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Unit 7. Melody and Harmony

1. Melody

      1.1. Definition

      1.2. Structure of melody

      1.3. Melodic motion

2. Harmony

      2.1. Definition

      2.2. Melody VS Harmony

      2.3. Chords

      2.4. Cadences

3. Learn more

1. Melody
1.1. Definition

Melody is the lineal sequence of pitches of sound that expresses a musical idea.

All melodies are based on a scale. Most of our western music is built upon the diatonic scale. It is made up of 5 tones and 2 semitones.

1.2. Structure of melody

In the structure of a melody we distinguish different elements: motif, phrase, cadence, and theme.

  • Motif: It would be the equivalent of the word in spoken language. It is the basic cell of a melody.

  • Phrase: it is a melody with actual meaning. Phrases can be divided in semi-phrases.

  • Cadence: It is the equivalent of pauses in languages. It is used to separate different musical phrases.

  • Theme: It is the main melody of a musical piece. Normally, the theme is made up of two semi-phrases. The first one, as a kind of question, is called antecedent phrase. The second one, the answer, is called consequent phrase.

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1.3. Melodic motion

Melodic motion is the line or direction that the notes follow in a melody. The melodic design can be: horizontal, ascending, descending, conjunct, disjunct or symmetric.

  • Horizontal: when the melodic line barely moves, using repeated notes.

  • Ascending: if the melody turns from low to high.

  • Descending: if the melody turns from high to low.

  • Conjunct: when the melody smoothly fluctuates around a base note.

  • Disjunct: if it moves creating peaks with wide intervals.

  • Symmetric: when we find the highest point in the middle of the melody.

Horizontal:

Autumn - Vivaldi

Ascending:

Thus spoke Zarathustra - Richard Strauss

Descending:

Canon - Pachelbel

Conjunct:

Morning - Grieg

Disjunct:

A Little Night Music - Mozart

Symmetric:

The Moldau - Smetana

2. Harmony
2.1. Definition

Harmony is the study of simultaneous sounds (chords) and their relations. We differentiate between consonance (relaxation) and dissonance (tension).

2.2. Melody VS Harmony
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Melody is represented horizontally on the staff, while harmony is represented vertically.

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2.3. Chords

The basic element of harmony is the chord, made by overlapping three or more simultaneous sounds. Chords are formed overlapping 3rd intervals over a bass note that we call root note. The basic chord is the three-sound chord called triad chord.The most important chords are those built on the Tonic, Subdominant and Dominant.

2.4. Cadences

The same way as in melody, the harmonic cadence is the point of rest. It is used to separate the different musical ideas or to indicate the end of a piece.

  • Perfect cadence: it has an entirely conclusive meaning.

  • Semicadence: it does not have a conclusive nature.

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3. Learn more
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