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~!+