#21 LEARN FREE MUSIC THEORY
TLDRIn this introductory music theory video, the instructor discusses basic melody writing techniques including using question and answer phrases with dominant and tonic endings. He advises composing 30 short melodies for practice utilizing one rhythmic motive, intervals within seconds and thirds, ending on tonic, and melodic repetition/inversion for variation. The goal is gaining proficiency in fundamental melody writing skills to apply later when tackling more complex musical forms.
Takeaways
- 😀 Basic melody writing involves using questions and answers, starting on the tonic and ending on the dominant
- 😊 A motive is a short rhythmic device that can be repeated and varied melodically throughout a piece
- 🎵 Melodies sound best ending on the tonic on a strong beat for resolution
- 🎶 Leap no more than a 3rd between melody notes, except for the final dominant to tonic resolution
- 🎼 Use 2-4 bar phrases for question and answer melodies
- 🎹 Try out different rhythms and keys when writing 30 practice melodies
- 🎼 Inverting and transposing motives creates interest and development
- 😕 Composing well takes a lot of practice - don't get discouraged!
- 🎻 Writing these melodies will provide good preparation for more advanced music theory later on
- 🎉 Have fun, be creative, and enjoy the process of composing!
Q & A
What is the main topic discussed in the video?
-The main topic is basic melody writing. The video goes over some tips and tricks for writing simple melodies as an introduction to music composition.
What is the 'question and answer' concept in melody writing?
-The 'question and answer' concept involves writing a melody line that asks a musical question, usually ending on the dominant, and then resolves to an answer, ending on the tonic. This creates a sense of resolution.
What are two important rules for answering phrases in melody writing?
-Two rules are: 1) The last note of the answering phrase should be on the tonic. 2) The last note should fall on a strong beat to sound finished.
What is a motive in music composition?
-A motive is a short rhythmic pattern or device that gets repeated and developed throughout a piece of music. Composers use motives to create unity and familiarity.
What intervals should beginning melody writers generally stay within?
-When starting out, melody writers should usually stay within seconds and thirds and avoid leaping beyond a third to keep the melody smooth and singable.
What exceptions allow for bigger leaps in simple melodies?
-One exception is at the end of a phrase, composers can have a larger leap from dominant to tonic to accentuate the resolution.
What time signatures and keys does the instructor recommend practicing with?
-The instructor recommends trying different simple time signatures like 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, and 6/8 and practice with various major and minor keys, not just C major.
Why does the instructor encourage not getting discouraged with melody writing?
-The instructor explains that composing takes a lot of practice and few people are instantly good at it. Creating good music requires learning, skill building, and writing a lot before things start to click.
What's the recommended homework assignment?
-The recommended homework is to write 30 short question-answer melodies between 2-4 bars long using ideas from the video.
What are some ways to enhance creativity with the melody writing practice?
-Some creative ways to expand the practice are: experimenting with different rhythmic motives, inverting/retrograding melodies, transposing to different keys, occasionally using minor scales, and allowing yourself to write as many melodies as you want.
Outlines
🎵 Introducing basic melody writing
The first paragraph introduces the topic of basic melody writing. It explains that they will cover some simple extra knowledge on melody writing, including using techniques like question and answer phrases and motives. It also briefly mentions ending melodies on the tonic and on strong beats.
😮💨 Discussing motives and ending phrases
The second paragraph continues discussing melody writing concepts. It talks about using motives, which are short rhythmic themes that can be repeated and varied. It also reminds that phrase endings should land on the tonic and on strong beats for stability.
📝 Giving a melody writing assignment
The third paragraph gives a specific melody writing assignment to practice the concepts covered. It instructs writing 30 short question and answer melodies using various time signatures and keys. It encourages trying different keys and not getting discouraged while learning to compose melodies.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡melody
💡motive
💡questions and answers
💡intervals
💡harmony
💡dominant
💡tonic
💡rhythm
💡beat
💡scale
Highlights
We're going to talk about basic melody writing - things like question and answer phrases
Question and answer is probably one of the very most used things in all of melody writing
You start on a note, go to the dominant, then resolve back to the tonic - like asking a question and answering it
Want the final tonic note in the answer phrase to land on a strong beat for resolution
Introduced the idea of a motive - a short rhythmic pattern that gets repeated and transposed as a unifying element
Don't leap more than a third between notes in simple melodies, except sometimes between dominant and final tonic
You can invert, retrograde, or transpose motifs to create variations while keeping musical coherence
Gave a homework assignment to write 30 short question-answer melodies using concepts covered to get composition practice
It takes a lot of practice and skill development to become a strong composer - be patient with yourself
Try different keys and time signatures for writing practice beyond just C major and 4/4
Later courses will have you compose full musical forms using modulation, cadences, etc. - this is just an intro
Lesson plans tend to change as better ideas emerge - flexibility is important in teaching and learning
Much modern pop/rock just borrows progressions from classical music without doing new composition
Atonal and very dissonant 20th century classical tried to find totally new approaches to composition
Have fun, be creative, let loose when doing your melody writing practice!
Transcripts
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