Year 8 Rock & Roll Ice Cream Chords.

Year 8 Music - Rock and roll & The Ice Cream 

Progression.

A series of 3 lessons fulfilling NSW Board Of Studies Outcomes – 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 4.10, 4.11, 4.12.

Objectives – To better understand the construction and application of the Ice Cream chord progression in regards to pop music of the late 1950s & early 1960s.

Outcomes – The students will improve their ability to identify Major and minor Chords, notate pitch with rhythm and play back what they have notated. In the final practical components of this lesson plan the students will be able to collaborate in groups to develop and arrange performances of ‘Stand by Me’.

Lesson 1

Aural Exercise 1– Melodic Notation

1/ The ‘melodic’ example will consist of the bass line for stand by me.

2/ These notes form the foundation of the Ice Cream progression.

3/ The correct answer will be written on the board and played on the Keyboards.

4/ The students will then be asked to identify Major and Minor chords based on the melodic example previously given. The chords will be played on the guitar.

The chords to be identified are as follows: I vi IV V or C, Am, F, G or G, Em, C, D.  

Introduction

Teen-oriented popular music had become common by the end of the Swing Era, in the late 1940s, with Frank Sinatra being an early teen idol. However, it was the early 1960s that became known as the "Golden Age" for pop teen idols, who included Paul Anka, Fabian Forte, Ricky Nelson and Frankie Avalon.

Ice Cream Chords - In its most simple definition, a Chord Progression is ANY chord that moves to ANY other chord. But, when we talk about chord progressions, we are usually speaking about those progressions which have been used time and time again to the point we recognize them to be "standard" progressions.

The 50s progression is a chord progression and turnaround used in Western popular music. As the name implies, it was common in the 1950s and early '60s and is particularly associated with doo-wop. It has also been called the "Stand by Me" changes, the doo-wop progression and, according to Mike Aquino, the "ice cream changes".

The progression, represented in Roman numeral analysis, is: I-vi-IV-V. For example, in C major: C Am F G 

Aural Exercise 2 – Rhythm Dictation

Listening to the recording can the class notate the rhythm of the bass line in ‘Stand by Me’.

A List of Songs Using The Ice Cream Progression.

Song Name	Artist	Year	Progression
"Heart and Soul"[12]	Larry Clinton feat. Bea Wain	1938	I-vi-IV-V
"Beyond the Sea"[1]	Jack Lawrence and Charles Trenet	1946	I-vi-IV-V
"Earth Angel"[4][7]	The Penguins	1954	I-vi-IV-V
"Stand by Me"	Ben E. King	1955	I-vi-IV-V
"Lovable"[16][17]	Sam Cooke	1956	I-vi-IV-V
"Donna"[4]	Ritchie Valens	1958	I-vi-IV-V
"Lollipop"[15]	Ronald & Ruby	1958	I-vi-IV-V
"Chain Gang"[2]	Sam Cooke	1960	I-vi-IV-V
"This Magic Moment"[22]	The Drifters	1960	I-vi-IV-V
"Pretty Little Angel Eyes"	Curtis Lee	1961	I-vi-IV-V
"Stand by Me"[20][21]	Ben E. King	1961	I-vi-IV-V
"Sukiyaki"	Kyu Sakamoto	1961	I-vi-IV-V
"Duke of Earl"[6]	Gene Chandler	1962	I-vi-IV-V
Happiness Is a Warm Gun[6][11]	The Beatles	1968	I-vi-IV-V
"Crocodile Rock"[3]	Elton John	1972	I-vi-IV-V
"We Go Together"[25]	John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John	1972	I-vi-IV-V
"Give a Little Love"[10]	Bay City Rollers	1975	I-vi-IV-V
"Those Magic Changes"[23]	Sha Na Na	1978	I-vi-IV-V
"Oliver's Army"[19]	Elvis Costello	1979	I-vi-IV-V
"Every Breath You Take"	The Police	1983	I-vi-IV-V
"Don't Dream It's Over"[5]	Crowded House	1986	IV-V-I-vi
"True Blue"[24]	Madonna	1986	I-vi-IV-V
"Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now"	Starship	1987	I-vi-IV-V
"Eternal Flame"[8]	The Bangles	1989	I-vi-IV-V
"There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"	The Smiths	1992	I-vi-IV-V
"You Are Not Alone"[26]	Michael Jackson	1995	I-vi-IV-V
"In the Aeroplane Over the Sea"	Neutral Milk Hotel	1998	I-vi-IV-V
"No Surprises"[18]	Radiohead	1998	I-vi-IV-V
"Eyes on Me	Faye Wong	1999	I-vi-IV-V
"Baby, I'm an Anarchist!"	Against Me!	2002	I-vi-IV-V
"The Man Comes Around"	Johnny Cash	2002	I-vi-IV-V
"Jesus of Suburbia"[13][14]	Green Day	2005	I-vi-IV-V
"Postcards From Italy"	Beirut	2006	IV-I-vi-V
"I'm Not Edward Cullen"	Hank Green	2009	I-vi-IV-V
"Friday"[9]	Rebecca Black	2011	I-vi-IV-V
"Take A Walk "	Passion Pit	2012	IV-I-vi-V
"Payphone"	Maroon 5	2012	IV-I-vi-V
"Pompeii"	Bastille	2012	IV-I-vi-V
"Sovereign Light Café"	Keane	2012	IV-I-vi-V
"Royals"	Lorde	2013	I-vi-IV-V
"Safe and Sound"	Capital Cities	2013	IV-I-vi-V

