Description
Melody is the essential characteristic of music. Melody is a rhythmic succession of musical notes (pitch-specific, properly intonated tones) constructed in such a manner as to be perceivable as a self contained unit.
Traditionally one of the strongest characteristics of a melody is to imply harmonic motion & as a consequence is goal-directed. The easiest (most direct) way to accomplish this is in the form of the "question and answer phrase". This is traditionally known as the identification of half-cadence & full cadence phrases. A melody does not necessarily have to contain these explicitly; they can be implied.
Melody combines all the other elements of music into a cohesive unit: notes, rhythms, scale fragments, implication of harmony or chords.
Lesson Info
