Lesson video

Hello, and welcome to the fifth and final lesson of the unit, fundamentals of composition.

I'm Mr. Farrell, and this lesson is called combining melody and harmony, where we're going to be learning about how to make melodies and chord sequences fit together effectively.

Today's outcome, I can compose a melody that fits with my chord sequence, including the use of passing notes.

Let's look at some keywords.

A chord tone is any note that is included in a chord.

So for example, in a C chord, we've got the chord tones, C, E, and G.

A phrase is a short section of a melody, often lasting one, two, or four bars.

A passing note is a non chord tone that links two chord tones by step.

And conjunct, a conjunct melody has small changes in pitch between one note and the next.

This is known as moving by step.

In today's lesson, we have two learning cycles.

They are fitting a simple melody to a chord sequence and using passing notes in a melody.

Let's make a start on fitting a simple melody to a chord sequence.

The first thing we're going to do is listen to two pieces of music.

They share the same chord sequence, the same harmony, but have different melodies to each other.

As you listen, think about which you think sounds better, and why? Let's listen to the first piece of music.

(classical music) And now the second piece of music.

(classical music) Now that we've heard them both pause the video and answer the question, which do you think sounds better, and why? The second melody works more effectively because the notes of the melody fit more closely with the notes of the chords that are used.

The melody uses a lot of chord tone.

Chord tone are notes from the underlying chord.

A key principle of effective melodies is that they must fit with the harmony underneath so that the notes in the melody correspond with the notes that are in the chord played at the same time.

As a composer, making a melody and chord sequence fit together is crucial for creating a composition that works effectively.

To use chord tone in the melody, we start by working out what the notes are of the chord sequence.

Can you work out the chord tones for the first bar of this chord sequence? While you figure it out, we'll have a listen to what this chord sequence sounds like.

(piano music) Now that we've heard what this chord sequence sounds like, pause the video and answer the question, what are the chord tones for the first bar of this progression? Well, the first bar uses a C major chord.

The chord tones in this chord are C, E, and G, and therefore, an melody notes composed to fit with this bar of harmony should be based on those notes.

We'll listen now to four examples of melodies using those notes.

Here's melody number one.

(classical music) Melody number two.

(classical music) melody number three.

(classical music) And melody number four.

(classical music) So those melodies, which would all fit over that first bar, are all quite different, despite drawing from the same chord tones and being played over that same chord.

We've still got a lot of room for creativity when it comes to using chord tone.

In the second bar of the progression we heard a minute ago, the chord changes from C Major to F major.

So any melody written to fit over that bar should now use the chord tones of F Major, which are F, A, and C.

As an example, the first two bars could go like this.

(classical music) So that example we just heard uses the cord tone for C in the first bar and then uses chord tone from F in the second bar.

When composing a melody to fit with a chord sequence.

We follow this process for each bar.

I'm going to play some videos for you now about creating a melody that fits with a chord sequence by using chord tone.

The first video covers the first two bars, the next video covers bars three and four, then we've got a video covering bars five and six.

And finally a video about the final phrase, bars seven and eight.

So first up, a video covering the first two bars.

<v Instructor>I'm gonna start by creating a melodic idea</v> for bar one and bar two, that's gonna be my first phrase.

And for this, I'm just using chord tones.

My first bar is based on a C chord, so my chord tone are C, E, and G.

(string music) Those are the three notes that I'm gonna be using.

And what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna loop bar one so that my C chord in my accompaniment keeps on playing.

And in my new melody track here, I'm gonna improvise some ideas based on those notes, and I'm trying to keep them nice and simple at this stage.

(piano music) So there's lots of different ideas there.

I quite like that last one actually, super simple, two minims on C and then E.

I think that'll work quite well.

And then I'm gonna do the same for bar two.

So in this bar, we've got an F chord.

So my chord tone are gonna be F, A, and C.

(string music) So again, I'm gonna do the same thing.

I'm gonna loop that bar until I create a little idea that works quite well.

(piano music) Again, I like that simple idea of two minims, and here I'm gonna use A and C 'cause that fits with those chord tones from the F code.

(string music) So my first two bars are gonna be.

(string music) And that's my first phrase.

So I can record it in.

(metronome clicking) (string music) And if I was doing this on notation software, I'd just be drawing in the notes instead.

So I started with C minim and an E minim and an A and a C.

And so I've checked that, I've kept it nice and simple, and that the notes in each bar match the chord tones from the chord in that bar.

So these two fit with that C chord, and these two fit with that F chord.

<v ->The second video continues the melody</v> through bars three and four.

<v Instructor>Now I'm gonna do the same</v> for my second phrase, which is bar three and bar four.

But here I want to create a melodic idea that contrasts a bit with my first two bars.

So let's just have a quick listen to what I've got so far.

(classical music) So it's super simple so far.

I've got these minims and they rise, they ascend in each bar.

So now I'm gonna do the same process, which is to loop bar three and then to do the same with bar four.

But I'm gonna try and create something that sounds a bit different to these first two bars.

My chord in bar three is a C chord again, so I'm gonna be using notes from the C chord.

(piano music) That last idea there, that sounds quite different because it's using crotchets, so a different rhythm, and it's a slightly different shape as well to the one that I used in bar one.

And then I can think about what I can do in bar four where I've got a G chord.

So the chord turns here are gonna be G, B, and D.

(string music) (piano music) Quite like just a long sustained semibreve actually.

That's different to what I've already had.

So my bar three and four phrase will sound like this.

(string music) And that works because it uses the chord tones of my two chords, my C chord in bar three, my G chord in bar four.

It's nice and simple, and it contrasts with the first phrase.

So let's record it in.

(classical music) And if I'm doing this on notation software, then again, I can just be drawing in the notes.

So I know that I use crotchets.

And then a semibreve on D.

So that's my first two phrases done.

We can see they contrast and every note matches a chord tone from the chord in its bar.

<v ->Now we'll watch a video covering bars five and six.

</v> <v Instructor>Now let's look at my third phrase,</v> and this is in bar five and bar six.

Now, ideally here I want this phrase to be related to the first phrase in bar one and two.

So if these notes worked with the harmony of bar five and six, I could just copy and paste them in.

However, I can see that in bar one I use C and E, and that wouldn't work with the chord that I've got in this bar, so I'm gonna have to adapt this idea slightly to make it work.

Now, I could improvise some ideas or I could copy the idea in and then tweak it to match the notes of these chords and see if it works.

And it may or it may not work.

This will require some experimentation.

Now, in this bar, I've got a D minor chord that's chord two.

So the chord tones are D, F, and A.

So what I could do to this part of the melody in bar five is adjust it to use some of the notes from that chord D, F and A.

And the obvious thing I think to do would be to move this up to a D, and to move this up to an F.

And then let's have a look at this bar.

So this is an A minor chord I've got in this bar, which is chord six.

The chord tones are A, C and E.

And in my melody, I've got A and C, which is what was copied from before.

So that actually works.

Those are chord tone from this chord, so I don't need to change them.

Let's have a listen and see how it sounds.

It may work, it may not.

Again, this require the experimentation.

(classical music) I think that actually sounds quite effective.

And the reason is because it's definitely still sounds similar to my first two bars, so there's some familiarity.

But, the notes work with these two chords, so I'm gonna leave that as it is.

You may be able to copy it directly depending on what your chords are chosen here, or you may have to adapt it a bit, but try and make it sound similar either in rhythm or shape or both to your first phrase in bar one and two.

<v ->And finally, we've got a video now showing you what to do</v> with the last two bars of a melody using chord tones.

<v Instructor>Finally, let's look at the fourth phrase.

</v> And again, here I want to create some familiarity in this melody.

So I'm gonna base it on bar three and bar four.

Now, I've got the same problem I did as before, which is that, if I just copy these notes across, the chances are they're not gonna work effectively with the notes of these chords, with these chord tones.

So I'm gonna copy them.

And then I'm gonna have to adjust them to fit with the notes of these chords.

Now, the first thing I wanna make sure is that I'm ending on a long C because I've got C chord here, and it works really effectively if I end on that tonic note.

So I'm gonna change that so it matches that chord.

I'm ending on a long C, which fits with the C chord underneath.

Now in this bar and bar seven, we have a chord five because we decided to create a perfect cadence in these last two bars, this chord five, a G chord.

And the chord are G, B, and D.

If we look at my melody, I've got E, C, and G.

So most of those notes there don't fit with this chord.

Just like I did in bar five, I'm gonna adjust them to make them keep the same shape and the same rhythm, but to fit the notes of this chord.

So I can move this down to a D.

(string music) I can move this down to a B.

(string music) I can move this down to a D.

(string music) And this G could stay as it is because that fits with the chord tone of this chord.

So I've adjusted it.

It's still the same shape as it was in bar three, but the notes now fit with the chord tone of that bar.

Let's have a listen to those two bars.

(sting music) So I think that works really effectively.

It sounds familiar because the shape and the rhythm is the same as here, but it fits with the chords tones and it ends on that sustained C, which gives a sense of completion and finality.

Let's listen to the whole melody now.

(classical music) <v ->So to sum all that up.

</v> To compose a melody that fits with a chord sequence, we want to use only chord tones to start.

We want to keep our melodies very simple with a maximum of four notes in each bar.

We want to repeat phrases to give our melodies structure using similar ideas in bars one and two, and bars five and six, and in bars three and four, and seven and eight.

And we want to end our phrases with a long note and finish the whole melody on the tonic note, which is C.

A check for understanding now.

What are the chord tones in this C major chord? Pause the video and answer the question.

So the answer is the notes C, E, and G are the chord tone in this C major chord.

What are the chord tone in this G major chord? Pause the video and answer the question.

In a G major chord, the chord tones are G, B, and D.

Next question, how should a phrase finish? A, with a long note, B, with a short note, or C, with a tonic chord? Pause the video and answer the question.

The answer is A.

We want to finish our melodic phrases with a long note.

It is time now for a task.

Task A here is to compose a melody that fits with the chord sequence we've been developing over the last two lessons.

So, our success criteria are to keep it simple with a maximum of four notes in each bar, that the melody notes should match the chord tone of that bar.

We want to use similar ideas in bars one and two and five and six.

We want to use similar ideas in bars three and four and bar seven and eight.

We want to end on the tonic note of C.

Use longer notes at the end of our phrases.

And to record our melody using notation software or a DAW in a separate stave or track to our chord sequence, which we worked on last time.

Pause the video now and have a go at task A.

All right, now that we've had a go at task A, we want to be able to analyze how effective our melodies are, how well do they meet the success criteria? We're going to listen to an audio clip and answer the question, how does this melody meet the success criteria? Focusing on the similarities and contrasts between phrases.

Let's listen.

(classical music) Now that we've heard the clip, pause the video and answer the question, how does this melody meet the success criteria? So, the melody is simple.

It uses long notes at the end of the phrases, and it finishes on the tonic note, which all meet our success criteria.

It could be improved, however, by making the first phrase, bars one and two, and the third phrase, bars five and six more similar.

This would make the melody feel more unified and coherent.

Onto learning cycle two now, using passing notes in a melody.

Melodies sound more melodic when they use conjunct movement.

Conjunct movement is step-by-step movement.

Using only chord tone means that our melodies are mainly disjunct, as our chord tone always have gaps between them rather than letting us move step by step.

We can make a melody flow and sound more melodic by adding passing notes.

Non-chord tones that link two chord tones by step.

We heard this melody earlier.

It's based on chord tone and is therefore quite disjunct.

I'll remind you of what it sounds like.

(classical music) We can take this melody and add passing notes to it to link some of the disjunct notes by step.

I'll walk you through how that works.

So we're starting with C and E, both chord tone.

Adding a passing note to this example involves adding a D in between the C and the E, creating some conjunct step-by-step movement.

Let's hear what that sounds like.

(classical music) So we've got a chord tone, a chord tone with a passing note in between.

The process is the same in bar two, adding the note B between the A and the C that we had in our original example.

Let's hear what that sounds like.

(classical music) Now we'll compare the original version of the example, which used only chord tones with the modified version, which includes passing notes.

Let's hear the original.

(classical music) And now the new version.

(classical music) Although passing notes can create interest and conjunct movement, it is fine to have some leaps.

Don't feel the need to add passing notes to every disjunct interval in your melody.

Conjunct step movement makes for a smoother melody, but you shouldn't overdo it.

Some leaps can be very melodic and make good musical sense.

Experiment, try things out and use your ear deciding what sounds most effective for you.

We'll watch a video now about adding passing notes to your melodies.

<v Instructor>Let's look at using passing notes</v> to develop a melody.

In my first bar, I have the note C and E, which are linked by a leap, so they're a third apart.

I could add a passing note in between them to make them sound a bit more melodic.

