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Melody: A series of notes organised one after another to form a tune.

Melody

Melodic Contour

Melodic contour describes the shape of a melody: whether it is rising or falling, and whether it is moving by small or large intervals.

Melodic Devices

Melodic devices are used by composers to extend and vary a melody.  Devices include:

Augmentation

Diminution

Inversion

Retrograde

Transposition

Sequence

Fragmentation

Intervals

Intervals are the distances between two notes.  Intervals are measured in semitones and can also be worked out using major and minor scales.

Phrasing

Phrases are sections of melody and used in much the same way as phrases are used in writing.  See cadences in harmony to find out how phrases are punctuated.

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