Melody

Question 0

Diatonic

Answer 0

Based entirely on notes of the current key

Question 1

Intervals

Answer 1

An interval is the distance between two different notes.

Question 2

Chromatic

Answer 2

The music contains notes that don’t belong to the current key of the music

Question 3

Pentatonic

Answer 3

A scale made up of only five notes (e.g. C-D-E-G-A)

Question 4

Whole tone

Answer 4

A six-note scale in which there is an interval of a tone between each note (e.g C-D-E-F#-G#-A#)

Question 5

Blues scale

Answer 5

A major scale with attended third, fifth and seventh degrees (e.g. C-Eb-F-Gb-G-Bb) the flattened notes are called blues notes

Question 6

Modal

Answer 6

Based on a type of seven-note scale (which isn’t major or minor) called a ‘mode’

Question 7

Melodic contour

Answer 7

To describe the shape or contour of a melody

Question 8

Conjunct

Answer 8

Movement mostly by step

Question 9

Disjunct

Answer 9

Movement in larger intervals (by leap)

Question 10

Ascending

Answer 10

The melody rises

Question 11

Descending

Answer 11

The melody descends

Question 12

Triadic

Answer 12

Centred around notes of one or more triads

Question 13

Scalic

Answer 13

Uses scale patterns

Question 14

Ornamentation

Answer 14

Are extra notes that are added to decorate a melody

Question 15

Passing note

Answer 15

A note that isn’t part of the current chord and that comes between two notes a 3rd apart

Question 16

Appoggiatura

Answer 16

A dissonant note that is usually approached by a leap, and then moves by step to resolve on to a harmony note.

Question 17

Acciaccatura

Answer 17

A quick note that precedes the main note

Question 18

Glissando/ portamento/ slide

Answer 18

A smooth slide between two notes, usually more than a semitone apart

Question 19

Pitch bend

Answer 19

A short slide up or down to a main note

Question 20

Ostinato

Answer 20

A short melody idea that is repeated continually (called a riff in popular music)

Question 21

Sequence

Answer 21

A melodic idea (usually of one or two bars) that is immediately repeated at a different pitch

Question 22

Inversion

Answer 22

A melodic idea that has been turned upside-down. Every upwards step or leap is changed to a downwards one, and vice versa.