So I've got C and E and a passing note has to move by step, and it has to link the chord notes.

So the obvious candidate here to link those two is the note D, which sits in between them.

So instead of, (string music) I could go.

(string music) And that works quite effectively.

I could record it in if I'm using a DAW or I could notate it if I'm using notation software.

So that's my first bar now.

And I could do the same with bar two as well.

So I've got an A and a C, so a very similar melodic shape to bar one.

So I could link them with the note in between them, the passing note in between, which would, in this case be B.

Here's my A and C.

(string music) And I could link them by step by this.

(string music) Again, I could record it in my DAW, or I could draw in using notation software.

And I can follow that process throughout my melody.

I'm not gonna do all of it right now, but a couple of things to consider.

Firstly, in bar five and six, I want the melodic shape to be the same as bar one and two.

So if I've used passing notes in bar one and two, I want to try and copy that shape in bar five and six.

So that would mean putting a passing note in between these two notes.

And the same in bar six as well.

So we can see if we look that those two bars mirror the shape, and those two bars mirror the shape as well.

And I'd like to do the same with bar three and four and bar seven and eight.

So whatever passing notes I use in bar three and four, try and use a similar sort of rhythm or shape if it works in bar seven and eight.

And remember, you don't have to use passing notes between all the notes.

Use a few, experiment, and see what sound is effective, see what you like the sound of.

It's perfectly fine to have some leaps.

So I might decide, for example, to have my first two bars moving by step with passing notes, and then maybe have some movement by leap in bar three and four.

And that way I get a little bit of contrast between the two.

The key is to experiment, and to make sure that whatever you end up with is something that you think sounds effective.

So use your ears as the judge.

<v ->To summarize, to add passing notes to a melody,</v> the passing notes should all move by step, the passing notes should all link to tone that already exist in the melody.

Don't overuse passing notes by including them at every opportunity.

Bars one and two and bars five and six should either repeat or be very similar to each other.

So use passing notes in a similar way in both of those phrases.

And the same applies to the relationship between bars three and four and bars seven and eight.

A check for understanding now.

What passing note could link these two chord tones? Pause the video and answer the question.

So the chord tone we were given were D and B.

So the passing note that would link them is C.

What two passing notes could link these chord tone? Pause the video and answer that question.

So the chord tone we were given were G and C, meaning that the notes A and B work as passing notes connecting those two chord tone together by step.

Next question, which two statements are true for passing notes? A, they move by leap, B, they move by step, C, they link to chord tone, or D, they are chord tone.

Pause the video and answer the question.

So the correct answers to that question are B and C.

Passing notes move by step, and they link to chord tone together.

Time now for another task.

Task B is to add passing notes to your melody.

The success criteria are to keep the chord tone in your melody the same, so we don't wanna change those.

To add in some passing notes to link notes by step, to use repetition or similar ideas in bars one and two and five and six and bars three and four and seven and eight.

And to record your melody and chord sequence using notation software or a DAW.

Pause the video now.

Best of luck with task B.

All right, now that we've had a go at task B, we want to be able to analyze how effective our use of passing notes is.

We're going to compare two melodies, an original example with all chord tone and no passing notes.

And a developed version which uses lots of passing notes.

As you listen, think about how successful this use of passing notes is and answer the question, what feedback would you give to this composer? Use the success criteria for our task to guide your analysis.

Let's listen to the original.

(classical music) And now we'll hear the developed version.

(classical music) Now that we've heard them both, pause the video and answer the question, what feedback would you give to the composer of this piece? What feedback did you give? Well, the thing that stands out the most is that the composer uses passing notes between every single one of the chord tone in the original melody, making it completely conjunct.

While this isn't necessarily a problem, it's perhaps a missed opportunity to have the melody be a bit more interesting.

We don't have to use passing notes all the time.

Leaving some disjunct movement is appropriate for a well-balanced and interesting melody.

So to summarize everything we've covered today.

Melody and harmony must use some of the same notes to sound musically coherent.

Chord tones should form the basis of a melody, but passing notes can make a melody interesting and more melodic by creating conjunct movement.

Melodies should still follow a recognizable or repeated phrase pattern.

That brings us to the end of today's lesson and the end of this unit about fundamentals of composition.

I hope you've enjoyed it and have learned some important skills about composing both melody and harmony.