Year 10 - Music
Composing effective melodies
Fundamentals of composition: extended
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Unit Summary
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Lesson Summary
You will learn to compose a melody that uses both conjunct and disjunct movement effectively and creates balanced phrases.
Key Notes
- Melodies that use disjunct movement can be very effective, if disjunct intervals are used carefully.
- In particular, 3rds, 5ths and octaves tend to be most effective.
- Any disjunct movement should jump between chord tones.
- Balanced phrasing is a key feature of Western classical melodies.
- With this, phrases are an equal length and use a 'question' and 'answer' form with a similar rhythm and melodic shape.
Vocabulary To Learn
- interval: the distance in pitch between two notes (e.g. a fifth)
- chord tone: a note that is included within a chord
- disjunct: movement between notes that involves intervals larger than two semitones (moving by leap)
- balanced phrasing: where melodic phrases are equal length and complementary melodic shape (also called 'question and answer' form)
- melodic shape: the overall shape of a melody or part of a melody, including where it ascends or descends and where it is conjunct or disjunct
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Only 3rds, 5ths and octaves work as disjunct intervals in a melody.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Melodies that use disjunct movement can be very effective, if disjunct intervals are used carefully. In particular, 3rds, 5ths and octaves tend to be most effective.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'interval'
the distance in pitch between two notes (e.g. a fifth).
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Only 3rds, 5ths and octaves work as disjunct intervals in a melody. Correction: This is not true: all intervals (except sevenths) can work effectively, as long as they jump between chord tones. If intervals jump to or from non-chord tones, the melody will sound ineffective.
More Lessons In This Unit
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