Melody is the primary element of music. It is a general term for a singing, or main melody that can express a certain musical idea. It refers to an organized, rhythmic and harmonious movement of several musical sounds formed through artistic conception. Below I will bring you a relevant introduction to the tune, welcome to read!

Introduction to the tune

Melody line

There are two tunes The basic elements are the melody line (or pitch line) and rhythm. In terms of space: in the continuous progression of music, various linear or curved progressions are formed due to the direction of the pitch. These progressions are similar to the extension or ups and downs of lines in the picture, so they are called melody lines; in terms of time: different sounds issued one after another Only when the pitch (i.e. melody line) is combined with the length, speed, pause and other expressive functions of various musical rhythms can the tune form various syntaxes and structures of music.

Rhythm

The vivid rhythm of language and the rich rhythm of life are the natural basis of the rhythm of tunes; they are formed by the intonation of language, the pitch of voice, the priority of language potential and the ups and downs of tone. Rhythm is the natural basis of the melody line of a tune. The organic combination of mode, melody line and rhythm, and reflected through a certain musical structure, is a complete tune.

Music medium

Tune is the main medium for listeners to obtain music content. The performance of music content depends on the overall acoustic effect of the music. The public with low musical literacy can basically only notice the existence of the tune. They actually obtain the music content from the overall sound of the music and the lyrics (if there are lyrics). The fact that the public can feel a certain musical content when singing the tune of a certain song a cappella is actually related to the first auditory impression and the singer. Regardless of the lyrics and singer, the tune itself has almost no musical content. Even if it is the same tune, the musical content presented by different arrangements, speeds, beats, and textures will be different. Therefore, good tunes are an important medium for listeners to better understand music. A good tune has characteristics such as fluency, coherence, and memorability. For songs, when composing music, we also need to consider how to match it with the lyrics. A reasonable combination can allow the listener to hear the lyrics clearly and better obtain the music content.

Structure

The smallest unit that makes up music is called "motif". What you need to create a tune is a melodic motive. If it is used as the starting motive of music, it must have its own characteristics in terms of intervals and structure. In most cases, there are hidden internal harmonic factors, forming a distinctive form and developing throughout the whole song.

Classification of tunes

Classification principles

Since vocal music and instrumental music genres each have their own characteristics, they are also different in the form of tunes. Vocal tunes are closely related to people's conditions and language habits. Generally speaking, the range of vocal tunes is relatively narrow, and its main characteristic is its cantabile nature. Instrumental music tunes are directly related to the performance characteristics of specific instruments, and vary with different instruments. Generally speaking, it has a wider range than vocal tunes. There can be more and larger intervals in the progression of the tune. The music speed and intensity also vary greatly, and it is rich in rhythm and technique.

Specific classification

From the perspective of the development law of the tune itself, due to the difference in the nature of musical thinking, it can be roughly divided into two types, namely: singing (chanting) tunes and recitative (recitative) tunes. The former emphasizes the logic of music, paying attention to the smoothness and stability of the melody, and the balance, symmetry, and completeness of the melody structure. It is good at expressing feelings like a song and depicting the inner activities of the characters; the latter emphasizes the characteristics of language and the expressions of its melody. , the pitch fluctuation and rhythm arrangement are also close to the rules of spoken language and expressions in people's lives. In terms of vocal tunes, some recitative recitatives written by European composers use light and heavy rhythms in their language, so they have corresponding light and heavy requirements for the rhythm of the words; the light and heavy accents of the words must match the light and heavy accents of the music. Compatible.

The rhythm used is relatively free and is not even restricted by the bar line in units of beats; the tune line is relatively simple and can be intermittent or even repeated with the same sound. Chinese recitative tunes have their own unique style: although they also pay attention to the lightness and stress of the language, they are not as strict as foreign recitative tunes; however, there are stricter requirements for the smoothness of the pronunciation of the characters and the clear and voicing of the sounds. This is an important criterion for the Chinese nation to recite music.

The development of tunes in China

The structure and development of tunes in China have similar principles. Due to the different cultural traditions and aesthetic requirements between nations, there are obvious differences. Variation is an important method for the development of Chinese folk music tunes. It is different from variations in Western music and has its own characteristics. A common variation is the addition of a tune. The structure does not change during the variation, but the beat of the music is expanded or compressed. Another form of variation is to expand or add new material while the music is changing. This is a free variation. . Some pieces of music use the writing method of succession at the end of the previous sentence and the beginning of the next sentence. In essence, this is also a variation method. In the development of folk music tunes, an uninterrupted tune-reply method is often used to develop musical ideas. It leads the music to a climax through contrasting techniques of different registers, timbres, strengths and weaknesses, and speed. Repetition of music is also an important method for developing musical ideas in China. The intensity of music is formed through repeated repetitions of tunes. As the intensity of music increases, the composer consciously subdivides the repeated structure into further parts to further strengthen the intensity of the music. ; When entering the climax of the music, usually only one note is left to be repeated uninterrupted.