COMPOSING A MELODY~

A good melody, like a good house, has a solid basic framework. This is then embellished and refined to create more interest. When creating a melody, composers often start with a rhythmically simple line according to the following guidelines, then add the embellishments later. A full understanding of common practice melodic guidelines is essential for writing and understanding these melodies.

1) Rhythm - keep it simple to start with. A good guideline is one note per beat or pulse.

2) Contour - this is the shape of the line. Usually, there is only one highest or lowest note, called the peak. If the peak note is repeated, it looses it's effect, so it is important to have only one peak to your contour. Where should the peak occur? Although there is an infinite number of variations, there are several basic contours that melodic lines generally follow:

a) Arch - the most popular contour. Begins lower, works its way up to a high point between around or just after the midpoint of the melody, then falls back to a lower ending note. All of the following are arch contour melodies:

An Inverted Arch contour simply flips this shape upside-down, with the lowest peak occurring only once

b) Ramp - Melodies often save the high or low peak for the last note, for a more climactic ending. An ascending ramp contour begins at or near the lowest not, and gradually and continually works it's way up to the highest peak. a descending ramp contour reverses this, beginning with the higher point, and ending with the lowest.

ascending ramp contour

descending ramp contour

Remember, these are simplifications. Melodic lines may briefly zig-zag around these shapes, and sometimes may combine both. This familiar melody has both arch contours and descending ramps:





taken from http://www.smu.edu/totw/melody.htm


italian terms to help you express/define your melody~
adagio - slow
agitatob- agitated
allagardo -broadening
allegro - quick, lively
allegretto - slightly slower then allegro
amore - love
affettuoso - affectionately
andante - walking speed
anima - animated
cantabile - singing style
diciso - with determination
delicato - delicate
dolce - sweetly
doloroso - sorrowful
espressivo - expressive
energico - energetic
largo - slow,stately
largamente - broadly
leggiero - light
ma no troppo - but not too much
marziale - in a military style
mosso - movement
morendo - dying away
poco - a little
piu - more
presto - fast
risoluto - bold, strong
stringendo - getting faster
simplice - simple, plain
smorzando - dying away
vivace, vivo - quick , lively

e.g. Allegro Ma No Troppo - quick and lively, but not too much
Andante Doloroso e Molto Cantabile - At a walking speed with sorrow and much singing(expressive)

good luck in composing your melody! ~

-+!~STHL~!+

ENSEMBLE / DUET AUDITION ~
you heard the comments and the 'votes' ! now you should improve on your pieces! please do practice harder on your pieces as the next audition is on NEXT WEDNESDAY. you have about 2 more practices to perfect those rhythm,notes,intonation and articulation! please bring home your instruments whenever you can and practice! those chosen will be playing at the ensemble concert on 30th august with coral sec,westwood sec and beatty sec.

For those duets and ensembles that didn't perform today because some ppl in your group were absent, you will perform tomorrow after band.

Tomorrow band starts at 2.30, pls do come early to warm up and do some practice on your duet/ensemble pieces!

AGAIN. please pay your band fund to jeremy or your SLs
DEADLINE: next tuesday 21st August!
a fine of 50c will be imposed for every practice late!

- +!~STHL~!+


cake 'war' . for those who came today, you know best what happened!

Upcoming Concerts by other Schools!

Catholic High School Symphony Band: Limelight
Conducted by Ms Tan Yiang Hoon

Date: 7th August, Tuesday
Venue: Esplanade Concert Hall
Time: 7.30pm
Ticket Price: $7

Repetoire:

Main Band
Second Suite in F (1st movement)
American Elegy
Incantation & Dance
Les Miserables
Early One Morning
Highlights from Deng Li Jun
Thank You For the Music

Alumni Band
Olympic Spirit
Rock & Roll Explosion

Tickets are available from daren_sin@hotmail.com or lance_1_2@hotmail.com



Saints Presentation
-St. Andrew's Junior School
-St. Andrew's Secondary School
-St. Andrew's Junior College
-Saints Alumni Band
Conducted by Mr David Glosz & Mr Benjamin Yeo

Date: 11th August, Saturday
Venue: Singapore Conference Hall
Time: 7.30pm
Ticket Price: $12

Repetoire:

A Disneyland Celebration
The Carnival of the Animals
Doraemon Ala Carte
Eye of the Tiger
Magma
I Will Follow Him
Postcards from Singapore
Nuovo Cinema Paradiso
Into the Joy of Spring
I Need To Be In Love
The Great Gate of Kiev (from "Pictures at an Exhibition")
Beyond the Highlands (World / Local Premiere)
and more!

Tickets are available from sasmbmail@gmail.com




St Gabriel's Symphonic Band: Resonance
Conducted by Mr Jeffrey Chan

Date: 15th August, Wednesday
Venue: Victoria Concert Hall
Time: 7.30pm
Ticket Price: $12

Repetoire:
Danse Bacchanale from Opera Samson & Delilah
Symphonic Suite Miss Saigon
Hanover Festival
I Need to be in Love
Stayin' Alive
and more!

Tickets are available from sgsbexodus@yahoo.com.sg

If you would like to advertise your band's concert on this blog, do leave a message on the tagboard stating your band's name,name of concert(if there is), date,venue,time,ticket price and concert programme or you can send an email to us too !