Making more of melodies
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Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can extend a melody to create a short section of a composition.
Key learning points
- Composers develop their musical ideas by exploring different ways of transforming the material.
- Sequence, retrograde and inversion are compositional devices that we can use to transform melodic ideas.
- A balance of repetition and contrast is important in making your music interesting but memorable.
- New ideas can be derived from already established ones by developing a few interesting, distinctive ideas.
Keywords
Sequence - A sequence is a short melodic idea that is repeated in steps either rising or falling.
Retrograde - When a musical idea is reversed this is called retrograde.
Inversion - An inversion of a musical idea is when it is flipped upside down. Intervals that went up now go down and vice versa.
Common misconception
Sequence, retrograde and inversion are they only way to develop ideas and they have to be used perfectly.
Sequences, retrograde and inversion provide a concrete way for pupils to show development in their melodic ideas, but providing there is some similarity or recognisable quality in repeated ideas, any subtle changes within melodic ideas can work.
Teacher tip
Provide examples of other ways in which melodic material can be developed including subtle examples of where the sequence isn't followed perfectly or the rhythm is consistent but the overall melodic shape has changed. Always encourage pupils to find the balance of unity and variety.
Equipment
A keyboard (or other suitable instrument) or DAW/notation software
Licence
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