melody explained
theoryMEL-oh-dee
A comprehensive guide to how successive pitches form the horizontal thread of music.
Melody is the horizontal succession of pitches that forms the most immediately recognisable element of a piece of music. A strong melody is singable, memorable, and emotionally expressive. Melodies are built from scales and move by steps (conjunct motion) or leaps (disjunct motion), with most memorable melodies using a mix of both. Each melody exists within a particular key and is shaped by rhythm, giving it a distinctive profile. Phrases group notes into musical sentences, typically four or eight bars long, often following an antecedent-consequent (question-and-answer) pattern. Melodic contour — the shape of a melody's rise and fall — is a primary factor in its emotional impact. Counterpoint sets multiple melodies against each other simultaneously. In popular music, the melody of the chorus typically contains the hook — the most memorable musical idea.
Research suggests that melodies tend to follow a pattern of "tension and release" that mirrors the patterns of human speech and emotion.