Motif Melodic Variation Flashcards
Identify and Understand Methods of Melodic Variation in Motifs
Sequencing
-Moving a motif up or down in pitch:
- Chromatic Sequencing
- Diatonic Sequencing
“Pitch Shifting”
Chromatic Sequencing
-Moving up or down in pitch but maintaining intervals even if the motif moves outside of the key
Diatonic Sequencing
-Moving up or down in pitch and NOT maintaining intervals to keep the motif within the key
Inversion
-Involves flipping a melody or interval so that each ascending interval is mirrored as a descending interval and vice versa.
- Exact Inversion
- Diatonic Inversion
“Flipping a motif upside down”
Exact Inversion
-Flipping a motif and maintaining the interval
-Can move outside of the key or scale
Diatonic Inversion
-Flipping a motif and staying within the key
-This is done with small shifts to notes
Retrograde
-Playing a motif backwards
-Adds stronger variation to a melody
- Complete Retrograde
- Rhythmic Retrograde
- Melodic Retrograde
Complete Retrograde
-Play the entire motif backwards
-Rhythm and melody are reversed
Rhythmic Retrograde
-Reverse the rhythm of the motif
-Notes are played in the same order, but the rhythmic values are reversed
Melodic Retrograde
-Reverse the melody of the motif
-The sequence of notes is played in reverse order, but the rhythm stays the same
Fragmentation
-Breaking a motif into smaller chunks or “mini-motifs”
-Best if used after a motif has had time already to be established
-You can repeat, remove, or modify the fragments
Expansion & Contraction
-Modifying the interval of two or more notes by increasing or decreasing them:
- M3 or 4 half steps
- m3 or 3 half steps
- P4 or 5 half steps
- P5 or 7 half steps
- M6 or 8 half steps
- m6 or 9 half steps
- M7 or 10 half steps
- m7 or 11 half steps
- P8 (Octave) by 12 half steps
Note the more notes that are modified, the more the impact of the change may go beyond a simple variation.
Embellishment
-Adding decorative tones:
- Quantitative Embellishment
- Qualitative Embellishment
Quantitative Embellishment
-Adding decorative tones without removing any of the original notes
-All original notes stay on the same beats they started on
-Grace Notes, Passing Tones, Neighbour Tones, and Ornamentations
-Beat lengths can be changed to make room
“Only adding notes; enhances structure”
Grace Note
-Quantitative Embellishment
-Short quick note added before or after the main note
Passing Tone
-Quantitative Embellishment
-Diatonic or Chromatic Notes added between the original notes to create a smooth transition
Neighbor Tones
-Quantitative Embellishment
-Notes added that move away from and back to the original note
“Trill” Articulation, and should be used sparingly in motifs.
Ornamentation
-Quantitative Embellishment
-Trills, Turns, and Mordents
Qualitative Embellishment
-Adding or modifying a motif with decorative tones that displace or alter the the position of any or all of the original notes
“Change personality or feel by changing the notes or rhythm”
Substitution
-Qualitative Embellishment
-Replacing an original note with an embellishing tone
Alteration
-Changing the pitch or rhythm of the original tones
Syncopation
-Qualitative Embellishment
-Shifting the emphasis or timing of notes to create a different rhythmic feel
Reduction
-Notes are removed from the original motif
-Prerequisite for “Reconstruction”
Reconstruction
-Requires a “Reduction” first
-Adding a new embellishment to reduced motif to create an entirely new idea
