptionally dramatic crescendo. IX. Movement/Promoting beatfulness/Form identification A. “Billie Jean,” from Thriller, the #1 selling album of all time. See separate handout for process. X. Teachable moments A. “Iron Man” (in E and A. Original in B) — Black Sabbath, 3rd grade recorders, voices, guitar, alternate B. Alternate lyric: “I am Iron Man, I learn every melody that I can. You can learn them too, A-B-C-D-E-F-G that will do.” 1. Notes for SR: E G G AA CBCBCBG G A A. Same fingerings for AR. In A and you have parallel fifths — POWER CHORDS! — “Bad for Bach, but rad for rock!” 2. Original recording in B. Another teachable moment — high register and high F#: B D' D' E' E' G'F#'G'F#'G'F#'D' D' E' E'. B. “Do, Re, Mi” — The Sound of Music. 1. How a shy, introverted 3rd grade girl was nurtured and given confidence to sing a solo. 2. Homonyms: Do-doe; re-ray, mi-me; fa-far (almost); so-sew; la-la; ti-tea. C. Star Wars, “Main Theme” — John Williams. In G. Awesome on recorders and/or saxes. D. “We Will Rock You” — Queen (A). Original is in E. 1. Collaboration, drums, soprano & alto recorders, improvisation, A/D pentatonic (SR/AR). XI. Three chord bliss (with a twist) A. “Stegosaurus” — Dinosaur Rap and Rondo 1. Scaffolding rock chord progressions to songs singable and playable by grade 2 and up. 2. I and IV chords alternate down one whole step (G-F and C-Bb). a) Anchor with body percussion: I — pat/stamp; IV — clap/pat tummy; V — snap above head 3. Transfer chord roots/body percussion to recorders. 4. Add mallets XII. More three chord bliss…reinforcing I, IV, V chord & 12 bar blues progression with movement. A. Big Mouth Blues 1. Two concentric circles, facing partner. 2. I = pat/clap; IV = patty cake; V = high ten (clap both of partners hands above head). 3. Advanced extension — on last two beats of last measure, each circle steps to the right (step/together) then will have a new partner. (This is the same activity as used in "Green Onions."

Further reading — “A Whole Lot of Learnin’ Going On,” Mac Randall. Teaching Music, August, 2010. Volume 18, Number 1 Music Alive — Pop & Rock music listening guides. Grade 5-12. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum — rockhall.org. The mother ship of all things Rock & Roll and one of Cleveland's premiere attractions (the others being the Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Clinic, Playhouse Square).

Publications by Jim Tinter

A Minor Melody Big Mouth Blues B-A-G Bossa Nova Dinosaur Rap and Rondo Jingle Bells in 10 Flavors VFX

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