How Melody Works

  • Melody is soul of music.
    • some melodic principles are universal.
    • notes you choose, pattern, and pitch  are 3 simple ingredients of melody.
  • every system in the world uses same 5 notes. 
  • pentatonic songs use only those 5 notes.
  • Think of melodies as a ladder: rung=a note.
  • singers like to use whole tones(whole step) more than semitones(half step) back in the day, they sounded like they were making it up.
    • in middle ages, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th intervals were very popular.
  • Aeolian mode sorrowful.
  • Can sharpen or flatten variable rung.
  • Diatonic: Dorian + Aeolian = minor scale. Ionian=major scale. Both used in orchestral and classical music.
  • can use melodies like a theme in a movie.
  • Jazz uses Dorian mode. NO AEOLIAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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