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Year 8 - Music

The blues scale

The 12-bar blues

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils learn about the 12-bar blues, the stylistic and musical features of blues music and the role of the instruments in a blues ensemble. They develop an extended improvisation and build a stylistic blues performance.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to play the notes of the C blues scale and a blues scale melody over the 12-bar blues chords.

Key Notes

  • The blues scale is a set of notes commonly used in blues music.
  • It includes blue notes (flattened notes) which help to give blues music its distinctive sound.
  • The C blues scale includes the flats Eb, Gb and Bb.
  • We have performed the C blues scale on the keyboard and played a blues scale melody over the 12-bar blues chords.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • blues scale: a scale typically used in blues music; it uses blue notes which gives blues its distinctive sound
  • blue notes: the lowered or flattened notes in the blues scale, typically the 3rd, 5th and 7th
  • flat: this lowers a note by a semitone

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • The C blues scale can use any of the black notes (flattened notes) on the keyboard.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

The blues scale is a set of notes commonly used in blues music. It includes blue notes (flattened notes) which help to give blues music its distinctive sound.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'blues scale'

a scale typically used in blues music; it uses blue notes which gives blues its distinctive sound.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: The C blues scale can use any of the black notes (flattened notes) on the keyboard. Correction: The blues scale uses specific flattened notes - 3rd, 5th and 7th. It's important for pupils to practise finding these notes and getting used to how the scale sounds.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 8 Music guide library.