MELODY

Melody is the horizontal succession of sounds with different pitches and lengths. Melody is made up of notes that appear in order and correspond to the musical idea of the composer. To make sure that the sounds express the right idea, they have to follow a structure. A melodic structure is formed by themes and these themes are formed by phrases. For example, in the first theme of Ode to joy we see that the length of each musical phrase is 4 bars and the theme is made up of two phrases, which means that the length of this theme is 8 bars. In fact, this is the most common structure.

Ode to joy theme

There is also another structure when we take into account the notes and pitches of every melody. It depends on the scale. A scale is a sequence of notes from which melodies and harmony can be derived. Scales are named according to the first note or degree. For example, in the C (do) major scale the first degree is the note do and this is the most important degree. Other important degrees are the fifth degree (dominant) and the fourth degree (subdominant). The most used scales in western music are the major scale and the minor scale. Both scales have seven notes and they are different because of the distance between their notes or degrees. In the major scale, you have one tone of distance between the first and second degree, the second and third, the fourth and fifth, the fifth and sixth and the sixth and seventh degree. However, you have one semitone between the third and fourth degree and the seventh and first (eighth) degree.

Do major scale

In the minor scale you always have one tone of distance between the consecutive degrees except between the second and third degree and the fifth and sixth degree.

A minor scale

The differences between the minor and the major scales are the distances between their degrees, and because of these distances, you have a different character or atmosphere in the melodies that you can create with each scale. The major scale would suggest a clear, positive and cheerful character, and the minor scale would suggest a darker and melancholic character.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf0E_PJtJWg Dorian mode, Drunken sailor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiZJP_XLmrQ Dorian mode, Scarborough fair

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdBxXNmTXfI Fhrygian mode, Rosa María

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIueBl56MV8 Fhrygian mode, Como el agua

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv2WJMVPQi8 Minor scale, 5th symphony, Beethoven

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y6r1nHnLVo Minor scale, Prelude 4, Chopin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFU9CqDt5so Major scale, Pastoral symphony (5th movement), Beethoven

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDNENgxTJuM Major scale, Serenade in G major, Mozart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gjreHt0tRI Pentatonic scale, Bobby McFerrin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSD49dJJuoA Pentatonic scale, Pacha Siku