Questions tagged [melody]
A succession of notes which comprise the principal part in harmonized music.
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3answers
506 views
I can't produce songs
I'm a guitarist, playing with 3-4 bands 4-5 days a week. I also study Sound Engineering and doing recording, arranging and mixing. My literature is not bad, and I have a good music education. ...
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2answers
39 views
Does this song use melodic minor or harmonic minor?
The song below was on a past IB Music Diploma Programme listening paper. The markscheme says that it uses melodic minor. I hear a raised 7th, particularly in the vocal, but I don't hear a raised 6th......
9
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2answers
480 views
How can whole tone melodies sound more interesting?
How can one make melodies made from whole tone scales sound more interesting & appealing? Unlike melodies based in a certain mode or a key, whole tone scales use only tones as the intervals. This ...
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1answer
55 views
Tips on writing 12 bar or 16 bar melodies
I need to write 12 bar or 16 bar melodies for my Grade 8 Music Theory exam. I know how to write melodies, which didn't require any modulation. I am new to the concept of using modulation in melody ...
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2answers
68 views
What are the key features to keep in mind when writing melodies in Mixolydian mode?
When writing a melody in the Mixolydian mode, you don't want it to sound as if it were in a major key. So how do you go about writing melodies in the Mixolydian mode, while maintaining the essence of ...
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1answer
66 views
If a melody is above the octave does that give reason to use extended chords?
I'm wondering if the melody, when you play it above an octave and those notes then become 9ths,11ths,13ths does that then give a reason to use extended chords to harmonize them? Or is there no ...
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1answer
59 views
How to analyze this melody in modal/Jazz theory? [closed]
Update: I've updated this for clarity and with some context regarding how I interpret this passage, but my fundamental question remains the same. I really hope someone could help me parse out this ...
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3answers
94 views
Are there two types of songs (melody based, harmony based)? [closed]
I noticed two types of songs.
A strong chord progression (or a strong bass line) and then the melody follows as an example, Pachelbel's Canon in D. In this case the chord progression remains ...
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0answers
21 views
Methods for identifying a tune online [migrated]
Is there any good method available for using the internet or other resources to identify a tune? I've had the following melody going through my head, off and on, for the past couple of years:
Luckily ...
2
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0answers
44 views
Kinetic Rhythm in Pop Music
This is something I've noticed that I don't hear anyone really talking about...
Essentially it's the way that separate rhythmic elements of most pop songs interact in a kinetic way with one another. ...
7
votes
3answers
113 views
Which notes are skeletal?
I have been told to figure out which notes in Mozart's theme are skeletal and which ones are just embellishments before I develop my Theme and Variations.
But I don't know how to tell if a note is ...
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3answers
93 views
Having learnt all the intervals by ear, how does one learn whole melodies? [duplicate]
This might seem like an easy step, but having learned how to recognise all the intervals upto an octave: ascending, descending and harmonically, how does one figure out a melody by ear? I can pick out ...
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3answers
121 views
How does 'If I were a rich man' work?
I was playing 'If I were a rich man'. I noticed how it makes use of alot of notes outside its scale even though it's in C major. and I was wondering what the term is for what is it doing. Is it ...
5
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1answer
36 views
Is melodic analysis a thing?
I know that harmonic analysis can be done like this:
i iv V i
Is there a similar standard for melodic analysis? Is melodic analysis a thing?
Thanks, Nathan.
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4answers
1k views
Would the melodic leap of the opening phrase of Mozart's K545 be considered dissonant?
The Complete Musician by Steven Laitz states that melodic intervals larger than a fifth are considered dissonant and should be avoided. It also states that two leaps of a third are fine, provided you ...
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1answer
85 views
Does changing the beat of a song change its genre? [closed]
Recently, I was listenting to a song, adn then a remix of the same song, and noticed that the melody/beat of the two were very different.
Are the two variations of the song different genres, and if ...
