Secondary Curriculum – Pathway to a Piece: Lesson 2, Main 1: Improvising on a D minor scale

Time: 15 minutes

Group size: Whole Group

Tag words: scale, minor, improvisation, improvising, backing track, rising, rhythm, rest, call and response 

RESOURCE NEEDED: Pathway to a Piece 1, Project Examples Worksheet.doc

Introduce the first phrase and ask the group to play it together. Remind them to count the beats rest, and to note the 2 beats per bar.

EXAMPLE ONE (on Project Examples worksheet)

EXAMPLE TWO (on Project Examples worksheet)

Use the supplied backing track (Track 1.wav) or set a minim pulse using percussion / tapping toes in shoes. (Singers can sing along using ‘la’ or ‘da’):

Teacher: Ask the pupils to describe how pitch is being used (answer: rising scale/by step). How does the last note differ from the rest? (answer: it is to be played staccato).

EXAMPLE THREE (on Project Examples worksheet)

Ask everyone play the first bar together and add in a short made-up phrase in the gaps. Keep repeating it as a loop, playing the first written phrase and filling in the gap using the same 5 notes. Their made-up improvised phrase should be different every time.

Advice: 1) Think about RHYTHM as much as pitch 2) Use repeated notes. 3) Don’t play all the time. Give yourself lots of space and gaps/silences/rests in the phrases. 4) Don’t worry if it is loud and messy!