©2011 Milton Mermikides

R 2 3 4 5 6 7

R 5 3 2 6 4 7

R 5 3 2 6 b7 4 7 b3 #4 b6 b2

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As mentioned, in 'Complete Track Analysis', harmony can only be fully understood in relation to other musicalconsiderations. This handout looks at melody's relation to harmony in a little more detail. Remember thatcontext is crucial on music, so none of the following are immutable laws, just helpful guidelines and incentivesto notice the most salient features.Music is multi-dimensional, there is expressive power in timbre, rhythm, groove, melody and harmony as isolatedfeatures, and in their complex interactions. First we look at some expressive features of melody in itself, and thenits interaction with melody.

Note Hierarchy of the Major ScaleMelodic Tension

Melody and Harmonym.j.mermikides@surrey.ac.uk

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A scale is usually written, and conceived, in ascending form (see above).However, in terms of hierarchy, the 7 notes may be better arranged in terms of degrees of resolution.

more resolved

Triad tonesDiatonic Tonesfrom pentatonic

Non-pentatonicscale tones

less resolved

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The layout above gives a general impression of how the notes of a major scale compare in terms ofresolution level. This explains why we see certain shapes of melodies, and how phrase endingsdiffer between phrases of a melody.

We may also extend this concept of melodic tension to include non-diatonic notes, an impressionis given below. Although subjective, there are technical reasons for the rough layout below.However, although we are still considering melody as independent of harmony, the followingshould be taken only as an approximate guide - context of surrounding melody notes, implied keys,phrasing and rhythm are still critical.

more resolved less resolved

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œb œ œn œb œ# œb œb

R 5 b3 4 b7 2 6 7 #4 b6 b2 3

D DŒ„!7 F©‹7

E‹7 A7

D DŒ„!7 F©‹7

E‹7 G‹

54 44

44 24

24 44

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We have so far been looking at a 'major' context. If however a minor (or modal) context is establisheda different pattern may emerge, still noting all the caveats previously mentioned. Here's an impressionof a melodic tension continuum in a minor context:

more resolved less resolved

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So far we have looked as melody as separate (as far as possible) from harmonic context. This is animportant component of analysis (and context) and establishes the sense of expression in an isolated melody.The following extract (Beatles-Across The Universe) gives a simple general impression of the melodictension in the melody. Note how a phrase is repeated almost identically, except for the ending which is atfirst unresolved, and then resolved.

Resolved (Root) Quite resolved (5th)

&##Less resolved (4th) Unresolved (7th)

&##Resolved Root) Quite resolved (5th)

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If we look at the chords in isolation we get another pattern of tension and release, which sometimes correlates withthe melodic tension and sometimes doesn't. They differ most notably here when the melody resolves at the end of the 2nd phrase while the harmony holds down a colourful and unresolved subdominant minor (iv) chord. This is anexample of the multi-level property which makes music so endlessly fascinating and absorbing.

Now we've looked at melodic tension, and also mentioned that it exists in relationship (but not direct correlation)with a sense of harmonic resolution, we now turn our attention to consonance and dissonance, how particularmelody notes are heard against specific chords - sometimes referred to as the vertical relationship.

Less resolved (4th)Resolved (Root)

œ œ œb œ œb œ œ œn œ# œb œb œn

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œJ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œJ

œ œ ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ Ó

2

R 5 3 2 6 b7 7 4 b3 #4 b6 b2

R 5 3 4 b7 2 6 #4 7 b6 b2 3

R 5 3 7 9 13 7 11 #9 b13 b7 b9

R 5 3 b7 9 6 #2 4 # b13 4 7

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The following diagrams give an indication of the level of consonance/dissonance over a few commonchords. Remember context is important - for example - whether the note is diatonic, or if it stressed rhythmically or left unresolved will alter the sense of dissonance. Still, it is certainly worth trying these out yourself and considering this important mechanism in both your analysis and composition.

