pBuzz and Ostinato

Dorothy Pino

The personal viewpoints expressed in this session are solely those of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or views of Music Will.

pBuzz and Ostinato

Using pBuzz to teach rhythm, pitch, and counterpoint

The personal viewpoints expressed in this session are solely those of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or views of Music Will.

Let’s get to know each other

Quick Facts about Dorothy:

• Main instruments: Flute, Saxophone, Clarinet, Guitar
• Genres: Latin Jazz, Cool Jazz, Pop Punk, Alternative Rock, Dance Music, Shostakovich, etc.
• Passions: Performing, Teaching, Sewing, Songwriting and Composition
• Locations: California, Romania, Denver, St. Louis, Las Vegas

After the video plays, I’ll give you a couple minutes to try out the pBuzz. Then, get to know your neighbor by asking them their quick facts.

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Discovering the pBuzz

F, G, A, Bb, B, C - try playing each note in whole notes with your neighbor!

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Breathing and Buzzing

Now that you have some new friends and a little information about the pBuzz, let’s do some breathing together so we can prepare our breath for the pBuzz!

• Box Breaths: 4 beats in as arms come up; hold for 4 with arms high; 4 beats out as arms come down.
• Buzz Exhale: purse your lips together, leaving a small aperture for air to vibrate your lips.

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Color Coded for Scaffolding

• Examine the notes and colors on your pBuzz. The higher pitched notes are closer to the mouthpiece, and the lower notes are a longer reach with the slide extended.
• The color coded system on the pBuzz matches the Orff System of color - which means that your chromonote bells, boomwhackers, and glockenspiels will have the same color system.
• In my classroom, I use color note stickers to help students find the notes on pianos, guitars, ukuleles, and basses as well.

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Playing Rhythms on the pBuzz F (echo me)

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Playing Rhythms on the pBuzz G (Echo me)

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Make sure to TONGUE at the Start of Notes

It is important to begin each note above with a “Too” sound. Your tongue starts against the back of your top teeth then lowers to release the air into a strong buzz sound.

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Let’s Try Switching Between the Notes

Now that you have had some time to build your tone on F and G, take a couple minutes to practice with your neighbor on A, Bb, B, and C.

What color are each of these notes? Do they sound higher or lower than the F or G?

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Use your tongue to separate notes as you play the pBuzz.

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Did everyone find purple A?

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Traditional 3 Note Songs

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C is Red and B natural is Pink. Let’s try playing whole notes on each note, but let’s breathe for 4 beats in between each pitch to give our embouchure a little resting time.

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What is an ostinato?

An OSTINATO is a continually repeated musical phrase or rhythm.

Examples of OSTINATO:

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Bolero by Ravel is one of the most famous in Classical Music, and repeats this rhythm:

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In modern music, Paint the Town Red by Doja Cat has a sample of “Walk on By” used as an ostinato.

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Let’s start with some Simple Patterns in 2 chord songs.

In Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” there is an Ostinato that goes:

C G C G | A E A E

Now, let’s simplify this to allow for breathing and the basic range of the pBuzz:

||:C G C G | A sh! A sh! :||

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→ A

Am to C practice with Lizzo “Truth Hurts”

In this song, the pBuzz can play a simplified ostinato/riff based on the bass line in the song Circles.

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The piano part could also be modified for playing on the pBuzz.

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Guitar/Ukulele:

Cmaj7////|//// | Fmaj7 //// | //// |

(C E G B) (F A C E)

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pBuzz:

Rest CC C BBB C B

Rest FF F FFF F F

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Bass Line:

Rest CC DC BBB C B

Rest FF EF FFF E F

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Piano:

////|/GA G|E ///|/GAGE ////|/ G AG| E //D//|E //D//|C////

Circles by Post Malone

Guitar/Ukulele:

Cmaj7////|//// | Fmaj7 //// | //// |

(C E G B) (F A C E)

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pBuzz:

Rest CC C BBB C B

Rest FF F FFF F F

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Bass Line:

Rest CC DC BBB C B

Rest FF EF FFF E F

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Piano comes in after 4 bars:

////|/GA G|E ///|/GAG|E ///|

Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh-oh

/G AG| E //D//|E //D//|C////

Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh oh

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Circles by Post Malone

We couldn’t turn it around

‘Til we were upside down

I’ll be the bad guy now

But no, I ain’t too proud

I couldn’t be there

Even when I tried

You don’t believe it

We do this every time

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Seasons change and our love went cold

Feed the flame ‘cause we can’t let it go

Run away, but we’re running in circles

Run away, run away

I dare you to do something

I’m waiting on you again

So I don’t take the blame

Run away, but we’re running in circles

Run away, run away, run away

Let go, I got a feeling that it's time to let go

I say so, I knew that this was doomed from the get-go

You thought that it was special, special

But it was not special, special

And I still hear the echoes (The echoes)

I got a feeling that it's time to let it go, let it go

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Seasons change and our love went cold

Feed the flame 'cause we can't let it go

Run away, but we're running in circles

Run away, run away

I dare you to do something

I'm waiting on you again, So I don't take the blame

Run away, but we're running in circles

Run away, run away, run away

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Maybe you don't understand what I'm going through, It's only me, What you got to lose?

