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Lesson Plan One

In our first lesson we will demonstrate to the students what they will be able to play after completing Level One of the Gigajam course. We will start by showing the Gigajam course writers performing one of the five specially composed tunes. The students will also have an opportunity to familiarise themselves with their instruments of choice, as well as learn how to use the software. Once they have run through their first music instrument lesson they will have an opportunity to play as a band. The lesson plan contains a two bar vamp for your students to play. They may be able to achieve this in your first session, or perhaps at the beginning of session two.

Requirements

Peripherals

  • IWB Projector or large monitor
  • Instruments — Electric Guitar/Bass Guitar/Drum kit/Keyboard
  • Computer(s)
  • Midi instruments with Midi interfaces if you want to use the Gigajam Analyser

Software and Lesson Resources

  • Gigajam Essential Skills Course for Guitar, Bass, Keyboards and Drums Level 1
  • Gigajam TV Shows Level 1
  • Gigajam Songbook Level 1
  • Instrument Diagrams

1. Introduction

  • Provide the students with an overview of the course by showing them part of the lesson 10 TV show demonstrating the skills the students will be able to perform as a band.
  • Play the students the excerpts from the Gigajam Songbook showing them that they can transfer the skills learned into different styles.
  • Encourage the students to choose a first study instrument and a second study instrument.

2. Using the interactive whiteboard (IWB)

  • Provide a demonstration of how the lessons work using the lesson notes and software on the IWB.
  • Use Drum Lesson One and ask a student to operate the lesson under your guidance.

3. Working with Guitarists

  • Focusing on the guitar, show to the whole class the layout of the Guitar, the frets, strings and how it is played.
  • Place the Anatomy of the Guitar on IWB and place the diagram on the wall where the guitarists will be working.

4. Working with Bassists

  • Focusing on the bass, demonstrate the similarities between the Bass and the Guitar highlighting the main difference of strings, the number, thickness and pitch.
  • Place the Anatomy of the Bass on IWB and place the diagram on the wall where the bassists will be working.

5. Working with Keyboardists

  • Focusing on the keyboard, show the basic layout of the keyboard, especially the repetition of the octaves.
  • Place the Anatomy of the Keyboard on IWB and place the diagram on the wall where the keyboardists will be working.

6. Working with Drummers

  • Focusing on the drums, describe the different voices of the kit.
  • Place the Anatomy of the Drum Kit on IWB and place the diagram on the wall where the drummers will be working.

7. Key Musical Concept

  • Familiarisation with the instruments, the course, the lessons/ software and supportive resources.
  

8. Personalised Learning

Give the students time to work at their workstations working through their lessons developing their instrumental skills on their first instrument. The students will be working on the skills contained in lesson one of their courses.

Guitar

Introduce power chords, also known as 5-chords and be able to play the chords of A5 and G5.

Introduce chord boxes to help understand chord shapes.

Introduce the plectrum and how it is used.

Understand and be able to count whole notes and the concept of common time.

Develop co-ordination of both hands in the playing of rock chords.

Introduce repeat signs.

Bass

Understand and be able to count quarter notes.

Understand root bass notes.

Introduce the bass notes of A and G played on both fretted and on open strings.

Play a rock groove.

Keyboard

To become familiar with the layout of the keyboard and be able to play and identify a number of notes on the keyboard.

Introduce the musical stave and begin to be able to recognise the different notes positions on the stave.

Introduce the concept of rhythm using whole notes, half notes and quarter notes.

Introduce and be able to play simple chords of A and G known as triads.

Introduce common time.

Drums

Understand and be able to count quarter notes.

Understand and develop three way co-ordination.

Play a rock groove.

9. Live Performance Workshop (LPW)

Create bands from the class and get the students to play Vamp 1 from the LPW Book at the front of the class.
  • Identify four students to form a band and get them to play around Vamp 1 from the LPW book.
Vamp One Score
Xtractor file of Vamp One
Xtractor file of Vamp One Reggae
Xtractor file of Vamp One Rock (2)
  • You may wish to use the Xtractor to support the students and rotate students to come and join the band.
  • You may wish to ask a student to operate the Xtractor software so that they run the session.

10. Lesson Outcomes

  • To become familiar with the layout and anatomy of the Guitar, Bass, Keyboard and Drum kit.
  • To enable the students to have some experience of the interface and play their first instrument.
  • To allow the students an opportunity to apply the skills learned in lesson one to playing in a band.
  • Begin to develop performance skills and enable the students to work collaboratively not just by playing together, but by taking some role in organising themselves and their colleagues into bands.