Major chord

Consonant

Consonance and Dissonance

Dissonant

&Minor or minor 7 chord

Consonant Dissonant

&Major 7 chord

Consonant Dissonant

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The above guide treats chords in isolation, divorced from harmonic context - whether the chord is a I, ii or IV forexample. A general persepective of consonance and dissonance which includes this element might be represented thus:

There are some exceptions to this guide. Most notably the minor 3rd, which is a very commonly used and stylistically fundamental non-diatonic note in a major or blues context.

Chord Tones(CTs)

Consonant

Common

Dominant 7 chord

Diatonic notewhole tone or abovenearest chord tone

Consonant

Non-diatonic notewhole tone or abovenearest chord tone

Diatonic notesemi tone abovenearest chord tone

Non-diatonic notesemi tone abovenearest chord tone

Dissonant

Rare

Dissonant

www œ œ œ œ œ œb œn œ œb œ# œb œb

wwwn œ œ œb œ œb œ œ œ# œn œb œb œn

wwww œ œ œ œ œ œ œ# œn œ# œb œb œb

wwwwb œ œ œ œb œ œ œ# œn œb œb œ œ

3

3rd

F‹7

3rd

B¨‹7

7th 3rd

E¨7

7th

A¨Œ„!7

3rd 7th 3rd

D¨Œ„!7

3rd

D‹7

3rd

G7

7th 3rd

CŒ„!7

(Gm7)

Root 9th 3rd 3rd

C‹7

7th

F7

Root 9th 3rd 3rd

B¨Œ„!7

7th

E¨Œ„!7

Root 9th 3rd 3rd

A‹7(b5)

7th

D7

Root 9th 3rd 3rd

G‹7

&bbbb

In the following example (All The Things You Are - Hammerstein/Kern) the melody is constructed entirelyfrom chord tones (CTs) from the underlying chord sequence. Chord degrees (not specifically major minor) are given.

The study and understanding of melody is a life-long pursuit, but let's look at a succinct representative selection ofbroad concepts addressing how melody may effectively integrate with harmony, how dissonance is resolved andcommon 'tensions.'

There are 3 powerful devices in the following extract (Autumn Leaves - Kosma/Mercer)1) Diatonic sequence: A fixed pattern of chord degrees are moved through a harmonic progression.2) Passing Tone: Stepwise resolution of NCTs between CTs. Note how the NCTs here (9ths) are approached from, and resolved to, CTs using a diatonic scale.3) Chord-tone pivots (a new term): Note how held notes change from one CT to another CT of a new chord.

Melody on Harmony

Chord-Tone Melody

&bb

CT

Diatonic Sequence, Passing Tones and CT pivots

(step)NCT

(step)CT CT

&bbCT

(G melodic minor)

w ˙ ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙n œ wn

Œ œ œ œ w œ œ œ œ w

œ œ œ œ w œ œ œn œ# w

4

CT

C

NCT CT

E‹

NCT CT

F

NCT CT

C

CT

A‹

NCT CT CT

E‹

NCT CT CT

F

NCT CT CT

E7

CT NCT CT

CT

C

NCT CT CT NCT CT CT NCT CT CT

F

NCT CT CT NCT CT

CT NCT CT CT

G

NCT CT CTNCTCT CT

A‹

NCT CT CT NCT CT

CT

C

NCT CT CT NCT CT CT NCT CT CT CT NCT CT

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A CT is played before the harmonic change, resulting in a momentary NCT (usually but not always diatonic).In other words, the NCT is created (and resolved) by anticipating a harmonic change.

Now the concept of passing tones has been introduced, let's take a survey of many of the typical devicesfor handling NCTs.

(same note)

Common NCT Devices

Anticipation (ANT)

(same note) (same note)

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A NCT (usually diatonic) is played above or below a CT and is approached, and resolved in step wise motion.

(step) (step)

Neighbour Tone (NT) or Auxillary Note (AUX)

NT NT NT

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(aka appoggiatura)(skip) (step) (skip) (step)

Incomplete Neighbour Tone

(skip) (step) (skip) (step)

(non-diatonic)

(skip) (step)

&(skip) (step) (skip) (step) (skip) (step) (skip) (step) (skip) (step)

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A NCT is approached by a skep and resolved by a step (usually but not always in the opposite direction) Appoggiatura.A NCT may also be approached by a step from a CT and resolved by a skip (usually in the opposite direction) This is very similar to the idea of escape tone, where the skip occurs on a harmonic change.NCTs are usually but not always (see bar 3) diatonic.

