How to Teach 12 Bar Blues to Elementary School Students

How to Teach 12 Bar Blues to Elementary School Students – A great way to teach the blues to elementary school students is by using the 12 bar blues format. This blog post will show you how to do just that!

Overview of the 12 Bar Blues

The 12 bar blues is a timeless chord progression that has been used in countless songs over the years. It’s a great chord progression for beginner guitarists to learn, as it only uses 3 chords. It’s also a great progression to teach to elementary school students, as it’s easy to remember and sing along to.

What is the 12 Bar Blues?

The 12 bar blues is a chord progression that is commonly used in blues and rock music. The progression is made up of 12 bars, or measures, that are each four beats long. The first two bars usually contain the same chord, followed by a different chord for the next two bars, and then the first chord is repeated for the last two bars. This progression can be repeated over and over again throughout a song.

There are three main chords used in the 12 bar blues progression: the tonic (or I), the subdominant (or IV), and the dominant (or V). These chords can be played in any order, but they are typically played in the order of I-IV-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-IV-I-V. Many blues songs will use variations of this progression, such as adding seventh chords or ninth chords, but the basic progression remains the same.

The 12 bar blues is a great way for elementary school students to learn about chord progressions and how to create their own melodies. By playing around with different chords, students can create endless variations of this progression and come up with their own unique sounds.

Where did the 12 Bar Blues come from?

The 12 Bar Blues is a type of musical composition that originated in the United States in the early 1900s. It is one of the most popular and influential blues forms and has been adapted by many different musicians over the years.

The 12 Bar Blues gets its name from the fact that it is made up of 12 bars (measures) of music. The structure of the 12 Bar Blues is very simple and repetitive, which makes it easy to learn and play. It is usually played in 4/4 time signature, with a slow or moderate tempo.

The 12 Bar Blues chord progression usually consists of three chords: the root (I), the fourth (IV), and the fifth (V). These three chords are played in a repeating pattern of 12 bars, with each chord being played for two bars. For example, a typical 12 Bar Blues progression in the key of C would be:

C – C – C – C
F – F – C – C
G – F – C – C

Teaching the 12 Bar Blues to Elementary School Students

Teaching the 12 bar blues to elementary school students can be a fun and easy way to help them get introduced to music. The 12 bar blues is a simple chord progression that is easy for beginners to learn. You can start by teaching them the basic chords, then move on to the 12 bar blues progression. You can also have them listen to blues songs to get a feel for the music.

Introduce the concept of the 12 Bar Blues

The 12 bar blues is a basic chord progression that is popular in many genres of music. It is often used as a starting point for improvised solos and can be found in songs from a variety of artists, including B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and Chuck Berry.

One of the great things about the 12 bar blues is that it can be easily taught to elementary school students. By using a simple step-by-step approach, you can introduce your students to this important musical form in a fun and engaging way.

Here are the steps you need to take to teach the 12 bar blues to your elementary school students:

1. Start by playing a simple 12 bar blues progression on the piano or guitar. You can use any chord progression that you like, but we recommend starting with something like this:

E7 | A7 | E7 | A7 | B7 | A7 | E7 | A7 | B7 | E7
E7 | A7 | E7 | A7 | B7 | E7

2. Once you have played the progression a few times, ask your students to identify the different chords that are being used. You may need to explain what a chord is if they are not familiar with this concept.

3. Next, have your students clap along with the progression while you play it again. This will help them to internalize the rhythm of the 12 bar blues.
4. Now it’s time for your students to start improvising their own solos! Encourage them to use their imaginations and come up with their own melodies. If they get stuck, you can always provide them with some ideas to get them started.
5. Finally, have your students perform their solos for the class. This will give them a chance to show off their new skills and share their creativity with their classmates!

Teach the students the basic chord progression of the 12 Bar Blues

In order to teach the 12 Bar Blues to elementary school students, it is important to first teach them the basic chord progression of the 12 Bar Blues. The chord progression of the 12 Bar Blues is as follows: I, IV, V, I (repeat). For example, in the key of C, the chord progression would be: C, F, G, C (repeat). It is important to note that the V chord is usually played as a 7th chord (e.g. G7) in order to add more tension and resolve back to the I chord.

Have the students practice the 12 Bar Blues progression

The 12 bar blues is a extremely common chord progression used in a wide variety of music genres. It’s important for elementary school students to learn this progression, as it will give them a strong foundation for future music exploration.

There are a few different ways to teach the 12 bar blues to elementary school students. One way is to have them practice the progression using basic open chords on a guitar or keyboard. Another way is to have them clap or sing the progression. Regardless of how you choose to teach it, be sure to give your students plenty of opportunities to practice so that they can internalize the pattern.

Encourage the students to experiment with the 12 Bar Blues progression

It’s important to encourage the students to experiment with the 12 Bar Blues progression and to not be afraid to make mistakes. The 12 Bar Blues is a very versatile form and there are many different ways to play it. Encourage the students to try different rhythms and melodic ideas. They may not always sound “perfect,” but that’s part of the learning process!