MUSIC THEORY

Mod 23

• Subject of the Day: Writing Melodies
• Reading Assignment: Textbook, pp.71-73
• Written Assignment: Workbook, ex.5-1
• Semester Schedule

Harmony, or simultaneous sounding of pitches, is a vertical parameter of music.  Melody, a succession of pitches, is horizontal.  In our study of melody we will eliminate rhythm from our discussion and concentrate on how a melody of only quarter notes should proceed.  Good melodies will have the following ingredients.
 

•     Mostly stepwise melodies with occasional skips and a distinct sense of direction to the line
•     No leaps of augmented intervals, 7ths, or intervals larger than an octave
•     Leaps of a 4th or larger should be approached and left in the opposite direction to the leap
•     Consecutive small leaps (3rds and 4ths) in the same direction should outline a triad

Good Melody

Click on the melody to hear it

Poor Melody

Click on the melody to hear it

Tone Tendencies

Each note of the scale has a tendency to lead to one of the notes of the tonic triad.  The strongest pull is the leading tone which goes up a half step to the tonic.  Second strongest tendency is for the subdominant to lead to the mediant.  The submediant wants to go to the dominant.  The supertonic goes equally well to the tonic or mediant.  Of course, the tonic, mediant, and dominant are all stable tones and do not readily lead to anywhere else.
 
 

If you still have questions, contact Dr. Bartolotta at wbartolo@odu.edu