melodic motions / devices

Identifying and labeling melodic motion. As with the other "sciences" such as math, biology, psychology, in music we have a way to label and describe nearly any musical idea or pitch that gets written down. The basic premise here is that if the music gets written down, we can analyze and label each pitch in relation to the tonal center of the music at any given point. Can we do this if the music is not written out, label things that we hear? Of course, it's just easier when the pitches are in front of us and stay in one place.

Why would we want to do this? Have a label for every pitch? Well, mainly that as 'theorists" it's nice to have "a place for everything and everything in it's place eh? Or in our case a label for everything. What this does is to simply put a handle on each pitch, easing our ability to discuss the theory of the music with others. Do composers and players think in these terms? Probably not, at least I don't, but the labels for the various melodic motions exist in the theoretical world and at some point in your studies they might come in handy. Cool? So as musical "scientists", as we analyze our music we can potentially label every component part? That's the idea.

For example, the following melodic motion is termed "step wise." Example 1.

Stepwise meaning by the steps of the major scale? Yep. Pretty straight ahead eh? Can we move stepwise with any scale? Yep. So, stepwise implies diatonic motion up or down by consecutive scale degree? Yep. Here is a diatonic stepwise idea moving up then down. Example 2.

How would you describe this next idea? Example 3.

Cool with arpeggiating the pitches? In the above idea, we simply are playing the notes used to create the harmony for the melody. We often combine the stepwise motion with the arpeggio to create our melodic lines. Example 4.

Sound familiar? Simply arpeggiating the pitches of the C major triad. Moving stepwise over the F major and arpeggiating the dominant 7th chord of bars 15 and 16, which in the key of C major is the G 7th chord. Cool so far? Cool with the spelling chords?

In this next idea, we encapsulate the principle pitches of each of the chords by surrounding each of the three pitches of the triads with what we term diatonic non harmonic tones. In this next idea, we use the tonic and subdominant chords to create a bit of a "gospel" type vamp. and simply "surround or encapsulate" each of the pitches of these two triads with non harmonic tones. Example 5.

So, if all of the pitches are diatonic, why are some termed non harmonic? Does it depend on what the harmony is underneath the pitches? Exactly. In each measure, as the music moves along and the harmony changes, we simply analyze the pitches in relation to the chord ...

For example, since the harmony of measure 17 above is a C major chord, any of the pitches used that are not part of the triad, ( C E and G ) we term non harmonic tones. Are there more detailed terms to describe the various non harmonic tones we use? Absolutely, but you knew that eh? Let's examine and label some of the more popular non harmonic tones used to create the various styles of American music.

Passing tones. As their name implies, passing tones are non harmonic tones "passing" between two different chord tones and usually resolve stepwise. Example 6.

Neighboring tones. A neighbor tone is a non harmonic tone the is used between two chord tones of the same pitch. The come in two varieties. Pitches above the chord tones are said to be "upper neighbors", pitches below are "lower neighbors." Both move to chord tones by step. Cool? Again, pretty straight ahead logic, just using a more exacting "musically scientific" label for the pitches. Neighbor tones in action. Example 7.

Suspension. As the term implies, the suspension is used to "suspend" a non diatonic or dissonant tone over a chord to delay the resolution to that chord tone. Most often these suspensions resolve downward. We often use numerical designations in determining which pitches are involved. Are you cool with the numbers? Example 8.

The last suspension in bar 32 resolves upward. While technically still a suspension, it is sometimes termed as a retardation. So are you o.k. with the numbers? 4 to 3, 6 to 5 etc. ? They simply identify scale degree from the tonic which always enjoys the designation of being # 1.

Anticipation. Often found at cadence points, the anticipation pitch is a non harmonic tone that sounds the same pitch as the pitch which follows it. It is a part of the "next" chord, it simply occurs on the offbeat before the new chord is struck. Example 9.

Did you notice how we subbed in the Roman numerals to identify the chords? We often do this to genericize the theory, thinking that the same motion can be created in any of the 12 major or minor tonalities. Using these numerals is very handy when analyzing complex musical scores and is a global way for taking care of this business. Oh, cool with what the lower case numerals denote, as in bar 36 above?

Appoggiatura. Quite the term eh? This bad boy is a non harmonic tone which is approached by leap and resolves by step. By leap you say? What's a "leap?" Well simply when our distance between pitches exceeds the whole step. Here's this cat in action in a blues vamp. Example 10.

So, do we always resolve the appoggiatura melodic figure in the opposite direction from whence it leapt? Yep. Can we step then leap? Yep, but you knew that right?

Escape tone. The flip side of the appoggiatura is the non harmonic tone termed the escape tone. We simply step up and leap down. Or step down and leap up. Cool? Example 11.

Changing tone. A changing tone is simply non harmonic pitches two pitches a 3rd apart encapsulated by two chord tones. The motion can be either up or down. Example 12.

Pedal tone. The pedal tone is simply a sustained pitch throughout a few measures or more of the music. We often use it to generate excitement and anticipation in the music, as the repetition of the pitch gradually creates it's own energy and forward motion. Example 13.

The playback of this last idea is not really all that representative of the pedal tone. The tied notes in the bass, so common with the pedal tone, simply do not sound well. The next ideas will adjust rhythmically to get a better sound.

Upper pedal tone. Here we simply moved the sustained pitch to the top or soprano voice. Example 14.

Dominant pedal tone. As the name implies, we use the dominant pitch of the key we are in in a pedal tone fashion. Example 15.

Is this the pitch we often hear the kettle drums playing in the orchestra? Yep. Tonic or dominant, vanilla or chocolate ... So, have a sense of melodic motion and the "scientific" terms we use to identify them? This type of classification is generally associated with European classical music, although the terms can be used to correctly identify the melodic motions in any music create with the equal tempered world of tonality.

"If it doesn't get written down, it never happened." Tom Clancy