melodic writing

What makes a goodMELODY?

Alexandra Zablotsky2014

Pitch – the highness or lowness of a note

Rhythm – a pattern of sound

Components of melody

How to arrange the pitches• Stepwise motion:

The pitches are organized one step away from each other

• Leapwise motion: The pitches are organized more than one step away from each other

Parts that make up a melody are called THEMES

• Theme: a musical expression or idea

• Themes are made up of MOTIFS

Motif Theme

Tracing melodic contourThe melodic contour is traced in red. The melody builds up to the highest point on the last note.

Tracing melodic contourMore examples of shape; here the melody starts higher and moves down.

Ludwig Van Beethoven,Symphony No. 5 in C minor

Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Beethoven

Motive: small sections that make up a melodic theme

TranspositionTransposition is moving the pitches up or down:• Diatonic

transposition• Chromatic

Transposition

Diatonic transposition:uses only notes in the key

Chromatic transposition:uses notes not in the key, but keeps the same intervals.

Inversion:using the same notes

moving the opposite way

Augmentation – slows down

Diminution - Speeds up

Rhythmic transformation

Stepwise and leapwise motion

Melodic shapeMotivic transposition –

diatonic and chromaticRhythmic

transformation – augmentation and diminution

Melodic transformation techniques

Practice listeningWrite your own melodies

incorporating these techniquesPractice soloing using these

techniques

Next steps

Geralt. Untitled. Digital image. Pixabay. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://pixabay.com/en/violin-listen-sound-sounds-concert-67418/

Angr. Scientific Pitch Notation. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Pitch_notation.png>.

Evan-Amos. A Pumpkin Pie. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Pumpkin-Pie-Whole-Slice.jpg>.

Stieler, Joseph K. Beethoven. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.archiv.fraunhofer.de/archiv/presseinfos/pflege.zv.fhg.de/german/press/pi/pi2002/08/md_fo6a.html>.

Beethoven, Ludwig V. Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Allegro Con Brio. Braunschweig: Henry Litolff, 1880. Mineola: Dover Publications, 1989. PDF.

Merian, Maria Sibylia. Metamorphosis of a Butterfly. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Metamorphosis_of_a_Butterfly_Merrian_1705.jpg>.

Gamelin, Jaques. Four Skeletons playing Musical Instruments. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Four_skeletons_playing_musical_instruments_Wellcome_V0008806.jpg>.

upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Four_skeletons_playing_musical_instruments_Wellcome_V0008806.jpg>.

Photo Credits

Music Credits

*All works used are PUBLIC DOMAIN

Ludwig Van Beethoven. Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Allegro Con Brio. Cond. Larry Simons. Perf. Woodside Park Philharmonia. N.d. MIDI.