Elements of Music Melody
introduction to the basics of music
AUGUST 29TH, 2022
There's something about a beautiful melody that makes your heart soar. Whether it's the happiness of a nursery rhyme or the sadness of a classical ballad, melodies can deeply affect us emotionally.
Melody is often considered the most crucial element of music. A good melody is memorable, has a pleasing contour, and stays within a comfortable range. It should also be relatively easy to sing. Melody can be conjunct, meaning that it moves in small steps, or disjunct, meaning it leaps around. When you hear a work of music, the melody is what always sticks with you.
In this blog post, we will look at some of the critical elements that make up a melody. What are you waiting for? The world of melodies awaits!
Topics
Why is a melody good?
"Melody is the essence of music. I compare a good melodist to a fine racer …". ― Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Melody is often described as the "sweetest" element of music. And it's no wonder why – a good melody is like a little earworm that stays with you long after the song is over. But what makes a melody so special?
Melody is one of the essential elements of music, along with harmony, rhythm, form, structure, texture, dynamics, and timbre. A good melody can convey all sorts of emotions, from happiness to sadness to nostalgia. Melodies become a part of our culture. When it's someone's birthday, we sing the famous tune of "Happy Birthday." We get into the spirit during the holidays by listening to our favorite songs. We sign iconic nursery rhymes to babies to help them sleep. Who doesn't know the melody to "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"? Who doesn't sing along to their favorite pop or rock song? After going to a few Karaoke nights, I've never not heard someone sing along to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," whether in the USA or overseas. Everyone knows the words.
I have never doubted the importance of melody. I like melody very much, and I consider it the most important element in music, and I labour many years on the improvement of its quality in my compositions. – Sergei Prokofiev
Melodies are simply sequences of notes put together in a certain way so they can be pleasing. So why are some great and some not so great?
In the simplest terms, a good melody is memorable; it has a structure that's easy to follow. The more straightforward a melody is, the easier it is for our minds to remember it. However, simple doesn't necessarily mean it will be good. There are many other factors. A melody with a wide range of pitches can also be more interesting than one with a limited range, and one with an exciting rhythm is more likely to stick in your head.
Ultimately, whether a particular melody is good is subjective, but certain qualities tend to make melodies more enjoyable.
Contour and Range
You can think of contour and range as being like the coordinates on a map. Just as you need both latitude and longitude to pinpoint a location, you need both contour and range to describe a melody. But just as there can be different locations with the exact coordinates, there can also be different Melodies with the same contour and range. It's all about how the notes are put together.
1. Contour: The contour of a melody is the overall shape or direction it takes. For example, a melody might start low and then rise or move in a zig-zag pattern. It can barely move from its original starting position. If you think of pop songs like "Save Your Tears" by The Weeknd (check out our fusion of this work with a Sarabande by Handel), the melody is relatively static with tiny zig-zag motions up and down. However, static may not seem at first thought as attractive as a melody with a more arc or wavy contour; a more simple motion can make a tune more memorable and easy to hum later on. We always recommend keeping an open mind to all types of melodies. The shape is only one aspect of what makes a good melody.
2. Range: The range of a melody is the highest and lowest notes it includes. In Western tonal music, the range of a melody is usually relatively limited. The average pop song has a range of less than an octave, and many classical melodies stay within a fifth or sixth. But there are exceptions to every rule, and you can find examples of melodies with wide ranges in both popular and classical music.
Together, the contour and range give us a good idea of what a melody sounds like. Next time you're listening to your favorite song, try to see if you can identify the contour (shape) of the melody; is it wavy? Is it static? Does it zig zag? Does it shoot up or down in one direction?
Conjunct and Disjunct
Before we speak about conjunct and disjunct, we first need to address a simple little term that describes the distance between two notes in a melody: the interval. Intervals define the space between two notes if you were to measure the distance. There can be a simple step between the two notes, multiple steps, or a giant leap. If you have a piano, look at the keys; it can give you a basic overview of intervals between two notes.
