Our Winter Concert was a great success!!!  Thanks to all of my students for giving 100% of yourselves last Thursday!  I am very proud of you all!

Now, we are going to go back in time, and begin studying The Blues and it's origins.

We will be starting a history unit upon our return from Winter Break!  In addition, we will be working on learning 12 - Bar Blues progressions, as well as improvisation.  EVERYBODY will have the opportunity to take their creativity to the next level!

We will be working on Major and Minor pentatonic scales, which will provide a foundation to improvisation.  Students will learn how to improvise and all 12 Major keys by the end of the school year!  (That is my goal!)

Again, I am very proud of my students and their performance last week!  Now, it is time to move into a new direction and learn about musicians like, Robert Johnson, Bessie Smith, and the Delta Blues.

Here is a link to the content:

http://www.teachrock.org/lesson/the-blues-the-sound-of-rural-poverty/

Have a wonderful Holiday Season!

- Mr. Michek

Rock 101 and FUSION I, II

November 10-12, 2014

OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

·        Understand, and begin memorizing FORM, chords, and rhythms for the Winter Concert.

·        Rehearse Winter Concert music with peers, with limited assistance from Instructor.

6^th Grade:  Working on “WHO” songs for winter concert.

·        Preparing “Long Live Rock” for concert.  “Modifying lyrics w/o changing the mood of the song.

7^th Grade:  Working on winter concert music.

·        Working on second song for concert.

·        Review and isolate spots in the first song that need work.

8^th Grade:  Working on new songs for concert.

·        Paying tribute to the “Power Trio” and to the late Jack Bruce, of Cream.

October 20 - 24th!!!

BIG surprise on "how" music will be performed in classes for the rest of the year, beginning this Monday!  

Be ready-to-rock next week!

Until then, enjoy!

This week in FUSION!!!!!

EVERYBODY is rocking out!

6th Grade:  Working on two songs by THE WHO:

• The Seeker
• Long Live Rock

7th Grade continues to work on:

• China Grove:  The Doobie Brothers
• Monster: Imagine Dragons

8th Grade is working on Beatles!

• Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
• Lady Madonna
• With A Little Help From My Friends
• While My Guitar Gently Weeps
• Got To Get You Into My Life

Grandparent's Day is November 7th this year!  Look out for some classic performances by our bands!

September 2 – September 5, 2014

Rock 101:  This week, students are working on the following:

Students will be able to:

·         Spend the first 10-12 minutes of class in individual practice.

·         Rehearse and continue to understand the FORM (structure) of their music.

·         Rehearse together in a group setting.

·         Learn a new Chord of the Day.  Students will learn how to play chord on their primary instrument.  Drummers will have the option to use a piano or Xylophone.

Higher Level of thinking goal:  To rehearse independently from Instructor.

FUSION (7^{th Grade}): 

·         Spend the first 10-12 minutes of class in individual practice.

·         Rehearse and continue to understand the FORM (structure) of their music.

·         Rehearse together in a group setting.

·         Begin new song assignment.

·         Learn a new Chord of the Day.  Students will learn how to play chord on their primary instrument.  Drummers will have the option to use a piano or Xylophone.

Higher Level of thinking goal:  To rehearse independently from Instructor.

FUSION (8^{th Grade}): 

This week in class, students are working on three songs:

·         Spend the first 10-12 minutes of class in individual practice.

·         Rehearse and continue to understand the FORM (structure) of their music.

·         Rehearse together in a group setting.

·         Begin new song assignment.

·         Learn a new Chord of the Day.  Students will learn how to play chord on their primary instrument.  Drummers will have the option to use a piano or Xylophone.

Higher Level of thinking goal:  To rehearse independently from Instructor.

Rock 101:  This week, students are working on the following:

      Working individually on chords and rhythms for the following songs,

·        Boulevard of Broken Dreams

·        Walk, Don’t Run

       Students are learning how to you the internet as their primary resource for learning their songs.

·        YOUTUBE.com

·        UltimateGuitar.com

·        Songsterr.com

       Students will complete a “Resource Form” in which they will have to site three websites used for learning their songs.

FUSION (7^{th Grade}): 

This week in class, students are working on three songs:

·       Kryptonite

·        Livin’ On A Prayer

·        1^st Band choice:  (Band “A” is learning Monster, by Imagine Dragons.  Band “B” is learning China Grove, by The Doobie Brothers.

·        Students will complete a “Resource Form” in which they will have to site three websites used for learning their songs.

FUSION (8^{th Grade}): 

This week in class, students are working on three songs:

·        Breaking The Girl

·        In Bloom

·        Who Knew

·        Students will be able to play the Intro, Verse and Chorus of their first song choice.

·        Students will complete a “Resource Form” in which they will have to site three websites used for learning their songs.

Monday, August 18th!

This week in FUSION and ROCK 101

The 6th Grade "Rock 101" class is working on music according to their experience this week:

• New Drummers are learning how to read and play drum set patterns.
• New Guitarists are learning how to read and play Major chords.
• Experienced students have begun working on their first song assignment, "Walk, Don't Run" by the Ventures.

The Ventures

Tv show sponsored by Beech-Nut Chewing gum

Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show. August 27, 1960.

In this video, the students had the opportunity to see "America's Oldest Teenager" none other than Dick Clark as the Emcee!!!

The 7th Graders have begun working on their "Band songs" this week.  In addition, they are working individually on the song, Kryptonite", by 3 Doors Down.

8th Graders have been given 3 song choices this week.  They are required to choose 2 of the 3 songs to learn.  They have been provided the sheet music/charts.  However, they will need to use the internet to find three ways to learn their songs and site the URLs.

The songs are:

Breaking The Girl: RHCP

In Bloom: Nirvana

Who Knew: PINK 

WELCOME BACK!

Welcome back Davis Academy Music Students!

Your destiny awaits you!

 Greetings from Mr. Michek!

Today, I am sitting at my desk right now making final preparations for what is going to be the best year in FUSION!

I am excited to get this year going!  Looking forward to hearing how everybody's summer was!

Play me!

To my 6th Grade FUSION/Rock 101 class - get ready for the next level of "rocking out!"  You are going melt some faces this year!

Keyboard Station is 

The "BassMasta"Wall!

 To my 7th Grade FUSION class - it's hard to believe that we have one year under our belts!  I can't wait to explore new songs and techniques that are going to take you all to the next level!










To my 8th Grade FUSION class - two years has come and gone!  You have been an amazing group of young men and ladies!  We are going to have a "rockin' year in FUSION together!  We are going EXTREME this year!  Buckle up!  Bring your game!!!

"Lamar" is lonely!  

Shredder's Wall of Rock!

To all of my classes - I'm ready to get rock!  I'm counting the minutes until you all arrive on Monday!

Lastly, we do not need to bring any instruments on the first week!  Keep it light, and bring your enthusiasm!

- Mr. Michek