Melody and Form
Melody shapes what listeners follow from note to note. Form shapes when material begins, changes and returns. These nine pages move from writing one phrase to explaining the structure of a complete piece.
- 9 learning pages
- writing to analysis
- exercises on every page
Choose your starting point
- I am new to melody
Start with What Is a Melody?, which goes from one line of notes to the shape of a whole song.
- I want to write a melody
Begin with Writing a Melody, then turn one small idea into a phrase with Motifs and Phrasing.
- My melody clashes with the chords
Use Melody and Harmony to name each note's role, then Non-Chord Tones to understand passing notes and suspensions.
- I want to structure a complete piece
Compare Song Forms and Classical Forms.
- I want to analyze existing music
Start with How to Analyze a Piece, then add Roman numerals and reduction when the question requires them.
Learn in pairs
| Compare | Keep fixed | Listen or look for |
|---|---|---|
| chord tones and non-chord tones | melody and harmony | stability, approach and resolution |
| period and sentence | eight-bar scale | balance versus acceleration |
| song and classical forms | repetition and return | section labels versus thematic process |
| full phrase and reduction | contour and cadence | which notes carry the direction |
| chord names and Roman numerals | progression | absolute pitch versus function |
A useful order
1. Write four bars with one motif.
2. Mark the active chord under every strong melody note.
3. Add non-chord tones with clear approach and departure.
4. Place the phrase inside a section.
5. Map how the section returns or changes.
6. Analyze only the details that answer a listening question.
Writing a melody
Create a recognisable line and understand its relationship to the chords
Building a song
Organise repetition, contrast and return across larger spans
Taking it apart
Move from listening question to verifiable musical evidence
Also in this section
The other sections
Everything on this site sits in one of these, in the order they are meant to be learned.