The most basic intervals are conjunct, which are notes played consecutively in a more step-wise motion (creating a smooth movement). If you are still looking at your piano, this can mean action from one white key to the following adjacent white key. It's a simple, connected motion that is closely joined together.
We also have disjunct intervals, which are notes played with a space in between, sounding like a skip. Are you still looking at your piano? Try skipping around from one white key to a further white above or below. The motion sounds more disconnected and can almost sound random if done too much.
The motion doesn't necessarily need to be fixed in one melody. A melody can be conjunct and disjunct at different moments.
Phrases and Cadences
The structure of melody is often described in terms of phrases and cadences. Phrases and cadences help to create a piece's overall structure and can significantly impact the feel and flow of the music.
It is helpful to think of melody as a conversation to understand how these elements work together. Phrases are like sentences; they can be combined to create longer, more complex thoughts. Cadences, on the other hand, are like punctuation marks. They provide structure and resolution and can help to emphasize specific ideas. There are several types of cadences, but the most common are perfect and imperfect. A perfect cadence occurs when a melody ends on a tonic note, while an imperfect cadence occurs when a melody ends on any other note.
You can also understand the structure of a melody by thinking of it as a journey, with each phrase representing a step along the way. The starting point is usually the tonic (or tonal center), and the final destination is the goal. In between, there may be any number of intermediate stops and imperfect cadences. The journey from the tonic to the goal is known as the melodic line, and the overall structure of the melody is determined by the order in which the phrases are arranged. We can have a climax, a moment in the music that is the most dramatic; the tension built throughout the work leads to this one moment, which then leads to the resolution as we near the end with a perfect cadence.
By carefully crafting the structure of a melody, composers can create powerful and expressive music.
Countermelody
A melody is often thought of as the central theme of a piece of music, and for a good reason. The melody is typically the most memorable part of a song, and it's the element that listeners are most likely to sing along with. But a melody doesn't always have to stand alone; it can also work well with a countermelody. A countermelody is an alternative melody that complements the main melody, creating a more complex and exciting harmony. When used effectively, a countermelody can add depth and richness to a song, making it more than just the sum of its parts. So next time you're listening to your favorite tunes, take a moment to hear if countermelodies are working alongside them; they may play a more important role than you realize.
Examples
From the glow of enthusiasm I let the melody escape. I pursue it. Breathless I catch up with it. It flies again; it disappears; it plunges into a chaos of diverse emotions. I catch it again; I seize it; I embrace it with delight.-Beethoven
Here are a few melodies that can help you understand a few of the concepts we briefly discussed above. Try to describe the melody's motion: contour, range, conjunct movement, disjunct movement. Do you think it's good? Is it memorable? Are there any countermelodies working with the melody?
Have you heard Happy Birthday like this before?
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star may be simple, but it’s simplicity allows for wonderful inventiveness
Simple wavy contour in Dvořák Symohony No. 9 in E minor op. 95 "From The New World", 2nd movment, Largo,
Zig zag (rocket theme) contour in Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Does a melodic theme have to move frequently to be beautiful? Many melodies in pop songs stay fairly static with little motion, but it doesn’t take away from how good they are. Keeping a melody simple will make it easier for listeners to remember and sign along. Check out our fusion of The Weeknd’s Save Your Tears with a Sarabande from Handel!
Nimrod from Elgar’s Enigman Variations is one of our favorite melodies. It’s beautiful crafted and shows you how conjunct and disjunct motion can create interest in a melody.
Final Note
In this blog post, we explored some crucial elements of a melody, including contour, range, conjunct and disjunct intervals, phrases and cadences, and countermelody. We hope you've enjoyed learning how these aspects work together to create a beautiful melodic line. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more engaging content like this, follow us on Instagram, and sign up to receive emails from us, so you never miss a beat when it comes to musical knowledge. Thanks for reading!
