Melody

Letʼs take a closer look at

what makes a melody “tick.”
If you want to become a
more informed listener, and/
or you are writing your own
melodies, here are some
ground rules to be aware of:
Melody Characteristics
Itʼs known that melodies are
created by combining
intervals with rhythms. The
melody is the musical
“heart” of the song, the
part that we can sing, hum,
or whistle. While there is an
infinite number of ways to
combine intervals and
rhythms, the following
fundamentals commonly
apply to well-known
melodies across all styles.
Tonic: Most melodies
will have a tonic (or
“home base”) that
corresponds to the key
that the song is in. The
melody will often begin
and/or end on this note,
in order to sound
resolved.
Motion: Itʼs normal for
melodies to have motion
(i.e., move upward and
downward in pitch,
rather than staying on
one note all the time);
this generates interest
for the listener.
Long vs. Small
Intervals: Most of the
intervals in vocal
melodies tend to be
small (i.e., 2nds, or
3rds). This makes them
more lyrical, as well as
easier to sing. (This
constraints will apply
less if you are working in
instrumental or jazz
styles.) Larger melodic
intervals (i.e., 5ths, 6ths,
7ths) are often followed
by smaller intervals
moving in the opposite
direction.
Range: The majority of
vocal melodies will have
a range (distance from
lowest to highest note)
of around one octave,
again to make them
easier to sing.
Instrumental melodies
will often have a larger
range (depending on the
particular instrument
used).
Sparse vs. Busier
Rhythms:
Contemporary melodies
normally reflect the
rhythmic subdivision
and style of the song.
For example, a rock
song with an eighth-
note feel would typically
have eighth-note
rhythmic figures in the
melody, and an R&B
ballad with a sixteenth-
note feel would normally
have sixteenth-note
figures in the melody.
For vocal melodies, itʼs
best not to make the
rhythms too busy, as
this makes the melody
harder to sing.
Repetition and
Phrasing: Most
classical and
contemporary are
organized into phrases,
which are often two,
four, or eight measures
in length. Longer
phrases can be created
by combining shorter
ones. For example, you
might come up with a
two-measure motif (a
short melodic phrase) to
start your song. If you
then repeat the same
two-measure phrase
with some alteration (to
the melody and/or
rhythm), you have
created a four-measure
phrase. The listener
expects to hear some
repetition, as it gives the
song some structure
and makes it easier to
listen to. Too much
repetition, however, may
make the song
monotonous. Let your
ears be the judge!