Questions tagged [melody]
A succession of notes which comprise the principal part in harmonized music.
252
questions
6
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6answers
644 views
How does the tonic establish itself in a melody?
Whenever I hear an explanation about what the tonic or root note is, it’s about how it creates some kind of gravitational pull in the music. How does it do that exactly? How does our brain piece ...
6
votes
4answers
373 views
Why do major and minor triads sound different both harmonically and melodically?
Sorry if the wording is odd, but basically my question is, why do the major and minor triads have two distinct sounds, if they share all of the same intervals? Not only when they’re stacked ...
1
vote
2answers
102 views
I can't hear the chords in this song, are there any or am I mistaking chords for melody? [closed]
I'm trying to train my hear to listen and separate out the chords, melody, bass, and drums in music I enjoy listening to, and practice my music by re-creating these styles.
...
-1
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0answers
42 views
Finger picking pattern
I am a beginner to music and guitar .I know the chords and how to play it.Recently I heard a song and try to play the guitar.
I could not figure out how the finger ...
-2
votes
2answers
98 views
Lifting melodies with integrity [closed]
If I wanted to re-work another composer's melody, which method would you suggest?
For example, would you suggest modifying another composer's melody by:
Altering one pitch and leaving the rest intact ...
1
vote
0answers
41 views
Inverted pedal tones but intervals
What is the correct term when you play melodic intervals in higher pitch than primary melody? As for the rhythmic support for primary melody. If it was pedal tones played that way, it would be called ...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
Why does Rachmaninoff Symphony 2 mvmt. 3 sound so similar to Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet love theme?
I get that they were both meant to convey love, but to me it sounds too similar to be a coincidence that Rach and Tchaik both hear love as the same (especially that rising line in the violins). Why is ...
1
vote
1answer
149 views
Dreamy musical phenomenon
It happens mainly when I am relaxed, about to sleep or near to wake up, but it also happens other times but less often, generally on quiet environments, then I start to listen a music on my head, most ...
4
votes
3answers
69 views
system for analyzing melodies
When I want to learn more about what makes a harmony special, I go right to roman numeral analysis.
I have a list of melodies that caught my ear, and I wanted to see what makes them work. I am ...
1
vote
4answers
102 views
Jazz piano: problem remembering harmony, melody is fine
In my quest to become a general jazz pianist I practice jazz standards. Having several years experience with violin, a melody instrument, I have no trouble learning and remembering melodies but the ...
3
votes
2answers
112 views
Do lawyers in melody copyright lawsuits take underlying harmony into consideration? [closed]
Two totally different harmonies can support the same melodic line. Can someone still be accused of musical plagiarism even if the melody has been reharmonized? Wouldn't that be to assume that the ...
3
votes
0answers
64 views
Compositional techniques in top-line melody writing
I want to start this post off by mentioning that I have seen the 1/16/2017 post on a similar topic; That post related more to the lyrical/prosodic elements of the melody, and I am more interested in ...
2
votes
3answers
43 views
What kinds of melodies tend to sound good under melodic inversion?
The other day I was trying to write a canon by inversion, and I wondered whether there are any general guidelines (other than trial and error) as to what kinds of melodies tend to sound "good" under ...
12
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8answers
5k views
If we play a melody backward will its characteristics be the same?
I have tried with the melody from "love will tear us apart" and I think it's beautiful.
0
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3answers
53 views
Does dissonance create movement in counterpoint?
I’m studying first species counterpoint and trying to wrap my head around why we try not to use unisons, octaves and perfect 5ths outside of the beginning and end. I understand that unisons, octaves ...
1
vote
1answer
52 views
Quick melody question [closed]
Sorry for the non-descriptive title and the possibly uninteresting post. I am wondering about the following cliche melodic pattern that is stuck in my head:
Where have I heard this? How should it ...
9
votes
3answers
966 views
E# in Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits
I have been playing guitar for over ten years, but in about the past five years, I do not think I have improved much. I recently decided I want to change that, starting by trying to understand the ...