Lesson 2 Guitar Practical

Introduction – Recap on the last class.

1/ Ice Cream Chords

2/ Social Period

Stand By Me - Teach the Melody

1/ Hand out song sheets.

2/ Play Youtube video ‘Stand By me’; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwZNL7QVJjE

Play the video so the students can familiarize themselves with the song.

Using the sheets, start the video again with each student singing a line or a half of the verse and all singing the chorus.

Or

Use call and response to teach the melody. Eg; playing the guitar, sing the first half of a line, the class copies. Progress through the song in this manner.

Stand By Me - Teach the chords

Find out which students in the class play the Guitar. 

Lead them in playing along with the video and so demonstrating the chord progression on guitar. 

Depending on the number of more proficient students, break up the class into groups of 5. 

The more proficient student, if willing, can aid in the learning of chords. 

Begin by working on the ‘action’ between each chord change.   

Stand By Me

Intro: G  G  Em  Em  C  D  G  G

          G                        Em

When the night has come and the land is dark

             C                D                       G

and the moon is the only light we'll see

    G                              Em             

no I won't be afraid oh I won't be afraid

           C                  D                    G

just as long as you stand stand by me

                  G                      Em

So darling darling stand by me oh stand by me

     C         D                 G

oh stand       stand by        me stand by me

          G                                Em

If the sky that we look upon should tumble and fall

            C                        D                  G

Or the mountain should crumble to the sea

            G                                   Em

I won't cry I won't cry no I won't shed a tear

            C                  D                         G

just as long as you stand, stand by me

                                G                    Em

And darling darling stand by me oh stand by me

      C                D                                  G

oh stand now stand by me stand by me

                              G                    Em

So Darling darling stand by me oh stand by me

      C                                     D                              G

oh stand now why don’t you  stand by me stand by me

whenever you're in trouble would you

G                      Em       

stand by me oh stand by me

     C                   D                  G

oh stand            stand by me stand by me

Guitar Chord Charts

Lesson 3 – Basic Arrangement & Notation. 

This exercise is intended as a practical application gate way into composition and arrangement. 

In groups no bigger than 5. Use the song sheets provided to construct basic arrangements of the song ‘Stand By Me’.

Depending on numbers each group will be assigned a verse and or Chorus to arrange. 

The song will then be played in its complete form as a full class. 

When considering your arrangement think of how you might use different instruments in various combinations. 

There will be guitars, electric keyboards, percussion, body percussion (eg clapping, clicking your fingers) and xylophones. 

When singing, consider the possibilities of 1, 2, 3 or more singing in duet, trio or even singing the bass line…..

Be sure to notate your group choices on the song sheet provided. 

When notating your arrangement be sure to write down where various instruments; Start and finish playing and what they are playing. Be sure to notate any untuned percussion. 

Just remember not every instrument needs to be playing at once.  

The arrangements will be performed as a single class ensemble for Mrs Maestro.