Melody

Melody - A logical succession of musical pitches arranged in a rhythmic pattern. An important part of melody is rhythm. The notes vary in pitch and duration. Form also applies to melody. Melodies include repetition as well as contrast. Pitch characteristics of melodies include:
- Direction - up, down, stay the same
- Range - wide or narrow spectrum of notes ranging from low to high
- Position - Maybe use notes of high pitches or transposed to low pitches, but as long as the intervals between notes is consistent, the melody can be placed with the total pitch continuum.
  - Intervals - The distance between the pitches of the melody may be steps from one note to an adjacent note, or skips where pitches leap from one to another skipping a tone or tones.

Melody Instruments
- Playing Bells
- Singing Melodies with Solfege - The Voice
- Playing Melodies on the Piano
  - Playing Melodies on the Recorder
The Musical Alphabet - ABCDEFG

Scales - Major and Minor - Melodies are made up of the tones in a scale. Most children's melodies are major scales, but some are minor scales. Major and minor scales include 8 notes moving step by step from one pitch to the same pitch an octave higher (8 notes above). The scale is named by the first note. The first and last notes of the scale indicate the "key" of the melody or song. Scales can begin on any note, but the intervals between each note remain consistent with the type of scale used in the melody. Generally, the melody will have a "tonal" center or home base. This is the first note of the scale and the melody will often end on that note.

C Major Scale

C Scale - White keys (2 octaves)

Websites for Melody and Music Theory

Learn to play the piano

More on Musical Elements
- Dolmetsch Music Theory Online - http://www.dolmetsch.com/index.htm

Glossary

Cadence - (1) Resting place at the end of a phrase in a melody. (2) Progression giving a sense of conclusion, often from the dominant chord to the tonic chord.

Climax - Highest tone or emotional focal point in a melody or a larger musical composition.

Complete cadence - Definite resting place, giving a sense of finality, at the end of a phrase in a melody.

Dissonance - Tone combination that is unstable and tense.

Incomplete cadence - Inconclusive resting point at the end of a phrase which sets up expectations for phrases to follow.

Leap - Interval larger than that between two adjacent tones in the scale.

Legato - Smooth, connected manner of performing a melody.

Melody - Series of single tones that add up to a recognizable whole.

Phrase - Part of a melody.

Repetition - Reiteration of a phrase, section, or entire movement, often used to create a sense of unity.

Sequence - In a melody, the immediate repetition of a melodic pattern on a higher or lower pitch.

Staccato - Short, detached manner of performing a melody.

Step - Interval between two adjacent tones in the scale.

Theme - Melody which serves as the starting point for an extended piece of music.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse