Contour
Definition: The overall shape of the melody as it turns upward, downward or remains static
Example: An example of contour is Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. It goes upward then downwards and then finally upwards.
Tessitura
Definition: The range of the melody, span of pitches, the distance between the lowest and highest note
Example: The high note in "Hello" by Adele, when she sings "Hello from the other side!" or also the lowest note in "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Interval
Definition: The distance between any 2 pitches
Example: An A to a B is a major second.
Conjunct
Definition: Smooth, connected melody that moves principally in stepwise motion
Example: Ode to Joy is an example of a conjunct melody.
Disjunct
Definition: A melodic line that moves by leaps and skips rather than in steps
Example: The star spangled banner is an example of a disjunct melody.
Disjunct
Definition: A melodic line that moves by leaps and skips rather than in steps
Example: Phineas and Ferb theme song!!
Phrase
Definition: Units that make up a melody within a larger structure. 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
Cadence
Definition: Where phrases end in resting places, like punctuation at the end of a sentence
Example: It's like finishing a sentence (declarative or inquisitive tone).
Counter-Melody
Definition: Secondary melody that accompanies the main melody (think piccolo part in "Stars and Stripes Forever")
Example: John Lennon and Paul McCartney in their song "I've Got a Feeling".
Melody
Definition: Succession of single pitches that are perceived as a recognizable whole
Example: Almost any song have this thing we humans call "Melody
Duration
Definition: Length of a note
Example: how long a note lasts
Dynamics
Definition: Loudness or softness of a note / melody
Example: An example of dynamics is a crescendo from pianissimo to fortissimo.
Dynamics
Definition: Loudness or softness of a note / melody
Example: Jaws theme song. Each second note has a bite at the end tapering the note out. A lot of crescendo and decrescendo
Static
Definition: When the contour of the melody does not move much at all up or down, mostly staying on one note or close to the same note
Example: Holding a note for a long time (didgeridoo
Static
Definition: When the contour of the melody does not move much at all up or down, mostly staying on one note or close to the same note
Example: First part of the Imperial March.... yay
Climax
Definition: The high point, or arrival point in a melody. Usually represents a peak in intensity as well as in range (think Star Spangled Banner's "O'er the Land of the FREE")
Example: Amazing Grace
Climax
Definition: The high point, or arrival point in a melody. Usually represents a peak in intensity as well as in range (think Star Spangled Banner's "O'er the Land of the FREE")
Example: The peak of the song
Symmetrical Melody
Definition: The phrases within the melody are of equal length. For example, if the antecedent is four measures long, the consequent will also be four measures long.
Example: Pirates of the Caribbean , all the melodies end at the same time.
Timbre (Tone Color)
The sound of a particular instrument (how a trumpet sounds different from a piano)
Antecedent
The first phrase of a musical period. The first part of a pair of musical statements that complement one another in rhythmic symmetry and harmonic balance.
Consequent
A musical phrase which follows another, similar phrase. In a musical period, the antecedent and consequent are two balancing halves, somewhat like a rhymed couplet in poetic verse, with the movement of the first half completed by the second.
Musical Period
A complete musical thought, concluded by a cadence, having two phrases, each usually two to eight measures in length, called the antecedent and the consequent.
Asymmetrical Melody
The phrases within the melody are of unequal lengths.
Diatonic
Melodies primarily confined to the notes of the scale in the key the piece is written, to the exclusion of chromatic tones. Notes outside of the scale are used sparingly in order to provide contrast and tension and always resolve to a note within the scal
Chromatic
Melodies where there are predominance of notes that are a semi-tone (half-step) apart
Non-Diatonic
Melodies that do not fall within the key or key center they are written in. Usually sound quite strange (even unpleasant) to the ear
Atonal
Music that lacks a tonal center
Ornamentation
Decorative notes of short duration added to compositions to emphasize certain notes and to add flavor to the composition. Ornamentation has been used through all periods of music in Western tradition, but are particularly prominent in the late Renaissance
Syllabic
Each syllable of a note is broken up and assigned to an individual note when sung
Melismatic
When a single syllable of text is stretched over several different pitches