Melodic Structure	Theory Things  William Wieland
Melodic Contour — The shape of melodies as they ascend and descend. Some melodies gradually rise to a high note about 2/3 through and then fall. This is called an arch shape—but fantastic tunes feature every conceivable shape. Aura Lee Joy to the World Thaxted Conjunct Motion — Melodic motion between adjacent notes of a scale, aka Stepwise Motion Disjunct Motion — Melodic motion using leaps or skips
Ostinato — a pattern (often melodic) repeated throughout a composition (Ostinato is Italian for obstinate.)   — the bass line of the Peter Gunn Theme or Pachelbel’s Canon   — “Carol of the Bells” motive   — Debussy's Les Cloches begins with a bass ostinato which moves to an inner voice and is later altered.
Sequence — a melodic pattern (often 1 bar) repeated immediately at a different pitch (often a step)   Diatonic Sequence or Tonal Sequence — "Glo-" of "Gloria" in Angels We Have Heard on High (in one key)   Modulating Sequence or Real Sequence — Beethoven Waldstein Sonata opening 8 bars (exact transposition)   Modified Sequence — Petzold Menuet (Note the composer's alterations.)   Worksheet
Motive (or Motif) — a musical word (melodic, rhythmic or harmonic) — Motivic Transformation   — the opening four notes of Beethoven's 5th Symphony
Melodic Inversion — flipping a melody upside down, i.e. ascending intervals become descending ones and vice versa   — A diatonic or tonal inversion remains in one key. A real inversion uses exactly the same intervals.   — Bach's C major Invention Example (Which are tonal inversions and which are real inversions?)
Phrase — a musical sentence (often 4 bars long) with an ending, a sense of closure   — Every phrase in Deck the Halls ends with Fa la la...
Sentences — Refer to the handout.
Period — 2 balanced, complementary phrases — Antecedent & Consequent   ( Question & Answer ) — “Mary Had a Little Lamb” Antecedent phrase — first (Think poker ante.)   — ends inconclusively, often on 2 or 5 in the melody and a dominant triad in the harmony (a musical comma)   — Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", bars 1–4 Consequent phrase — follows (Think consequences.)   — ends conclusively, often on 1 in the melody and a tonic triad in the harmony (a musical period)   — Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", bars 5–8 Parallel Period — the antecedent and consequent are similar — "Home on the Range", first half   — Old folks at home and Beautiful dreamer — Violin and Viola parts Contrasting Period — the two phrases contrast — "Home on the Range", last half Double Period — a melodic structure of 4 phrases, often a b a b'   — the 1st and 3rd phrases end weakly, the last phrase ends the most strongly   — the opening of Beethoven's Bagatelle Op. 119, No. 1 or Beethoven's Piano Sonata Op. 26