What's this? More heresy?
A lot of teachers who do utilize pop
music in their teaching try to incorporate a 12-bar blues very early
on. I've discovered, however, that a 12-bar blues structure isn't as
easy as one would think. This is because, when you're an absolute
beginner, a 12-measure pattern feels like a very LONG pattern. Yes, a
blues is a simple structure in that it uses only three chords,
but keeping track of which chord you're on while struggling to get
your untrained fingers to press the correct keys or frets or holes is
very challenging, even stressful for some people. So even if I'm just
trying to teach simple accompanying to guitarists or keyboardists, I
won't introduce a 12-bar blues until they've done quite a few 2-bar
or 4-bar pattern songs. And there are actually a LOT of those,
fortunately.
By now, you've realized: I like to make
lists and charts and things like that. So here's a table of song
suggestions with INCREDIBLY SIMPLE harmonic structures - only one,
two or three chords - but they're NOT 12-bar blues, they're repeating
structures of only 2 or 4 bars. Your students will find them MUCH
easier to keep the music and rhythm going with these songs,
especially if you're teaching a large class. In each category below
there's at least one song that most of the kids in your class will
like. Something for everyone.
SONGS with only ONE chord:
Chain of Fools - Aretha Franklin
Who Do You Love? - Bo Diddley
Get Up, Stand Up - Bob Marley
I Want to Take You Higher - Sly Stone
We Will Rock You - Queen
I Want to Take You Higher - Sly Stone
We Will Rock You - Queen
Karma - Alicia Keys
SONGS with TWO chords:
Listen Here - Eddie Harris
Fallin' - Alicia Keys
Shout - Isley Brothers
Feelin' Alright - Dave Mason
Oye Como Va - Santana
Come As You Are - Nirvana
Chameleon - Herbie Hancock
Chameleon - Herbie Hancock
SONGS with THREE chords:
All Along the Watchtower - Dylan (and
Hendrix)
Knockin' on Heaven's Door - Dylan
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Beat It - Michael Jackson
Forget You - Cee Lo Green
Stay With Me - Rod Stewart
SONGS with FOUR chords: (one per
measure)
With or Without You - U2
Apologize - One Republic
Halo - Beyonce Knowles
We Didn't Start the Fire - Billy Joel
Kids - MGMT
Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People
If you don't know these songs, go to
YouTube and listen to them. They were all very big hits (in their
day, whatever it was) so they're going to be readily available, and
most people who have not been living in a cave in the Himalayas for
the past forty years will have heard them. You're going to recognize
most of them, even if you didn't know them by title.
As always, if you have any additions,
I'd love to incorporate them into this post.
You can write me at
nycmusicteacher@gmail.com
Cheers!
-Nick