Student Name:

IB MUSIC 11

Analyzing
Elements to
Create Original
Simple Songs
Part 1: Melody

Prepared by Kelly Deklinski

Department Coordinator, Band Director, MYP/DP Music
Senri & Osaka International Schools of Kwansei Gakuin
 Statement of Inquiry
Through the analysis of musical elements students can
learn the skills to compose and perform original
material.

Inquiry Questions
Factual:

What is the function of melody in a composition?

What are the components of a melody?

What key terms are used to analyze and describe melody?

Conceptual:

How are melodies composed?

AOIs and Contexts

Various AOIs and Contexts + Original Student Creations

Objectives Assessments
Analyze and discuss melodies in Melody Composition
music from various AOIs and
contexts.
Imitate a variety of melodic
compositional techniques.
Compose original music.

IB11 SS PART 1 - PAGE 2

MELODY
Melody is one of the most recognizable musical elements.

MUSICAL ELEMENTS are the building blocks of music. They are:

Rhythm, Melody, Harmony, Tone, Texture, Form, Expression &Dynamics

MELODY is a succession of single tones/pitches that are

recognizable to the listener. It is also known as the tune.

In simpler terms, the MELODY is the part of music that you often hum
or sing along with.

Melody is created through a combination of rhythm, tonality,

intervals, and contour.

Rhythm: a pattern of strong and weak achieved through a

combination of notes and rests. Time signature, tempo, dynamics
and expressive markings also contribute to the feeling of rhythm.

Tonality: the relationship between and organization of the

tones/pitches in a scale or key signature. e.g. major tonality, minor
tonality

Intervals: the distance between two tones. Large intervals are called
leaps or disjunct, small intervals are called steps or conjunct.

Contour: the overall shape of the melody.

IB11 SS PART 1 - PAGE 3

MELODY

Music annotated by K. Deklinski

Tempo
Key signatures are used to
represent both major and
minor tonalities. This
example could either be
F Major or D minor.
Meter/Time Signature
Key Signature

Intervals
m3 P1 m3 M2 P5 P1 M2 m2 P5 P1 m2 M3 M2M2M2m2

Contour
Draw the contour of this melody

Rhythmic Features

IB 11 SS PART 1 - PAGE 4
 Tonality
Tonality: the relationship between and organization of the tones/pitches in a
scale or key signature. e.g. major tonality, minor tonality

Major and minor scales are organized using a pattern of intervals. By replicating
this pattern on different starting pitches, one construct all major and minor scales.

Major: WWH W WWH

Natural Minor: W HWW HWW
W = Whole Step (M2)
H = Half Step (m2)

Minor scales are found in three forms:

natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor.

What is the difference

between the minor scales?

In order to show the overall tonality of a piece of music or section of music, a key
signature is used to represent the tones of the scale that should be played.

See your key signature handout for more.

IB 11 SS PART 1 - PAGE 5
Scale Degrees
Diatonic: "across the tones". Diatonic scales contain all of the
tones of the musical alphabet and have a central tone called a
tonal center. The tonal center is labeled as the "tonic" or first
scale degree.

Source: Benward, Bruce. Music in Theory and Practice, Page 28

Activity:
Listen carefully to the beginning of "Colors - Radio Edit" by Headhunterz, Tatu (AOI 4)
Determine the tonality (major or minor) and the tonal center.
Then, transcribe the scale degrees used in the melody using the numbers 1-7.

IB 11 SS PART 1 - PAGE 6
Melodic Contour
"Princess Leia's Theme" from Star Wars

Tip: Links to these and additional resources can be found in the unit STREAM on ManageBac.

Link to resource: https://www.cbc.ca/music/read/princess-leia-s-theme-a-detailed-analysis-1.5063899

Notes:

IB11 SS PART 1 - PAGE 7

Melodic Structure
Melodies are often organized/structured into units called
PHRASES.

PHRASE - "A phrase is a substantial musical thought which ends

with a musical punctuation called a CADENCE. Melodic phrases are
frequently four measures long, but may be longer or shorter. A
phrase presents a complete (though sometimes dependent) musical
thought."
Source: Music in Theory and Practice Textbook, page 123

CADENCES are achieved in melodies through rhythm and pitch

and are also created through harmonization.

Let's examine an example here:

https://www.musictheory.net/lessons/55

Notes:

IB11 SS PART 1 - PAGE 8

 Melodic Structure, cont.
There are many styles of music that organize two adjacent
musical phrases in a special way. These adjacent phrases are
called PERIODS if they follow certain rules.

Source: Benward, Bruce. Music in Theory and Practice Textbook, page 125

According to these rules, is the musictheory.net example a PERIOD?

In addition, some melodies create PARALLEL PERIODS

"Two adjacent phrases form a parallel period if they both begin in the same manner. The
two phrases may be nearly identical except for the cadences, or they may only be similar
for a measure or two.."
Source: Benward, Bruce. Music in Theory and Practice Textbook, page 125

"Hedwig's Theme" by John Williams

from Harry Potter film series

CADENCE

CADENCE

Source: https://www.poppiano.org/en/sheet/?id=16995

IB11 SS PART 1 - PAGE 9

Pentatonic
Scales/Melodies
Pentatonic Scales are technically nondiatonic, as they do not contain all the letters of
the musical alphabet, however, they do have a central tone and are sometimes
referred to as diatonic for this reason.

Tip: Links to these and additional resources can be found in the unit STREAM on ManageBac.

Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne6tB2KiZuk&feature=youtu.be

The use of pentatonicism (meaning 5 notes) is common across many cultures and is

frequently found in simple melodies around the world.

"Auld Lang Syne" Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auld_Lang_Syne

IB11 SS PART 1 - PAGE 10

 PENTATONIC SCALES
Pentatonic scales exist in many varieties, such as the
Korean kyemyŏnjo scale or Japanese Hirajōshi scale. 
Hirajōshi Scale
Scale Degrees: 1, 2, 3b, 5, 6b
Semi-notes (Half Steps): 2 - 1 - 4 - 1 - 4
Formula: Whole, Half, Quadra-step, Half, Quadra-step

Write a Hirajōshi Scale starting on A:

There are two common types, referred to simply as the MAJOR PENTATONIC and MINOR
PENTATONIC scales.

The MAJOR PENTATONIC scale shares 5 notes with the major scale.

Above: C Major Scale.

Below: C Major Pentatonic

Which major scale degrees are used in the C Major Pentatonic?

The MINOR PENTATONIC scale shares 5 notes with the minor scale.
Below: C minor Pentatonic
Which minor scale degrees are used in the C minor Pentatonic?

SCALE IMAGES: WIKIMEDIA. PUBLIC DOMAIN.

IB11 SS PART 1 - PAGE 11

 Assessment

Objective: to create original melodies utilizing techniques learned

in the unit.

Instructions:
Create three original melodies:
One melody in a major tonality.
One melody in a minor tonality.
One melody in a pentatonic tonality.

Of the three melodies:

each should be at least one complete phrase of 4 or more measures
a minimum of 1 melody should be a period (2 adjacent phrases -
parallel or antecedent/consequent)

IB11 SS PART 1 - PAGE 12