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1answer
175 views
“Für Elise” Opening motif [closed]
Beethoven wrote his "Für Elise" for his girlfriend "Elise Röckel". The first three notes of the piece, E-D♯-E, make a little "sense" about it, as the letters of the notes somehow form the name "Elise"...
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1answer
41 views
Is there a specific name or descriptive term for happy, productive melodies/tunes that you see on ads? [closed]
Example
Feel free to include some of your favorite ones also!
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1answer
83 views
Which key to modulate to? [closed]
So I have finished the A section of my waltz and am wanting to go to another key for the B section. The waltz is in the key of D major. So these chords are diatonic to it:
My melody in the A section ...
3
votes
2answers
183 views
How to properly unresolve melodies to achieve dissonance and darkness in music [closed]
I'm looking to understand music theory behind dissonance, unresolved dark music. What makes a song sound serious and not "rainbows". When writing a bassline or melodies, is it possible to achieve ...
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0answers
197 views
How am I supposed to go about writing a waltz? [closed]
This and other dances in general I have kind of been avoiding for the first 10 years that I composed. But I figured that if I am going to start composing dance music as well as sonatas, symphonies, ...
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3answers
145 views
Why can I play a melody starting with any key, or even change the key in the middle of the melody?
I just realized that I can play any melody starting with any key on a piano, and it sounds weird only for the first key I press, and afterwards I have trouble remembering what the original sounded ...
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1answer
66 views
Melodic lines are diatonic, harmony doesn't seem to be
Okay so this is something that I came across as I was writing my canons and analyzing the harmony to try to figure out which canon is best for my symphony. There is a section in one of my canons where ...
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2answers
76 views
Can someone teach me [closed]
Can someone teach me how to write melodies like:
I know basic theory but I don't know how to generate melodies.
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3answers
119 views
Best sequence to learn about harmony, melody and rhythm? [closed]
I have basic knowledge about these but I want to learn in depth. So what could be the sequence to learn. Also tell where Form, and other elements will come.
2
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2answers
93 views
Mathematical methods for analysing melodic contour? [closed]
Are there any mathematical methods for identifying melodic shape, identifying motifs and general pattern recognition?
2
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1answer
85 views
Melody with only notes C, G, D, A
Is there any well-known melody that only contains the notes C, G, D and A? I'm learning to play the cello, so far practicing only playing on open strings and would love to be able to play a melody.
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2answers
129 views
How to make the dominant preparation less boring?
This is one thing that I have always noticed when I compose a sonata. Even if I can get through most of the development section in sonata form, the dominant preparation sort of grinds my gears. I'm ...
0
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4answers
158 views
Melody And Intervals [closed]
How do composers think about intervals like minor, major,etc to compose melody?
Eg I know playing major third will invoke happy mood....that is if we play C and then E creates happier environment......
2
votes
1answer
100 views
Melodic Composition Tips?
This question (and my attempted answer) is from a practise test booklet for the RCM Grade 8 Exam I'm going to take. I have a few questions regarding composing melodies and also cadences.
So in part ...
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0answers
81 views
How to describe unmistakable similarity in two Andrew Lloyd Webber songs?
So, I'm a very elementary music student with a theatrical background, and I want to ask a professor about what I hear as a very marked similarity between a couple of songs from different Andrew Lloyd ...
1
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1answer
82 views
Can any melody / motif be turned into a good sounding melody? (Theoretical and practical question.) [closed]
I've read and experienced and I noticed that rhythm, rest placing and even very minor (no pun inteded) changes to the melody, for example some flat or sharp can change it drastically.
My question is ...
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vote
2answers
96 views
Melodic Criticism - Exercise 3.16G, Laitz The Complete Musician 2nd Edition
The question asks to find the weaknesses or problems (based on the general guidelines for melody writing presented in the preceding section) in the following melodic contour (tunes without rhythm or ...
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1answer
207 views
How do video game music composers make so many songs for one game? Are all of them some sort of musical talent / genius?
I love video game soundtracks from to 8-bit ones to the very orchestral pieces but it's not clear to me how they can make so many songs for one game. Even if there are motifs which can help make ...
