production through performance
music technology curriculum
3.4 lesson plan // bass line with an original chord progression
objective
Students will be able to write and play a bass line that follows an original chord progression.
Resources
Diatonic Chord Progressions →
Bass Line Rhythm →
Bass Line Note Choice →
Practice strategies →
Assessment
3.4 Project Rubric →
Preparation
Watch the diatonic chord progression video.
Create four chord, chord progressions together as a class and play them on a piano or guitar.
Listen to student and/or teacher selected songs and identify how many chords are in each progression.
Process
Write a drum groove with either eighth or sixteenth note subdivision.
Compose a four chord progression following the rules on the chord progression organizer.
Create a rhythm for the bass that uses one of the three bass and kick relationships.
Use the letter name of the root of each chord as the attack symbol for each measure.
Show the duration of the note using duration notation
Use the same rhythm for the other three measures and change the letter to fit the next chord.
Students sets desired project tempo.
Record, quantize, and trim the drum pattern in Soundtrap.
Add a guitar and bass track and record the bass line.
Quantize and trim the bass line.
Remediation
Limit the subdivision level to eighth note.
Have the student use bass/kick relationship #1.
Supply the first chord for the student.
Enrichment
Play drum beat with one hand.
Have students quantize the track in front of the teacher.
Change the subdivision level to either 16th or 32nd note for teacher viewed quantize.