How To Write A Melody: Melodic Structure

This week on Tunehoney we'll be completing our discussion on writing melodies  -- that's right -- today our topic is melodic structure.

Once more we'll be using the melody of Eight Melodies as an example.

fig. 1: Eight Melodies, lovingly transcribed by me in Photoshop

Call & Response

Mastering the use of call and response will make for a a powerful tool in your melodic arsenal. Let's look at an example.

Take a look at (and have a listen to) measures 1 - 2 of Eight Melodies. The melody plays 4 quarter notes followed by one whole note. Now do the same with measures 3 - 4. Again, the melody plays 4 quarter notes followed by one whole note. 

Now take a look at the direction of movement between each note in measures 1 - 2:

D ▲ E ▲ F# ▲ A ▼ E

up, up, up, down

And measures 3 - 4: 

D ▼ C# ▼ B ▼ F# ▲ A

down, down, down, up

Because measures 1 - 2 and measures 3 - 4 are rhythmically identical but opposite in motion, they feel closely related. You can almost hear measures 1 - 2 calling out and measures 3 - 4 answering that call.

This is a call and response. Call and response is effective because it is a form of tension and release which we discussed last week. The call creates tension as it begs for an answer, and the response relieves that tension by resolving the call.

See if you can find examples of call and response throughout the rest of Eight Melodies or in any of the music you listen to.

Keep in mind that a call and a response don't have to be rhythmically identical nor perfectly opposite in movement to qualify -- there's no strict definition for a "call" and no strict definition for a "response." Generally, if it feels like one melodic part is beckoning to another, it's a call and response.