2
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1answer
103 views
What is considered to be inspiration? How can I be sure my idea is original?
I'm feeling like I'm not fully understand what degree of musical creativity is considered to be creating original content or inspiration.
When a musical idea "jumps in my head" it sometimes remind me ...
5
votes
3answers
706 views
What's the point of connecting chords to modes when writing in an established key?
Let's say I am in the key of C and trying to write a simple melody over some chords on the piano.
Chord progression: I (Cmaj) IV (Fmaj) V (Gmaj) I (Cmaj)
Let's take the IV chord for instance.
What's ...
2
votes
1answer
89 views
Do melody notes over chords basically change the underlying harmony and the chord extension?
Lets say you have a bunch of chords you play a melody over.
If the melody notes are a part of the underlying chord it sounds more consonant.
But if the melody notes over the chord, are not a part of ...
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2answers
187 views
Why can I not “find” the notes for Eminem's Mockingbird?
I am trying to put together a piano arrangement for Eminem's Mockingbird, and so much of the emotion comes from the rap lyrics. I'm trying to sound out the melody to his vocals, but no matter what I ...
3
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2answers
140 views
Do people usually sing diatonically?
I saw this segment on Post Malone saying how his music is catchy because he sings diatonically see 2:20.
Which got me thinking. Aren't most pop melodies diatonic? And if not, what's an example of a ...
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0answers
52 views
How to go about writing a second countersubject?
I have written a subject and countersubject. Here is how I went about writing the countersubject:
1st iteration: Restricted to D, G, and A(answer is is D major), all quarter notes
2nd iteration: A ...
2
votes
4answers
102 views
Use of chord progression while playing melody by ear
I have a basic question regarding chord progression in Piano. I usually play songs by ear. Once I develop the melody, I add the chords. Whichever chord sounds fit & within the key, I play that. ...
2
votes
1answer
82 views
Is there a “virtual guitar” app that can bend strings? [closed]
When a lick or melody comes to mind one the few times I'm away from a guitar, I use a virtual piano app to play with it and check how it sounds. But now I got an idea with a bend. How can i listen to ...
2
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2answers
166 views
Is there such a thing as “advanced”/ongoing research in melody?
Much of a Western music education, not only in the first year but also in graduate level classes, focuses on harmony. In addition, there are current scholars who work on the "cutting edge" of ...
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2answers
114 views
Prepared myself for symphonic writing, still very nervous
History of my compositions and how I feel about composing a symphony
I have been composing music for years but it was mostly intermittent and studying music theory. Now it is more regular.
I have ...
0
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2answers
68 views
Writing specific intervals
Is my answer the following question is correct:
Q: What is the augmented seventh from E?
A: D double sharp
Method
Write down the note (of your choosing) on the bottom line of the treble ...
3
votes
2answers
103 views
Do we hear bass/baritone solo melody lines as being implicitly “on top of” the accompaniment, for harmonic purposes
I admit that the title of the question sounds a little strange, but I wanted to posit a more general question based on a specific song I was looked at.
I was looking at this arrangement of Chega de ...
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1answer
94 views
Vocals and basslines
I usually only sing by keeping the notes on the chords or sometimes notes that are omitted from that certain chord ro give it the fullness. I want to ask if Its possible to sing along with the melody ...
2
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3answers
234 views
Can the idea of “modulation” be applied outside of harmony?
If you have a "pivot motif", which shares, for example, rhythmic properties of theme A and theme B, and is used to move between the two themes, could you consider this a modulation? What other ...
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3answers
209 views
Songs melody range
I'm writing a vocal song and I'm worried about the range of the melody..
for example in C Major key what is the lowest and highest melody I could go ?
I appreciate every answers..but..I don't want ...
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2answers
92 views
melody starting point on song parts
Hi I'm writing a song in a Bb Major key
and the chords goes something like
EbM7 , F7 , Gm7
and the first note of the melody starts with G note. (this is the main chorus part)
And if the verse part ...
