The Elements of Music

1. The Elements of Music Part Four: Melody

2. Learning Goal/Success Criteria • Learning Goal • I will learn about melodyas an element of music. • Success Criteria: • I will be able to determine the range, shape, and movementof a song using proper terminology.

3. Melody • A melody is a series of pitches. • A melody can be described by its range, shape, and its movement.

4. Range • The range of a melody is the distance between a melody’s highest note and lowest note. • The range of a melody can be narrow, medium, or wide.

5. Shape • A melody can move upward in pitch, downward in pitch, or not change pitch at all. • A melody can start high and then go low (descend) • A melody can start low and then go high (ascend) • A melody can start and end on the same note and then move anywhere in between (the shape of a melody would then be a wave) • Hint: Most pop singers sing in a “wave” shape.

6. Movement • The notes within a melody move either by steps or by leaps. • Melodies in popular music have mostly steps and a few leaps. A melody with more steps and fewer leaps is easer to sing and more memorable to the ear. • If a melody mostly steps, we call it conjunct. • If a melody is mostly leaps, we call it disjunct.

7. Musical Examples • Listen to the following melodies. Determine the range, shape, and movement of each melody.

8. Example #1 • Range: • Shape: • Movement:

9. Example #2 • Range: • Shape: • Movement:

10. Example #3 • Range: • Shape: • Movement:

11. Example #4 • Range: • Shape: • Movement:

12. Repetition • Repetition is a common feature in melodies. If a piece of music is repetitious, people will be able to remember it easily. • The image on the right has the same note repeating over and over again.

13. Improvisation • Many singers and instrumentalists will choose to improvise on a melody to make it more interesting. • Improvisation is to invent, compose, perform, or embellish a piece of music with little preparation.

14. Examples 5 • The US National anthem, the Star Spangled Banner, is one of the most improvised songs of all time. • Watch the video file of the version by the famous jazz musician Bleeding Gums Murphy. How does he improvise on the melody?

15. Star Spangled Banner

16. Lack of Melody • Finally, many pieces of music may not have a melody at all! • Example 6: • Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima (1959) by Krzysztof Penderecki

17. Putting It All Together • Choose a song and make comments about the musical elements on the last page of your handout.