Playing a minor pentatonic jazz melody
Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can play the main melody (head) of a jazz piece with accuracy and a steady pulse.
Key learning points
- The head is a term used when referring to the main theme in jazz music.
- The head is played by the whole ensemble then followed by individual improvisations.
- Chunking up a melody can help make it easier to learn.
- A song that uses the D minor pentatonic scale will have phrases that revolve around the note D.
- When playing barred instruments, focus on how you play the instrument; for example striking the bar right in the centre.
Keywords
Head - a term for the main melody or theme in jazz music
Phrase - a musical thought, like a sentence in a story
Bar - a measure of musical time with a set number of beats (e.g. 4 beats in 4-time)
Note - a single sound in music
Common misconception
The best way to learn to play a piece is to start at the beginning.
We can be clever when learning pieces, looking for patterns and easy parts to fit together first whilst internalising the sounds of trickier parts.
Teacher tip
Use this unit's whole body, breathing, vocal and chant warm-ups to prepare the pupils for music.
Equipment
Pitched percussion instruments with the notes C, D, F, G, A, C'. Ideally, one between two.
Licence
Sign in to continue
Our content remains 100% free, but to access certain copyrighted materials, you'll need to sign in. This ensures we’re both staying within the rules.
P.S. Signing in also gives you more ways to make the most of Oak like unit downloads!
