Melody - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Melody

Whole vs. Half steps

Major Scale

Solfege

Dominant/TonicSlide2

Whole vs. Half Steps

Melodies sound good to us because they follow specific rules, and contain certain pitches that relate to Do, Re,

Mi

, Fa, Sol, La,

Ti

, etc.

In order to understand melodies, we must understand scales.

In order to understand scales, we must understand the building blocks of scales.

Then, we’ll know why we use certain pitches and motions between pitches instead of others.Slide3

Whole vs. Half Steps on the piano

Half steps are from one key to its IMMEDIATE neighbor.

Whole steps are from one key to the next neighbor.Slide4

The Scale

99.99% of melodies that we as North

Haveners

can hum to ourselves are related to either the major or minor scale.

0.01% = strange modes, Church modes, post-tonal, microtonal: LATER

Major scale has:Specific rules.

Certain pitches.

Minor later.Slide5

The Major Scale

A

scale

is a series of pitches in sequence that span the distance of an octave

The major scale is constructed of

8 pitches.Let’s start with the C major scaleSlide6

The Major Scale

WHOLE

WHOLE

half WHOLE

WHOLE

WHOLE halfPneumonic device: We Walked H

ome

W

hen

W

e

W

alked

H

ome.

Why is this important?

If I want to create a major scale by starting on other pitches, it will only sound “right” to me if I follow that same pattern of whole and half steps.

And I do want to start on other pitches! Imagine all music in key of C!Slide7

The Major ScaleSlide8

Practice

Using the piano, pick any key to start. Remember it!

Play a scale following this pattern: - W

W

H W

W W H

Did you end one octave higher than your starting pitch??Slide9

Now:

I know what pitches are found in a C major scale.

I want to create a melody using those pitches

Question: Can I use any of those 8 pitches, in any order?Slide10

The Major Scale: Solfege

As we said: 8 pitches

Each has a job, a role, a

function

, a

tendency.Scale degrees: ^1, ^2, ^3, ^4, ^5, ^6, ^7, ^1

Solfege: Do, Re,

Mi

, Fa, Sol, La,

Ti

, DoSlide11

Functions/Tendencies of Major Scale

Scale Degree

Solfege

Function/Tendency

1

Do

Tonic

2

Re

Supertonic

3

Mi

Mediant

4

Fa

Subdominant

5

Sol

Dominant

6

La

Submediant

7

Ti

Leading toneSlide12

A “good” melody uses the pitches of a given scale in the way they were meant to be used.

If we put pitches in a random order, those pitches might not be able to serve their function in the best way possible.

Therefore, the melody might not sound as “good.”Slide13

Functions/Tendencies

Tonic (Do)

: home base, stable center

Dominant (Sol)

and

Leading tone (Ti): center of instability, desire to move to the tonic

Supertonic (Re)

and

Subdominant (Fa)

: also unstable, these pitches prepare to move to a dominant or leading tone

So, the logical order of melodies is:

Supertonic/Subdominant

 Dominant/Leading tone  TonicSlide14

For example:

C major

 C is Do

Which works, which don’t? Why?

1

2

3Slide15

Composing a melody: guidelines

Consider the instrument/voice and its range when composing.

Avoid using consecutive, large leaps.

Follow any large leaps with a repeated pitch or step.

End on Do.

Precede Do with either the dominant or leading tone.Slide16

Practice

On your own, on a piece of paper to be submitted, compose a

melody that

has all of the following

:

2 measures long

Treble or bass clef

Key of C major, C is Do.

If writing in treble clef, write within the range of middle C to 3

rd

space C.

If writing in bass clef, write within the range of 2

nd

space C to middle C.

Choose one meter: 2-4, 3-4, 4-4

End

with a double bar

line

Your last three notes should be: supertonic/subdominant

 dominant/leading tone  tonic

When

you are finished, I will perform the examples on piano for the class.