All About Melody
Summary of “Melody: How to Write Great Tunes” by Rikky Rooksby
Part I
TOC
I. Inside Notes
1. definition of melody
2. relationship of melody to triad
3. transmutability of triads
4. rests
5. distance between notes can vary
6. different triads in same bar
7. arpeggios
8. harmonizing with major or minor
II. Outside Notes
9. definition of chord tones, scales tones, chromatic
10. melody note influences name of chord
11. pitch function
12. scale tones are in major or minor
13. scale tones for longer duration increase tension
14. sus4 can intensify tension
15. tie a sus4 from a previous chord tone
16. 6 resolves to 5 or 7
III. Rhythm
17. and of 2 is very important; or and of 1
18. rhythmic variety
19. triplets
20. augmentation (doubling the duration)
21. diminution (halfing the duration)
22. 2/4 time
23. 3/4 time
24. 6/8
25. 12/8
IV. Intervals
26. definition
27. major vs. minor 3rd
28. perfect 4th & 5th
29. wider intervals 6, 7, 8
30. use of leaps
31. example of leaps and steps with rhythmic variety
32. can stay on same note sometimes
33. change chords under a static melody
V. Scales
34. use of flat 7
35. use of flat 3
36. use bluesier notes only in 1 section not another
37. harmonizing a flat 3 with minor takes away its bluesy effect
38. harmonic minor
39. contrast sections with phrasing, rhythm, or key
40. dorian
41. pentatonics