Contents
In the previous section we analyzed music from macro perspective, the block structure of phrases. This time, in contrast, we’ll see melody from a very micro level view like looking through a micro scope—analyzing two notes connections.
1. Melodic Progression
This time we focus on the pitch changes on note connections.
Ascend or Descend
There are only 3 types of melodic progressions, namely, to Ascend, to Descend, or to maintain (repeat) the same pitch.
In general, ascending motion creates the feel that a musical story is started or growing, whereas descending motion promotes repose. It’s like the shape of melody lines represents the sense of emotional elevation and repression!
Yuzuru Shimaoka, an eminent music theorist in Japan, compares it to the “gravity” of the earth.
A tone increases tension when “ascending” and decreases it when “descending”. It is analogous to that a spatial ascent involves gravitational resistance. …… Ascending means defying tonal gravity, while descending means adapting to it1.
Yuzuru, Shimaoka，Kanji, Tonosaki. Wasei no genri to jisshu(p.230,p.250). (Translated)
In music theory, a term “tension” is generally used as an antonym to the state of repose or rest. Such metaphors like “gravity” or “tension” are good hints to relate melodic motion to emotional expression.
Conjunct or Disjunct
Melodic motion is further categorized by the distance of two pitches; whether smoothly move to the neighbor notes like “C–D–E–D–C” or jump high like “C–E–G” or “from C to C octave higher”.
Connecting to conjunct notes (=by the 2nd interval) is called a Step motion, while jumping to disjunct notes is called Skip or Leap motion2.
It is expected that stepwise motion creates calm development while skipwise motion intense. And the longer jump it is, the stronger change it brings. Skip by 3rd or 4th is not much notable but as it reaches 5th or higher, it starts to act as an accent of a melody line.
Comparing between ascending skips and descending skips, the former deserves more attention. It is because ascending skips have synergistic effect of increasing tension (by ascending motion) and intense impact (by skip), which can make dramatic development in melody.
2. Make Use of Skips
So on analyzing/composing a song, you should pay attention to the timings of large ascending leaps, and what effect it brings about.
Leap by 5th
Ascending leap by 5th, especially from tonal center, is often used in chorus parts as a “hook”, a phrase that can catch the ear of listeners.
Leaving the tonal center itself is the representation of departure. So “leaving the center” by “ascending” by “large skip” can clearly produce a sense of dramatic elevation, intense upsurge.
Melodic Rebounding
And watch how the melodies continues after the leaps.
All of them make a U-turn after a big leap. Isn’t it intriguing? There are no rules in making melodies, but there must be some “law” for catchy melodies, which the great artists instinctively learn and unconsciously follow.
Actually, this law is so prominent that some Classical harmony theory books see this as a “rule”3. But as there are tons of examples that break this “rule” so you don’t have to take it seriously. That said, it’s worth remembering such tendencies hidden in hit songs as a clue.
Leap by 6th or 7th
Ascending leap by 6th or 7th has even stronger impact. Not so common as 5th leap but you can find some eminent examples using such leaps.
Classical theory text also says that leap by 7th is impermissible4 but, again, it does not make much sense in popular music. They all can work as good “hooks”! And note again that the melodies turn its direction after a big leap.
Leap by an Octave
Ascending skip by an octave is also used over and over through generations.
Often unaccented words such as “and”, “so” or “it” is used right before the leap as if they wanted a “springboard” for the big jump.
And yet again, the melodies change its direction after the octave leaps.
Oh believe me, I’m not picking up the ones that follows the law. I just gathered hit songs and the result is this. Of-course there are exceptions, but learning these tendencies is important to make a good melody.
Leap by Larger Than Octave
Songs using skips larger than octave cannot easily be found…may be due to the difficulty to sing it. But it’s not “prohibited” at all.
This is a Japanese rock song involving leap by 10th! And surprisingly, it doesn’t change the direction after leap—it keeps going up.
Another note is; the destination pitch of 10th leap itself is not extremely high. The melody line already reaches that height before the leap in question.
But since it’s trodden by just a small skip (by 3rd), I think you won’t feel it so energetic as the 10th leap, despite the identical pitch height. This is the interesting aspect of music, the temporal art—What you listen to is not a tone, but the story that successive tones make.
3.Vocal Range
Watching from macro perspective, the allocation of pitch ranges through a song is worth analyzing. The range of pitch you can use is not infinite—especially so in vocal. Above all it matters a lot where to place the highest pitch within a part, or in a whole song.
Put the Peak at the Beginning
“Poker Face” by Lady Gaga is the perfect example of placing the peak at the start—The very first note (“Can’t read my”) is the highest note in the song. It is a standardized strategy to attract listeners’ ears on entering the chorus part.
Put the Peak at the end
On the other hand, in songs like large-scaled ballads you can find the opposite choice where the peak comes in a later section of a part.
“We Are the World” is a concise example. The first note of the chorus part is relatively high, but there are still some “headroom” for singers’ vocal range. The peak is set around the third quarter.
In such a slow/long part, spending the highest note in early stages, playing the “ace” card so early, may cause the development of the part to peter out in the end. In this song the musical story is very cleverly constructed; it starts with the title, develop it a bit, then reach the peak and close.
Ascend or descend, step or skip… Measures used here are utterly elementary. But the insights you can get through the “microscope” is huge! Analyze your favorite songs, and you’ll find some interesting features in them.
Summary
- a tone ascends or descends to form a line. step motion is motion to conjunct notes, skip motion is motion to disjunct notes.
- Balance and order of skip/step is a key for catchy melodies.
- Allocation of vocal range should be intelligently planned so that the entire piece forms a good structure of tension and relief.
