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
• The pitch of a note refers to its highness or lowness on
the musical scale; the melody of a song is the
manner in which notes of varying pitches are put
together in sequence. The melody is often the
element that most people remember after hearing a
song. A conjunct melody is smooth and easy to
play, while a disjunct melody is disjointed or jumpy
and more difficult to play.
◦
• 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, and this is always true. 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 - For the purpose of this lesson, we
will use the C major scale since it uses only the
white keys on a piano. I have included a color
coded set of materials that can be used with a
colored bell set I found very useful for teaching
beginning music reading.
QUESTIONS TO ANSWER FOR DISCUSSION:
Submit in Microsoft Word in Moodle.
1. What makes a melody particularly memorable?
Strong rhythms make melodies memorable something if it’s
catchy to. The climax or high point makes it memorable also.
2. How does the structure of a melody compare
with the form of a sentence?
It is similar for it has he same components such as a
cadence, rhyme scheme, and climax.
It is also comprehended as an entire cohesive
thought like a sentence would.
3. The great composer Joseph Haydn said: "It is the
melody which is the charm of music, and it is that
which is most difficult to produce. The invention of
a fine melody is a work of genius." What is your
take or feelings concerning a melody after reading
this quotation by Haydn?
It is the melody which is the charm of music, and it is that which is most difficult to
produce. The invention of a fine melody is a work of genius.
