Rock Band Program
Why Rock Band?
We love music here at ABC, but many students get to a point where they are ready to exercise the great skills they are learning. Also, there isn’t a lot of glamour playing by yourself at home, even if the practice is getting better. As professional musicians we can appreciate this, but also know that the greatest amount of fun is from playing with others!
So, we started a Rock Band Program to broaden students horizons, abilities and skills!
What do students get out of playing in a band?
Playing with others is an incredibly fun and satisfying experience!
How does it work?
Our Rock Bands are grounded in our core philosophy – Giving Students of All Ages the Skills they need to Enjoy Music for Life!
When you start in one of our bands, we’ll have already matched you students of the same age/level, which is the cornerstone of a good band experience. We’ll then start building the skills as a group to get you to be able to play together, and to learn to rely on each other. That internal communication that the best bands have takes a little time, but most of our students are so keen it happens quickly!
The core educational components – and we are proud that this is an educational program – divide into three non-sequential ‘buckets’, that the students are exposed to at varying times in accordance with their growth as a group. By making these core concepts non-sequential, it allows groups the freedom to grow at their own speed and abilities. This keeps things focused, but also without pressure or deadlines, maintaining the fun atmosphere that makes this program great.
I: I-IV-V-I
- This is the main focus of the program, the basic chord progression of most pop music.
- This includes ear training, with examples, to learn the progression.
- Chord patterns are learned.
- Rhythmic patterns are learned.
- Addition of other harmonies, such as ‘vi’, where appropriate.
- Soloing where appropriate. Some assignments throughout.
- Early Rock Examples: Stand by Me, Louie Louie, Love Me Do, Chuck Berry
II: Putting it Together
- Work on complete tunes.
- Introduce ‘Swing’ (Jazz).
- Students can experiment with writing tunes.
- Choosing Recital & Performance tunes.
- Adding new harmonies: ii, vi, bvii.
- Adding Riffs and Power Chords.
- 70?s-90?s music, more advanced harmonies, rhythms
III: Performance Ready
- Polishing for, and executing performances.
- Solos and Improvisation as necessary.
- Goal or 6 or more songs ready for performance.
- Performance opportunities at ABC Academy Recitals and Local School Fairs.