Band Coach ~ Beginning Theory: 10: Expanded Melody Writing

Beginning Theory: 10: Expanded Melody Writing

"When all is said and done, all there is, is Rhythm and Melody"

This primer on melodic writing is aimed at developing your sense and understanding of how using

Chord tones,
Accented non-chord tones,
Interval size,
Interval direction and
Tonality

can impact the mood of a melody.

The following melody was composed to quickly show how a melody can be made uplifting simply through interval choice and direction:

All other parts of this primer are based on this initial melody and show the extent to which a single idea can be developed with little effort beyond changing one or more of:

Tonality,
Interval direction,
Interval size, as well
Using non chord tones in strong beat positions.

The basis of all the melodic writing in this primer is to start with a chord tone and move up or down to another chord, using the triad to outline as the basis for melodic writing. When we reach the Accented Non-Chord tones the same principle is applied except that we start on a non-chord tone and move to a non-chord. No attempt has been made to use the 7th as the starting note in any of these melodies.

The last section shows a variety of rhythmic and orchestrational ideas for manipulating the melodic context.

Harmonic structure used

The harmonic basis for all of these examples is as follows

Major

C major - F major - C major - G major - C major - F major - C major - G major - C major

Minor

C minor - F minor - C minor - G major - C minor - F minor - C minor - G major - C minor

Part 1: Starting on the 3rd.

Chord tones

Up a 6th

3rd to Root

Tonic major

1

m6 m2 M2 PU M2 m3 m6 m2 M2 M2 P5 m6 m2 M2 PU M2 m3 P5 M2 M2 m2

Tonic minor

2

M6 M2 M2 PU m2 M3 M6 m2 M2 M2 A5 M6 M2 M2 PU m2 M3 A5 M2 M2 m2

Note the use of B natural and A natural in bars 3, 4 and 7 - this is so that the melodic minor scale is correctly used as well as matching the underlying harmony of the G major chord

Down a 3rd

3rd to Root

Tonic major

5

M3 M2 M2 m2 M3 P4 M3 M2 M2 M2 M2 M3 M2 M2 m2 M3 P4 M2 M2 M2 M2

Tonic minor

6

m3 M2 m2 M2 m3 P4 m3 M2 m2 m2 m2 m3 M2 m2 2M m3 P4 m2 m2 m2 M2

Up a 3rd

3rd to 5th

Tonic major

9

m3 m3 M2 M2 m3 P5 m3 M2 m2 M2 M2 m3 m3 M2 M2 m3 P5 m3 m3 M2 M2

Tonic minor

10

M3 M3 m2 M2 M3 P5 M3 M2 M2 m2 m2 M3 M3 m2 M2 M3 P5 M3 M3 m2 M2

Down a 6th

3rd to 5th

Tonic major

13

M6 M2 M2 m2 m3 P5 M6 PU M2 M2 P4 M6 M2 M2 m2 m3 P5 M6 M2 M2 m2

Tonic minor

14

m6 M2 M2 m2 M3 P5 m6 PU M2 M2 d4 m6 M2 M2 m2 M3 P5 m6 M2 M2 m2

Part 2: Starting on the 4th.

