How are instruments used to communicate the blues tradition?
How are instruments used to communicate the blues tradition?
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- In this lesson, we will learn all about the different playing and singing techniques heard in blues music. We will be able to identify these different techniques by ear.
Licence
This content is made available by Oak National Academy Limited and its partners and licensed under Oak’s terms & conditions (Collection 1), except where otherwise stated.
Loading...
6 Questions
Q1.
What is this instrument called?
Saxophone
Trumpet
Q2.
Which of these instruments often play the melody parts in blues music?
Bass, piano and guitar.
Drum, bass and piano.
Q3.
What melodic idea is a 'head' in blues music?
The backing vocals.
The introduction of the song.
Q4.
What is improvising in blues music?
Copying a part from someone else.
Reading the rhythm section from a lead sheet.
Q5.
What is the melodic structure AAB?
Call and response by copying the other part.
Verse and chorus.
Q6.
Name the song that made Duffy a famous artist.
2002
Love me like you do
8 Questions
Q1.
What types of instruments were used in early blues music?
Brass and woodwind
Concertina and vocals
Q2.
What technique is often used in blues singing?
Slap
Tremolo
Q3.
How is the drum kit often played in blues music?
With sticks
With their hands
Q4.
What technique describes this: 'when the player uses their hand to make a sound on the fretboard when they play bass'
Tremolo
Vibrato
Q5.
What is a bottlenecking?
Moving your fingers very quickly when holding down the string so that the sound ‘wobbles’
Sliding on the same string to the next note to make it smooth
Q6.
What is a string bend?
Moving your fingers very quickly when holding down the string so that the sound ‘wobbles’
Sliding on the same string to the next note to make it smooth
Q7.
What is a vibrato?
Bending the string on the fretboard to alter the pitch
Sliding on the same string to the next note to make it smooth
Q8.
What is a crushed note?
Alternating really quickly between two pitches/chords
Bending the string on the fretboard to alter the pitch