Developing a melody
Copyrighted materials: to view and download resources from this lesson, you’ll need to be in the UK and
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can use a motif to give coherence to a melody and can extend a melody using a sequence.
Key learning points
- Composers use motifs, short melodic ideas that are repeated, to give melodies a sense of coherence and unity.
- Motifs don’t need to be repeated exactly every time, but they need to sound familiar to the listener.
- Sequences are an effective melodic device for extending a melody.
- They help to maintain a balance between familiarity and contrast.
Keywords
Motif - a short, memorable part of a melody that is used multiple times
Coherence - when the parts of a piece sound like they belong together; using a repeated motif can help with this in finding a balance between unity and variety
Sequence - where a melodic idea is repeated in steps either rising or falling
Common misconception
A melody must feature a motif.
This is not necessarily true - great melodies do not have to use motifs. However, they are a useful feature to understand when learning to write melodies, because they encourage composers to balance repetition anc contrast effectively.
Teacher tip
When using motifs, have flexibility with pupils. If the melodic idea that is recognisable when repeated, this serves the purpose of a motif - it doesn't need to be identical. To extend learning, encourage pupils to experiment with pure rhythmic motifs, where the pitch changes on each repetition.
Equipment
A DAW, notation software, a keyboard or other suitable instrument that can be used as a composition tool.
Licence
Sign in to continue
Our content remains 100% free, but to access certain copyrighted materials, you'll need to sign in. This ensures we’re both staying within the rules.
P.S. Signing in also gives you more ways to make the most of Oak like unit downloads!
