Melody is the main tune of a song; the outcome of a series of notes. Melody is regarded as “horizontal” because its notes are read from left-to-right, while harmony is “vertical” because the notes are played simultaneously (and therefore must be written vertically in notation).
The complexity of a song is observed in its texture. Musical texture can be simple or elaborate - and everything in between - and melody fits into this concept in the following ways:
Monophonic: A single line of melody with no harmony. Biphonic: Two different, simultaneous melodies (though some overlap of notes may create harmonies). Heterophonic: A slightly elaborated melody with one or two voices and some intervals. Harmony is sprinkled throughout. Homophonic: A single line of melody with harmony in the form of chords. Polyphonic: A composition with many voices and harmonies. Many melodies may appear throughout the composition.
Also Known As:
melodia (It)mélodie (Fr)Melodie (Ger)
Pronunciation:
mell’-oh-dee; mell’-ə-dee
Melody is the main tune of a song; the outcome of a series of notes. Melody is regarded as “horizontal” because its notes are read from left-to-right, while harmony is “vertical” because the notes are played simultaneously (and therefore must be written vertically in notation).
The complexity of a song is observed in its texture. Musical texture can be simple or elaborate - and everything in between - and melody fits into this concept in the following ways:
Monophonic: A single line of melody with no harmony. Biphonic: Two different, simultaneous melodies (though some overlap of notes may create harmonies). Heterophonic: A slightly elaborated melody with one or two voices and some intervals. Harmony is sprinkled throughout. Homophonic: A single line of melody with harmony in the form of chords. Polyphonic: A composition with many voices and harmonies. Many melodies may appear throughout the composition.
Also Known As:
melodia (It)mélodie (Fr)Melodie (Ger)
Pronunciation:
mell’-oh-dee; mell’-ə-dee
Melody is the main tune of a song; the outcome of a series of notes. Melody is regarded as “horizontal” because its notes are read from left-to-right, while harmony is “vertical” because the notes are played simultaneously (and therefore must be written vertically in notation).
The complexity of a song is observed in its texture. Musical texture can be simple or elaborate - and everything in between - and melody fits into this concept in the following ways:
Monophonic: A single line of melody with no harmony. Biphonic: Two different, simultaneous melodies (though some overlap of notes may create harmonies). Heterophonic: A slightly elaborated melody with one or two voices and some intervals. Harmony is sprinkled throughout. Homophonic: A single line of melody with harmony in the form of chords. Polyphonic: A composition with many voices and harmonies. Many melodies may appear throughout the composition.
Also Known As:
melodia (It)mélodie (Fr)Melodie (Ger)
Pronunciation:
mell’-oh-dee; mell’-ə-dee
Melody is the main tune of a song; the outcome of a series of notes. Melody is regarded as “horizontal” because its notes are read from left-to-right, while harmony is “vertical” because the notes are played simultaneously (and therefore must be written vertically in notation).
The complexity of a song is observed in its texture. Musical texture can be simple or elaborate - and everything in between - and melody fits into this concept in the following ways:
- Monophonic: A single line of melody with no harmony.
- Biphonic: Two different, simultaneous melodies (though some overlap of notes may create harmonies).
- Heterophonic: A slightly elaborated melody with one or two voices and some intervals. Harmony is sprinkled throughout.
- Homophonic: A single line of melody with harmony in the form of chords.
- Polyphonic: A composition with many voices and harmonies. Many melodies may appear throughout the composition.
Also Known As:
- melodia (It)mélodie (Fr)Melodie (Ger)
Pronunciation:
mell’-oh-dee; mell’-ə-dee