0
votes
1answer
22 views
Soprano melody in PAC
When it comes to part-writing in a V7-I cadence, I understand that the leading tone in an outer voice must resolve to the tonic (^7->^1) and that the chordal 7th of the V7 (^4) should resolve down by ...
1
vote
0answers
51 views
Stepwise bass movement/intermediate (passing) harmony technique
A song I like adds great motion to an otherwise simple progression by adding passing tones in the bass line, leaving the other harmonies unaltered. Please see the following transcription:
I am ...
1
vote
2answers
84 views
Is it ok just to play the Melody instead of the main grand Staff?
As A total novice I'm attempting to play the look of love by Bacharach. I have the music in front of me and I notice a Treble Clef above the Grand Staff.
I quickly Google this and find it is the ...
0
votes
1answer
63 views
What key can I write a melody/solo in for this chord progression? [closed]
I started learning theory for a few months now and I came with a chord progression but I don't know for sure what key to make melodies in. I figured out D minor can be a candidate but I like to check ...
2
votes
2answers
69 views
Has harmony/melody technique regressed in popular music? [closed]
Whenever I watch videos of producers creating songs it just doesn’t seem like much thought is put into the chord progression and melody. It pretty much seems like everyone does the basic pick a scale -...
0
votes
2answers
91 views
Why is the tonic so important for melodies?
I made a simple melody in FL studio that was in C Major. The melody consisted of two phrases both of which started on D. The only difference between the two is the second phrase ended on C (the tonic ...
1
vote
3answers
51 views
Question from Exercsies in Melody (Percy Goetschius)
I've been studying said book for learning melody writing and I find it to be very methodical. It is completely free to download for anyone interested (google).
I found a line I can't seem to ...
11
votes
2answers
682 views
Can this Arabic scale be described in Western terms?
Does anyone know what scale this is? I know it may be a scale that's not used in Western countries and also uses quarter tones...but can it be described in Western music terms? It sounds similar to ...
1
vote
2answers
201 views
Adding interest to arpeggios
Recently i've been more confident in the progressions I choose for my songs, but the guitar arrangements are still very uninspired. I am particularly bad at creating cool arpeggios or riffs that ...
1
vote
1answer
53 views
Is it correct to call this figure a “turn figure” in Haydn's Surprise Symphony?
In the IB Music Revision Guide, the author says that a cadence in the second movement of Haydn's Surprise Symphony (end of the first statement of the theme) is "decorated with a turn figure" (see ...
2
votes
3answers
660 views
Roman numeral analysis for melody?
This is mainly a notation question. But when analyzing a melody how do you notate melody notes?
Is it 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII (or maybe lower case) or do, re, mi, fa, sol, ...
1
vote
3answers
111 views
What kind of melodic inversion is this?
My understanding of melodic inversion (strict and diatonic) is taking a melody/motif, beginning on the same note and moving in the opposite direction. However, in the IB Music Revision Guide's ...
2
votes
2answers
84 views
Question regarding bass line
I'm very new to music theory so pardon me if its a very infantile question but I would like to learn. I've been playing the piano and while just playing around I started playing E D# C# B A G# F# B# E ...
2
votes
2answers
67 views
Applying schemata to chords other than I IV V
I have been reading up on Galant schemata (stock melodic phrases) recently and have run into a question regarding their universality.
All of the various schemas (Prinner, Pastorale, Fenaroli, etc) ...
1
vote
2answers
47 views
understanding schematic analysis notation
What do the numbers above and below the staffs represent? I was assuming that the white-circled numbers under the bass parts were the thoroughbass and that the black-circled numbers above were the ...
6
votes
4answers
427 views
Standard or fundamental melodic patterns
Between systems like the circle of fifths, useful tools like the “chord board” (a chart that, if you follow the “rules of the game” allows you to create strong progressions), “standard” progressions, ...
1
vote
2answers
89 views
Is it possible to stick too closely to Mozart in an arrangement?