Accented non-chord tones

Up a 6th

4th to 2nd

Tonic major

3

M6 M2 m2 M2 M2 M2 M6 M2 m3 M2 A4 M6 M2 m2 M2 M2 M2 M6 P4 M2 M2

Tonic minor

4

M6 M2 M2 M2 m2 M2 M6 M2 m3 M2 A4 M6 M2 M2 M2 m2 M2 M6 P4 M2 m2

Down a 3rd

4th to 2nd

Tonic major

7

m3 M2 m2 M2 M2 M3 m3 M2 m2 m3 m3 m3 M2 m2 M2 M2 M3 m2 m2 m2 M2

Tonic minor

8

m3 m2 M2 M2 m2 m3 m3 m2 M2 m3 m3 m3 m2 M2 M2 m2 m3 M2 M2 M2 m2

Up a 3rd

4th to 6th

Tonic major

11

M3 M3 m2 M2 M2 P4 M3 M2 M2 m2 m2 M3 M3 m2 M2 M2 P4 M3 M3 m2 M2

Tonic minor

12

m3 m3 M2 m2 M2 P4 m3 m2 M2 M2 M2 m3 m3 M2 m2 M2 P4 m3 m3 M2 m2

Down a 6th

4th to 6th

Tonic major

15

m6 M2 m2 M2 M2 P4 m6 M2 m3 M2 P4 m6 M2 m2 M2 M2 P4 m6 M2 m3 M2

Tonic minor

16

m6 M2 m2 M2 M2 P4 m6 M2 m3 M2 P4 m6 M2 m2 M2 M2 P4 m6 M2 m3 M2

Part 3: Starting on the Root

Chord tones

Up a 5th

Root to 5th

Tonic major

17

P5 M2 M2 M2 M3 P4 P5 PU M2 M2 M7 P5 M2 M2 M2 M3 P4 M5 M2 M2 m2

Tonic minor

18

P5 m2 m2 m2 m3 P4 P5 PU M2 M2 M7 P5 m2 m2 m2 m3 P4 P5 M2 M2 m2

Down a 4th

Root to 5th

Tonic major

21

P4 M2 M2 m2 m3 m3 P4 PU M2 M2 m2 P4 M2 M2 m2 m3 m3 P4 M3 M2 M2

Tonic minor

22

P4 M2 M2 m2 M3 M3 P4 PU M2 M2 m2 P4 M2 M2 m2 M3 M3 P4 M3 A2 m2

Up a 3rd

Root to 3rd

Tonic major

25

M3 PU M2 M2 m3 m3 M3 M2 M2 m2 m2 M3 PU M2 M2 m3 m3 M3 PU M2 M2

Tonic minor

26

m3 PU m2 M2 M3 M3 m3 m2 M2 m2 m2 m3 PU m2 M2 M3 M3 m3 PU m2 M2

Down a 6th

Root to 3rd

Tonic major

29

m6 M2 M2 m2 m3 M2 P8 m6 m2 m2 M2 m7 m6 M2 M2 m2 m3 M2 P8 m6 PU m2 M2

Tonic minor

30

M6 m2 m2 M2 m3 M2 P8 M6 M2 M2 m2 m7 M6 m2 m2 M2 m3 M2 P8 M6 PU M2 M2

Part 4: Starting on the 2nd.

Accented non-chord tones

Up a 5th

2nd to 6th

Tonic major

19

P5 M2 M2 M2 M2 m3 P5 M2 M2 M2 M6 P5 M2 M2 M2 M2 m3 P4 M2 M3 m2

Tonic minor

20

P5 m2 M2 m2 M2 m3 d5 m2 M2 M2 M6 P5 m2 M2 m2 M2 m3 d5 m2 M3 m2

Down a 4th

2nd to 6th

Tonic major

23

P4 M2 m2 M2 M2 M2 P4 M2 m2 m2 m3 P4 M2 m2 M2 M2 M2 P4 m3 m2 m2

Tonic minor

24

P4 M2 m2 M2 M2 M2 P4 M2 m2 m2 m3 P4 M2 m2 M2 M2 M2 P4 m3 m2 m2

Up a 3rd

2nd to 4th

Tonic major

27

m3 PU m2 M2 M2 M2 m3 m2 M2 M2 M2 m3 PU m2 M2 M2 M2 m3 PU m2 M2

Tonic minor

28

m3 PU M2 m2 M2 M2 m3 M2 m2 M2 M2 m3 PU M2 m2 M2 M2 m3 PU M2 m2

Down a 6th

2nd to 4th

Tonic major

31

M6 m2 m2 M2 M2 m3 P8 M6 M2 M2 m2 m7 M6 m2 m2 M2 m3 M2 P8 M6 PU M2 M2

Tonic minor

32

M6 M2 M2 M2 M2 m3 P8 M6 M2 M2 M2 M7 M6 M2 M2 M2 M3 m2 P8 M6 PU M2 m2

Part 5: Starting on the 5th.

