Creating a 16-bar melody
I can write an effectively structured 16-bar melody and chord sequence.
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- Year 10
- AQA
Creating a 16-bar melody
I can write an effectively structured 16-bar melody and chord sequence.
Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and
Lesson details
Key learning points
- A typical 16-bar classical melody has a contrasting section of harmony and melody in bars 9-12.
- This usually ends with chord V, creating an imperfect cadence.
- The melody and harmony in bar 13-16 typically copy bar 5-8, ending with a perfect cadence.
- An anacrusis is an interesting melodic feature that can help to make a melody sound more unique and interesting.
Keywords
Tonic - chord I, which feels finished
Dominant - chord V, which feels unfinished
Imperfect cadence - where part of a chord sequence finishes on the dominant chord (V), which feels unfinished
Anacrusis - when a melody starts before the downbeat (beat 1)
Common misconception
There are no 'rules' for writing a chord sequence.
While to some extent this is true, in Western classical music there are very typical patterns that are used very regularly. These include the position of perfect and imperfect cadences, and what the chords do throughout the 16 bars.
Equipment
DAW or notation software, keyboard or other suitable instrument as a composition tool.
Licence
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