Composing a pentatonic melody
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Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can compose a simple pentatonic melody with lyrics.
Key learning points
- Many folk melodies are based on pentatonic scales such as the G major pentatonic scale.
- The melodies usually have a small range and are conjunct, which makes them easier to sing and memorise.
- When writing a melody, we should consider those features.
- We can set lyrics to a melody, adjusting the rhythm to fit with the natural rhythm of the words.
Keywords
G major pentatonic scale - a pentatonic scale consisting of the notes G, A, B, D and E
Phrase - a short section of a melody, normally lasting 1, 2 or 4 bars
ABAC structure - structure in music is how the different phrases or sections of music are organised; ABAC is three different sections of music (A B and C), with the first section (A) repeated after the B section
Common misconception
You can fit any lyrics to a melody.
Lyrics or melody often have to be adjusted to fit each other. This can be because there are too many or too few words to fit in a phrase, or there are too many or too few notes to fit with the words. Trial and error is the best way to address this.
Teacher tip
If appropriate, some pupils may choose to write their own set of lyrics. Use the rhyme structure and line length of the example lyrics as a guide. This will work effectively as an extension for pupils with experience composing melodies and/or poetry.
Equipment
Keyboard instrument
Licence
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