Make up your mind, tell me, What are you gonna do? It's only me, Let it go

(end on C chord after last chorus)

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Guitar/Ukulele:

Cmaj7////|//// | Fmaj7 //// | //// |

(C E G B) (F A C E)

pBuzz:

Rest CC C BBB C B

Rest FF F FFF F F

Bass Line:

Rest CC DC BBB C B

Rest FF EF FFF E F

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Shake It Off

by Taylor Swift

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Approximation of Drum Part

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I stay out too late

Got nothing in my brain

That's what people say, mm-mm

That's what people say, mm-mm

I go on too many dates

But I can't make 'em stay

At least that's what people say, mm-mm

That's what people say, mm-mm

But I keep cruisin'

Can't stop, won't stop movin'

It's like I got this music in my mind

Sayin', "It's gonna be alright"

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Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play

And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate

Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake

I shake it off, I shake it off (whoo-hoo-hoo)

Heartbreakers gonna break, break, break, break, break

And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake

Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake

I shake it off, I shake it off (whoo-hoo-hoo)

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This is the ostinato from Birds of a Feather by Billie Eilish. This ostinato lasts the entire song.*

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C////|////| Am////|////| Dm////|////| G////|////|

*The G will be played an octave lower on pBuzz unless you blow faster air to reach the next partial. Alternatively, you can leave out the G to breathe as needed.

Verse 1

I want you to stay, ‘Til I’m in the grave ‘Til I rot Away, dead and buried,

‘Til I’m in the casket you carry

If you go, I’m going too, uh, ‘cause it was always you, and if i’m turnin’ blue,

Please don’t save me, nothing’ left to lose without my baby

Birds of a feather, we should stick together,

I know, I said I’d never think I wasn’t better alone,

Can’t change the weather, might not be forever,

but if it's forever, it’s even better

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And I don’t know what I’m cryin’ for, I don’t think I could love you more, It might not be long, but, baby, I … I’ll love you ‘til the day that I die, til the day that I die, ‘til the light leaves my eyes, ‘Til the day that I die

Verse 2

I want you to see, hmm, ‘how you look to me, hmm, you wouldn’t believe me if I told ya, you would keep the compliments I throw ya,

But you’re so full of it, uh, tell me it’s a bit, oh, say you don’t see it, your mind’s polluted, say you wanna quit, don’t be stupid

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And I don’t know what I’m cryin’ for, I don’t think I could love you more, might not be long, but, baby, I … don’t wanna say goodbye

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Birds of a feather, we should stick together, I know, I said I’d never think I wasn’t better alone, Can’t change the weather, might not be forever, but if it's’ forever, it’s even better

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I knew you in another life, you had that same look in your eyes, I love you, don’t act so surprised

Walk On By - only uses 2 chords but has the less often used Gm chord since this song is in G Dorian.

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Bb

Paint the Town Red

Gm//// Am////

Walk on by

Yeah (walk on by)

Yeah

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Yeah, I said what I said

I'd rather be famous instead (walk on by)

I let all that get to my head

I don't care, I'll paint the town red (walk on by)

Yeah, I said what I said

I'd rather be famous instead (walk on by)

I let all that get to my head

I don't care, I paint the town red (walk on by)

Mm, she's trouble

She a bad lil' one, she a rebel

She put her foot to the pedal

It'll take a whole lot for me to settle (yeah, yeah)

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Gm Am Gm

Gm//// Am////

Said my happiness is none of this misery

I've got good luck on all of my journeys (walk on by)

This kind of build don't come with no jealousy

That illness don't come with no remedy (walk on by)

Gm//// Am////

I am so much fun without misery

They just want my love and my energy (walk on by)

You can't say a thing without penalties

Yeah, I'm in your mind if you send for me (walk on by)

I'm going to glow up one more time

Trust me, I have magical foresight (walk on by)

You gon' see me sleepin' in courtside

You gon' see me eatin' ten more times (walk on by)

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(to Chorus)

Gm//// Am////

Said pop make money, now you try it

You could use a revamp with a new vibe, sis (walk on by)

I don't need a big feature or a new sidekick

I don't need a new fan 'cause my boo like it (walk on by)

I don't need to wear a wig to make you like it

I'm a champion, you ain't knew I'd win (walk on by)

Throw a shot like you tryna have a food fight then

All of them waitin' for me to be you, I bet (walk on by)

Gm//// Am////

Said I got drive, I don't need a car

Money really all that we're lookin' for (walk on by)

I'm doin' things they ain't seen before

That ain't dumb, but the questions are (walk on by)

I've been here before

Fall off, what? I ain't seen the horse (walk on by)

Called your bluff, better cite the source

Fame ain't something that I need no more (walk on by)

(To Chorus)

C Jam Blues

read Duke Ellington: Jazz Composer

C - Red (I)

F(7) - Green (IV)

G(7) - Blue (V)

C Shuffle Blues Jam Track

12 Bar Blues Form

C Jam Blues Score

I //// | I //// | I //// | I////|

IV //// | IV//// |I//// | I////|

V//// |IV//// | I //// | I ////|

How the pBuzz develops musicianship:

Benefits of the pBuzz:

-Develops the inner musical ear

-Encourages diaphragmatic breathing in preparation for wind instruments

-Uses both gross and fine motor skills

-Teaches treble and bass clef reading skills to students, as well as rhythm

-User friendly color-coding and approachable to students

-Provides opportunities to explore articulation, musicality, and technical aspects of playing an instrument

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Maintenance

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Video Reference for the pBuzz

In this video, I review the colors and note names for each section. I also show how to produce a buzzing sound. This is in here for your future reference.

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Want to learn more about pBuzz?

Scan the QR code to find out how to get your classroom pBuzzes and mouthpieces for all your students.

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Music Will will make all presentations available after the conference.

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The personal viewpoints expressed in this session are solely those of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or views of Music Will.