Melody and Harmony – Flashcards

a succession of tones comprised of mode, rhythm, and pitches so arranged as to achieve musical shape being perceived as a unity by the mind. In a piece of music where there is more than one voice, or where harmony is present, the melody is the dominant tune of the composition

when a melody acquires significant importance within a given composition

the specific quality of a sound that makes it a recognizable tone. Pitch defines the location of a tone in relation to others, thus giving it a sense of being high or low

melodies that jump from one pitch to another

melodies that move between adjacent pitches

melodies that repeat the same pitch

the note upon with a scale or key is based. the first note of a scale or key, the keynote

The phrase may be regarded as a dependent division of music, such as a single line of poetry; it does not have a sense of completion in itself. Usually two or more phrases balance each other, as in a period.

a melody may begin on a high pitch and move downward

a melody may begin on a lower pitch and move upward

the scope of notes that an instrument or a voice can produce

has fewer notes between the highest and lowest pitch

many notes between the highest and lowest pitch

tension and balance

the principal of organization of a composition around a tonic based upon a major or minor scale

a specific scale or series of notes defining a particular tonality

this pitch becomes the center of gravity for the entire composition.

movement away from the tonal center creates a feeling of tension, which is released to that tonal center, Melodies supported by harmony and rhythm build and release musical tension and, consequently, are a powerful factor in creating the emotions that the music elicits in the listener

refers to the relationship between tension and relaxation within a melody. Melodic balance is also reflected in the contour of a phrase

different parts repeat or imitate each other's melodic material.

multiple layers of sound or melodic line at the same time

Many musical compositions consist of several different sections, each of which may contain an important melodic idea that is introduced and developed. These sections must be connected in a meaningful and artistic manner. These connections are called transitions, and they often contain important melodic material. Listen to this transition, which consists of an upward moving melodic line:

involves the vertical aspect of music, that is, tones of different pitch that are sounded together

combines single notes and chords in string performance

a harmony of three or more pitches

if the notes of a chord are plated one after another rather than simultaneously

when two simultaneous pitches of the same letter name are sounded together

combination of pitches that we think go together well. consonant harmonies tend to provide a feeling of stability and rest

pitches sounds as though they clash. creates a feeling of instability and the necessity for resolution