“Bill Bailey” Improvisation in F
DESCRIPTION
In this lesson, students will learn the form of “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home” (commonly called “Bill Bailey”) (32 bars) and the chord progression in F. They will learn to improvise with the starting points of scales, arpeggios, and small motifs. Students will also learn that the “Bill Bailey” chord progression is used in many other songs.
OBJECTIVES
- Students will be able to improvise over the “Bill Bailey” chord progression in F.
- Students will be able to identify songs that share the same chords as “Bill Bailey”.
- Students will be able to play through 32 bars of roots and arpeggios.
- Students will be able to improvise 1-2 choruses over “Bill Bailey” chords.
STANDARDS
National Core Arts Standards
Harmonizing Instruments Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
Harmonizing Instruments Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
Harmonizing Instruments Standard 3: Refine and complete artistic work.
Common Core State Standards
ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.2 Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
INSTRUCTOR NOTES
Teachers should familiarize themselves with the course materials prior to launching the lesson. Teachers should differentiate the “Application” steps based on student experience with improvisation.
MATERIALS
- PRESENTATION: “Bill Bailey” Improvisation in F
- VIDEO: “Bill Bailey” by Sweet Emma | “Bill Bailey” by Louis Armstrong | “Bill Bailey” by Preservation Hall Jazz Band | “Bill Bailey” Improvisation
- HANDOUTS: Bass Clef | Bb Instruments | C Instruments | Eb Instruments
INTRODUCTION
- Play a recording of “Bill Bailey” from the options below. Ask: What do you notice about the form or chords? Tell students “Bill Bailey” has a 32-bar form and is generally performed in F major.
- Distribute the Bass Clef, Bb Instruments, C Instruments, Eb Instruments lead sheets and replay the recording, asking students to visually follow the lead sheet as they listen to the recording again.
APPLICATION
- Distribute the Scale and Arpeggio Sheets with chord symbols. Play through the scales and arpeggios as a class so students can internalize the sound of the “Bill Bailey” chord progression. Also tell students that the “Bill Bailey” chords are either identical or nearly indistinguishably close to the chords of several other songs.
- Now have students use these notes as a framework for improvisation. Students can use both arpeggios and scales to explore the chord progression. At this point, they can either freely improvise (as comfortable) or create patterns with the scales and arpeggios; teachers should make modifications or adaptations to the student experience level.
- Tell students that strong improvisation comes from theme development. Play through one of the sample student handouts.
- Show students an example of “Bill Bailey” Improvisation. Once students have played through the sample solo, have them improvise with their own “small motif” based solos.
- After the class has practiced improvising with small motifs, allow them to improvise with all parameters removed.
EVALUATION
- Have students play through 32 bars of roots and arpeggios, then improvise 1-2 choruses over “Bill Bailey” chords. Evaluation is based on following the form and freely utilizing notes from the arpeggios and scales.
- Have students name three songs with the same chord progression as “Bill Bailey”.
ATTRIBUTIONS
Used with permission. Portions of this work are based on the National Core Arts Standards Copyright © 2015 National Coalition for Core Arts Standards/All Rights Reserved – Rights Administered by SEADAE.
© Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.
Meghan Swartz, Curriculum Developer and Music Artist Liaison
Mark Braud, Curriculum Developer and Music Artist Liaison
JoDee Scissors, Content Producer
