The blues scale
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can play the notes of the C blues scale and a blues scale melody over the 12-bar blues chords.
Key learning 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.
- 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.
Keywords
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 misconception
The C blues scale can use any of the black notes (flattened notes) on the keyboard.
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.
Teacher tip
Although swing is not discussed, the melody is modelled this way to encourage pupils to play swung quavers. Thinking in 4-bar phrases will help pupils structure improvisations later. For an easier melody, pupils could walk up and down the scale in crotchets with a semibreve at the phrase end.
Equipment
Keyboard instrument
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
5 Questions
Q1.In most blues music, the right hand piano part plays the __________.
Q2.Which musical features make boogie-woogie sound like a train?
Q3. (fast alternating notes) also sound like train noises.
Q4.Which purpose might boogie-woogie have been used for?
Q5.In the Key of C, the 12 bar blues uses the chords C, F and .
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.In music, a flat (b) the note by a semitone.
Q2.A blues scale uses which gives blues its distinctive sound.
Q3.The notes flattened in a blues scale are the 3rd, 5th and ____________.
Q4.Complete the notes to the C blues scale: C _ F Gb G Bb C
Q5.Which finger tends to plays the black notes in a C blues scale?
To help you plan your 8 music lesson on: The blues scale, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 music lesson on: The blues scale, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 music lessons from the The 12-bar blues unit, dive into the full secondary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.