One of the many musical things I do is arrange pieces by other composers. As far as composers go, the easiest for me to arrange is Mozart(probably because of a combination of early and sustained ...
-2
votes
2answers
42 views
Does the diatonic scales D major, A major, E major and B minor implement the same notes used by the pentatonic F-sharp minor scale?
The F# minor pentatonic scale notes are:
F# A B C# E.
Now I want to know if the D major, A major, E major and B minor scales (all diatonic) implement all the notes used by the F# pentatonic ...
3
votes
2answers
380 views
What are the differences between natural major, harmonic major and melodic major scales?
The natural major scale on C has the notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B. What is the difference between natural major, harmonic major, and melodic major scales. What notes of the natural major are changed in ...
1
vote
2answers
89 views
Is this melody too complicated for a first variation?
I asked in a separate question whether Theme and Variations would be the best fitting form for my "Dance of Nature" movement. I decided that the multi-movement work this is part of would be a symphony,...
-1
votes
1answer
489 views
How to Determine a Song's Title with only the Melody [closed]
How do music professionals identify the title of a song when all they know is the melody of that song?
For example, I'm having great difficulty identifying the title of the melody played during this ...
-2
votes
2answers
87 views
I need help understanding how to assign roman numerals to a key as well as how to do a melodic analysis [closed]
Here is the link to the questions:
https://scontent.fybz2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/s2048x2048/76767498_631590154044645_5429312693389492224_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_ohc=...
2
votes
2answers
65 views
antecedent and consequent phrase in minor scale
MY question is what are the rules for melodic phrasing in minor scales. For example, I know that in a major scale the vii wants to go up to the I and the V can go where ever etc.
what are the rules ...
2
votes
2answers
52 views
How to Make an Instrument's Melody Sound Right With a Vocal Melody?
Every time I add a melody with a distinct rhythm (from say the piano) to my vocal melody, I notice that the music starts sounding confusing and irritating. Some songs have riffs (ie a melody of an ...
0
votes
1answer
42 views
Head voice and chest voice [duplicate]
When I hear something (a song for instance) I want to be able to tell whether I am hearing a head voice rendition or that of a chest voice.
3
votes
5answers
757 views
what are the characteristics that define a “good” melody?
When composing a song, I think it might help if I understood what some of the characteristics of a good melody might be, and do those characteristics apply generally across the board or are they ...
-4
votes
2answers
127 views
How many notes from all world music are in an octave? [closed]
Considering all the music from all differents cultures on earth, how many notes do we get in an octave?
I'd guess something around 24 instead of the 12 of western music?
1
vote
0answers
185 views
Difference between Indian and English lyricism besides language?
Suppose we sing or rap about dark themes (depression, alcohol, drugs, violence, sex) similar to modern American music from 1970-present day in Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, or Malayalam over Indian classical-...
8
votes
3answers
216 views
Unintentional plagiarism while composing
I have recently started composing using some knowledge that I got after a few months of studying counterpoint and harmony (well it is more like trying to compose). And I have mentioned that quite ...
0
votes
1answer
149 views
Guitar rif comparisons and similarities
Consider the bass guitar line of a song called "Schism":
and another bass guitar line of a song called "Pneuma".
When Pneuma was ...
6
votes
6answers
5k views
How to convert what I'm singing to notes
I've been trying for months to get the songs in my head down to piano. But whenever I try none of the notes seem to fit what I'm singing. I'm guessing this is because I'm either A: out of tune or B: ...
2
votes
1answer
253 views
Composing on guitar - Fingerstyle vs Classical
I'm wondering about the difference in the process of composing a song for a Fingerstyle Guitar vs what would be considered a Classical guitar piece.
Note: I'm an amature hobbiest, so please excuse my ...
-1
votes
4answers
111 views
all chords for one melody note [duplicate]
Sorry folks for any confusing
For example, let’s say that you have a G. It could belong to the chords G, Gm, C, Cm Em, Dsus4, Eb, A7, Am7, and a bunch more.
Is there a online tool where I can find ...
