This document discusses various musical concepts and techniques for melodic composition including pitch, rhythm, stepwise and leapwise motion, motifs, themes, melodic shape, motivic transposition, rhythmic transformation through augmentation and diminution. It provides examples of these techniques and encourages practicing listening, writing original melodies, and soloing incorporating these melodic techniques.

1. Alexandra Zablotsky
2014

2.  Pitch – the highness or
lowness of a note
 Rhythm – a pattern of
sound

3. • Stepwise motion:
The pitches are
organized one step
away from each other
• Leapwise motion:
The pitches are
organized more than
one step away from
each other

4. • Theme: a musical
expression or
idea
• Themes are made
up of MOTIFS
Motif Theme

5. The melodic contour is traced in red. The melody builds up to the
highest point on the last note.

6. More examples of shape; here the melody starts higher and
moves down.

7. Ludwig Van
Beethoven,
Symphony No. 5
in C minor

8. Motive: small
sections that
make up a
melodic theme

9. Transposition is
moving the
pitches up or
down:
• Diatonic
transposition
• Chromatic
Transposition

13.  Augmentation – slows
down
 Diminution - Speeds up

14. Melodic transformation
techniques
 Stepwise and leapwise
motion
Melodic shape
Motivic transposition –
diatonic and chromatic
 Rhythmic transformation
– augmentation and
diminution

15.  Practice listening
 Write your own melodies incorporating these
techniques
 Practice soloing using these techniques

16.  Geralt. Untitled. Digital image. Pixabay. N.p., n.d.Web. <http://pixabay.com/en/violin-listen-sound-sounds-concert-
67418/
 Angr. Scientific Pitch Notation. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. N.p., n.d.Web.
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Pitch_notation.png>.
 Evan-Amos. A Pumpkin Pie. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. N.p., n.d.Web.
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Pumpkin-Pie-Whole-Slice.jpg>.
 Stieler, Joseph K. Beethoven. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. N.p., n.d.Web.
<http://www.archiv.fraunhofer.de/archiv/presseinfos/pflege.zv.fhg.de/german/press/pi/pi2002/08/md_fo6a.ht
ml>.
 Beethoven, Ludwig V. Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Allegro Con Brio. Braunschweig: Henry Litolff, 1880.
Mineola: Dover Publications, 1989. PDF.
 Merian, Maria Sibylia. Metamorphosis of a Butterfly. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. N.p., n.d.Web.
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Metamorphosis_of_a_Butterfly_Merrian_1705.jpg>.
 Gamelin, Jaques. Four Skeletons playing Musical Instruments. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. N.p.,
n.d.Web.
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Four_skeletons_playing_musical_instruments_Wellco
me_V0008806.jpg>.
 upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Four_skeletons_playing_musical_instruments_Wellcome_V000
8806.jpg>.
*All works used are PUBLIC DOMAIN
 Ludwig Van Beethoven. Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Allegro Con
Brio. Cond. Larry Simons. Perf. Woodside Park Philharmonia. N.d.
MIDI.