Chord tones

Up a 6th

5th to 3rd

Tonic major

33

M6 PU M2 M2 m3 M2 M6 M2 M2 m2 M3 M6 PU M2 M2 m3 M2 M6 PU M2 M2

Tonic minor

34

m6 PU m2 M2 M3 m2 m6 m2 M2 m2 M3 m6 PU m2 M2 M3 m2 m6 PU m2 M2

Down a 3rd

5th to 3rd

Tonic major

37

m3 M2 M2 m2 M3 M2 m3 m2 m2 M2 P4 m3 M2 M2 m2 M3 M2 m3 PU M2 M2

Tonic minor

38

M3 m2 m2 M2 m3 m2 M3 M2 M2 m2 P4 M3 m2 m2 M2 m3 m2 M3 PU m2 m2

Up a 4th

5th to Root

Tonic major

41

P4 m3 M2 M2 M3 M2 P4 m2 M2 M2 PU P4 m3 M2 M2 M3 M2 M3 M3 M3 m2

Tonic minor

42

P4 M3 m2 m2 m3 M2 P4 M2 M2 m2 PU P4 M3 m2 m2 m3 M2 M3 M3 M3 m2

Down a 5th

5th to Root

Tonic major

45

P5 M3 m3 M2 P4 P5 P5 M2 M2 M2 P4 P5 M3 m3 M2 P4 P5 m6 m2 M2 M2

Tonic minor

46

P5 m3 M3 M2 P4 P5 P5 M2 m2 m2 P4 P5 m3 M3 M2 P4 P5 m6 m2 M2 m2

Part 6: Starting on the 6th.

Accented non-chord tones

Up a 6th

6th to 4th

Tonic major

35

m6 PU m2 M2 M2 m3 m6 m2 M2 M2 m3 m6 PU m2 M2 m3 2 m6 PU m2 M2

Tonic minor

36

M6 PU M2 m2 M2 M3 M6 M2 m2 M2 M3 M6 PU M2 m2 M3 m2 M6 PU M2 m2

Down a 3rd

6th to 4th

Tonic major

39

M3 m2 m2 M2 M3 M2 M3 M2 M2 m2 P4 M3 m2 m2 M2 M3 M2 M3 PU m2 m2

Tonic minor

40

m3 M2 M2 M2 m3 M2 m3 M2 M2 M2 P4 m3 M2 M2 M2 m3 M2 m3 PU M2 M2

Up a 4th

6th to 2nd

Tonic major

43

P4 m3 M2 M2 M3 M2 P4 M2 m2 M2 PU P4 m3 M2 M2 M3 M2 m3 m3 m3 M2

Tonic minor

44

P4 M3 m2 m2 m3 m2 P4 M2 M2 M2 PU P4 M3 m2 m2 m3 m2 M3 m3 m3 M2

Down a 5th

6th to 2nd

Tonic major

47

P5 m3 M3 M2 P4 P5 P5 M2 m2 m2 P4 P5 m3 M3 M2 P4 P5 M6 M2 M2 m2

Tonic minor

48

d5 m3 m3 m2 P4 d5 d5 m2 M2 M2 P4 d5 m3 m3 m2 P4 d5 m6 M2 m2 M2

Part 7: Rhythmic variations

All Variations provided here are rhythmic variations based on the following theme:

P4 m3 M2 M2 M3 M2 P4 m2 M2 M2 PU P4 m3 M2 M2 M3 M2 M3 M3 M3 m2

Chord tones

Tonic major

49

Tonic minor

50

Accented non-chord tones

Tonic major

51

Tonic minor

52

Chord tones

Tonic major

53

Tonic minor

54

Accented non-chord tones

Tonic major

55

Tonic minor

56

Chord tones

Tonic major

57

Tonic minor

58

Tonic major

59

Tonic minor

60

Tonic major

61

Tonic minor

62

Tonic major

63

Tonic minor

64

Tonic major

65

Tonic minor

66

Tonic major

67

Tonic minor

68

Tonic major

69

Tonic minor

70

Tonic major

71

Tonic minor

72

Using the Melodic Minor

Half of the examples in this primer are written in the minor. This means that we are using the Melodic Minor scale to create the melodies. The Melodic Minor scale has some differences to the Natural Minor scale, namely the 6th and 7th are raised going up but are the same as the Natural Minor going down.

There are some simple rules that are applied to decide the notes to use in creating melodies. These rules are based on the direction the melody follows and apply to the 6th and 7th notes of the scale.

All of the rules apply to:

the sixth and seventh notes of the scale, and
the treatment of passages where these notes
1. rise (ascend) or
2. fall (descend)
to the following note.

The rules are straight forward:

If the note after is above, then
- the 6th note is raised
- the 7th note is raised
If the note after is below, then
- the 6th note remains unaltered
- the 7th note remains unaltered

The following examples demonstrate each of these situations:

E (5) rises to F^# (^#6), rises to A (8), falls to G^# (^#7), and rises to A (8)

E (5) rises to F^# (^#6), rises to G (7), falls to D (4), and rises to E (5)

E (5) rises to F (6), falls to E (5), falls to C (3), and rises to D (4)

E (5) rises to F (6), falls to E (5), rises to G (7,) falls to D (4)

E (5) rises to G (7), falls to F^#(^#6), rises to G (7,) falls to F (6), falls to E (5), falls to C (3), rises to D (4), and falls to A (1).