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Grade Five Music Theory - Composing a Melody

Instrumental - Effective Composing:


Rhythm, melody, cadences, performance directions
Balance is also important. 8 bars long, so break it into two phrases, (this is called binary form) - 1-4, and 5-8 and or, divide each phrase into 2, giving you four short 2-bar phrases - 1a, 1b, 2a and 2b.

Rhythm - Similar rhythmic phrase which is repeated to create phrase 1b:


Swap around the rhythm of bars 3 and 4. Change 2 quavers (eighth notes) into 4 semiquavers (sixteenth notes). Change a crotchet (quarter note) into a quaver (eighth note). Change the semibreve (whole note) into a short, syncopated rhythm. You can change the rhythm of phrase 1a in any number of ways; the important thing is not to change it too much! For phrases 2a and 2b - keep the rhythms similar, but make small changes: You could write 2a with the same rhythm as 1a, and 2b the same as 1b.You could write 2a like 1b, and 2b like 1a. There are no rules, except that there must be some connection and

some similarity between the rhythms - dont write a completely different rhythm for each of your four phrases!

Melody

Just like rhythms, melodies sound good if they contain repeated sequences. Do you know this childrens song? (Its called Frre Jacques.) This song simply repeats both the rhythm and melody in bars 1 and 3 to create bars 2 and 4. But if you look more closely, youll see that the melody in 1b (E-F-G) is the same as the first three notes of the melody in 1a (C-D-E)- but a third higher. This is an example of a melodic imitation: a section of melody which is repeated at a different interval. However, Frre Jacques is probably not the most interesting song in the world, so lets look at another example! This is the Gloria chorus from the Christmas carol Ding Dong Merrily on High!: Sequences - Each bar starting one step down in the key of G major
Imitation - Change the starting note but keep all the Retrograde - Write the melody back to front: relative intervals the same:

Starts a 2nd higher.

Retrograde Inversion Upside down and back to front:

Starts a 5th higher Inversion - Turn the melody upside down:

Augmentation - Double the note values:

Diminution - Halve the note values:

Mix your own ideas and some imitation of whats already there - your new ideas need to be linked to the two bars youve already been given.

Cadences
Although you are only writing a single line of music, you should keep in mind the chords that could accompany your melody. In a short, 8-bar tune, the end of the first phrase will often (but not always) end on an imperfect cadence. This means that the end of the phrase would sound good if it was played with chord V. The chord which comes before V is up to you, but common imperfect cadences are I-V, II-V, IV-V and VI-V. The end of the second phrase should end with either a perfect or a plagal cadence. A perfect cadence is V-I and a plagal cadence is IV-I. Perfect cadences are more common, and they sound more final than plagal cadences. Plagal cadences are common in religious music (but dont let that put you off!) You should always end your composition with a tonic note, sustained for at least a crotchet's (quarter note's) length. Passing notes

Modulation
You can make a stronger sounding cadence if you make your music modulate (change key). If you start writing a piece in G major, and you want to finish the first phrase on chord V, this means you will make your music modulate into the key of D major, (because D is the fifth note in the scale of G). Remember that the only note in D major which isnt in G major is C sharp. So if you include a C sharp, your music will have modulated into D major. If you include a modulation in your first phrase, you must make sure that you modulate back to the tonic (original key) by the time you get to the end of the piece. If you modulated from G major to D major by including a C sharp, make sure that you use a C natural in the second phrase, so that the key of G major is clearly reestablished.

Top Tips
My best tip is to keep in your mind that a little goes a long way. Do a little imitation, a little inversion, add a few directions to the player - but be sparing. Take a look at some of the music youre playing right now- just how many directions can you find in the space of 8 bars? Not many, Id guess! If you try to write something very complicated, youre more likely to get into a mess. Keep it clean and simple, but make sure you do add some directions, which are both relevant and meaningful.

How can I learn to hear my compositions in my head?


Take some music which you havent studied yet and try to read it without playing/singing it sight sing in your head.

Composer's Checklist
Tempo Dynamics Phrasing All Double bar at end Range of notes fits Cadences (1st=V, 2nd=I) Imitation/Sequences Modulation (optional) Wind Instruments Articulation Breathing Articulation Bowing Breathing (phrasing) Clef, Key and Time Voice Syllables ok Word Painting Style

String Instruments

Choosing an Instrument
Its a good idea to choose an instrument that you know something about! If you choose to write for a string instrument, you will need to include bowing

notation, (specific instructions for using the bow).


If you write for a wind instrument, you should include articulation (slurred, tongued, staccato) and breathing indications - clarinet players can play very long phrases without needing a breath, but flute players cant. Know its range. Dont forget to finish with a double bar line!

Performance Directions
Whatever instrument youre writing for, you will need to include performance directions for the player. You must include: Tempo (speed). Use the accepted Italian or German terms. Dynamics (volume). Indicate a starting dynamic (e.g. FF ), and indicate gradual increase/decrease of volume with hairpins e.g. Articulation (attack) - Adding the right articulation indications will increase the marks you get for this question - but make sure you use them in the right places and dont overdo it!

Wind Instruments
Articulation Wind instruments usually play

legato (mark with a slur) tongued (no marking needed) staccato (small dot)
Breathing Wind players will need somewhere to breathe - either write a rest about half way through (or more frequently), or indicate places where the player can grab a quick intake of air by using a small comma - above the stave. Keep in mind the tempo youve indicated, and remember that although clarinet players can play without breathing in for quite a long time, flute players cant!

String Instruments

Articulation String writing can include up-bow are always placed above the stave). Other techniques

and down-bow

markings, (which

include spiccato (bouncing

the

bow

lightly

on

the

string), legato (played with a full bow),and portato (sounding the note for about 3/4 of the length of the notated value). Notes with a legato slur are usually played with one stroke of the bow: String instruments are capable of playing more than one note at the same time (this is called "double-stopping") - but dont attempt to write this unless you know the instrument in question well.

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