Melodic motion

Melodic motion: ascending vs. descending X conjunct vs. disjunct

Melodic motion is the quality of movement of a melody, including nearness or farness of successive pitches or notes in a melody. This may be described as conjunct or disjunct, stepwise, skipwise or no movement, respectively. See also contrapuntal motion. In a conjunct melodic motion, the melodic phrase moves in a stepwise fashion; that is the subsequent notes move up or down a semitone or tone, but no greater. In a disjunct melodic motion, the melodic phrase leaps upwards or downwards; this movement is greater than a whole tone. In popular Western music, a melodic leap of disjunct motion is often present in the chorus of a song, to distinguish it from the verses and captivate the audience.

In traditional culture music

Ethnomusicologist Bruno Nettl describes various types of melodic movement or contour to categorise a song's melody.

There are three general categories, ascending, descending, and undulating:[1]

• Ascending: Upwards melodic movement (only found in remote regions).
• Descending: Downwards melodic movement (prevalent in the New World and Australian music).
• Undulating: Equal movement in both directions, using approximately the same intervals for ascent and descent (prevalent in Old World culture music). Usually concludes with a descending progression.
  • Pendulum: Extreme form of undulating movement that covers a large range and uses large intervals is called pendulum-type melodic movement. Like undulating melodies, usually concludes with a descending progression.

According to Nettl, undulating and descending melodies are far more common than ascending ones.[2]

He also identifies additional specialized types which characterise musical styles with exceptionally homogenous contours, named after the melody contour's trace.[3]

• Tile, terrace, or cascading: a number of descending phrases in which each phrase begins on a higher pitch than the last ended (prevalent in the North American Plain Indians music).
• Arc: The melody rises and falls in roughly equal amounts, the curve ascending gradually to a climax and then dropping off (prevalent among Navajo and North American Indian music)

In addition to this, rise, which may be considered a musical form, is a contrasting section of higher pitch, a "musical plateau".[4]

Other examples include:

• Double tonic: smaller pendular motion in one direction

These all may be modal frames or parts of modal frames.

See also

• Parsons code
• Pitch contour
• Voice leading

Citations

1. Nettl 1956, p. 51–52.
2. Nettl 1956, p. 52.
3. Nettl 1956, p. 52–53.
4. Nettl 1956, p. 73.

Bibliography

• Nettl, Bruno (1956). Music in Primitive Culture. United States of America: Harvard University Press.

Further reading

• Adams, Charles R. (May 1976). "Melodic Contour Typology" (PDF). Ethnomusicology. 20 (2). University of Illinois Press on behalf of Society for Ethnomusicology: 179–215. JSTOR 851015. An in-depth discussion about melodic contour.