(skip) (step) (skip) (step) (skip) (step)

(same-direction)

(step) (skip)

˙ ™ œ ˙ ™ œ ˙ ™ œ w

˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ# œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ™ œ œ œ œ œb œ

œ œ ˙ ™ œ œ œ œ œJ œ ™ œ œ œ œ œJ œ ™

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙

5

CT

A‹

NCT CT

G

NCT CT

F

NCT CT

E7

CT

C

NCT NCT CT

A‹

NCT NCT CT

F

NCT NCT CT CT

F‹

CT

C

C G A‹ F G7 C

A‹

CT NCT CT NCT CT

F

NCT CT NCT CT

D7

NCT CT

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NCTs are approached by step and then resolved onto a CT of a new chord in the opposite direction.

(step)

(opposing skip to CT on new chord)

Escape Tone(ET) or Echappeé

(step)

(opposing skip to CT on new chord)

(step)(opposing skip to CT on new chord)

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Changing Tones (ChTs) or Double-Neighbour Tones (DNTs)CTs left by a step, then skip in the opposite direction and resolved to CT by step.

&A delayed step-wise resolution to a CT. When the resolution falls its a suspension, when it rises theNCT is a retardation. The note in the preceding chord is known as the preparation.(prep.) which aresuspended (sus.) or retardated (ret.) and then resolved (res.).

sus.4-3 prep. sus.9-8

Suspensions and Retardations

res. prep. ret.7-8 res. prep. ret.2-3 res.

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Stepwise connections between CTs of the same, or next chord using NCTs. These are usually single and diatonic, but may also involve more than one note (eg double passing tones)or may also be chromatic, and combined with other devices to form more complex approach patterns.

From Heart-Shaped Box - Nirvana

Passing Tones (PT)

˙ ™ œ ˙ ™ œ œ œ ˙

˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ œb ˙

˙ ™ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ ˙ œ ˙ ™

Œ œ œ œJ œ œJ œJ œ œJ œJ œ ™ ˙ ˙ ˙ Ó

6

CT

C7

NCT NCT CT CT

F7

NCT NCT CT

CT

C7

NCT CT NCT NCT NCT NCT CT NCT NCT

5

C7

5 9

F7

9 9 9 5

C7

R

9

F7

9 9 9 9 9 5

C7

R

E‹7 A7

11

D‹7

11 R

G7

R R R 5

C7

R

E¨7 A¨7 D¨7

&Double chromatic passing tones.

Double Passing Tones (DPTs), Approach Patterns and'Accepted' NCTs

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The last note here introduces the idea of 'accepted' non-chord tones. Clearly the 9th sounds just fine and may be happily left unresolved. Actually in Jazz such melody notes are often 'written in' to the harmony, a C9 in this case. But this isn't always appropriate, and often in popular music these notes are clearly notincluded in the harmonic accompaniment, doing so can make the harmony overly fussy and weaker.So how do we decide what is 'acceptable' in terms of NCTs? A musical ear is always the best judge and context and style are important and sometimes 'outness' is desired.(Just listen to Zappa, Blur or King Crimson for perfectly judged 'wrong' notes)Page 3 of this section (Consonance and Dissonance) will provide some theoretical context to the degrees ofdissonance in melody, not forgetting that placement on strong or weak beats - the rhythmic emphasis of NCTs -is crtitical. Using dissonant notes is not necessarily bad (although involves skill) and perfectly 'correct' notesdoes not necessarily produce good music. However an awareness of the consonance/dissonance continuum ishugely valuable. This particulary topic is vast but we will end with just one further illustrative example:

Neighbour Tone

ChromaticPassing Toneto...

Changing Tone withchromatic passing tone:Approach Pattern

Double chromatic passing tones.

ChromaticPassing Toneto...

'Accepted'NCT.

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A powerful device is to use a fixed melody, over a changing harmonic sequence. The melodymay create NCTs (in this case very common ones) and there is an interesting musical effectof hearing similar material in different harmonic contexts. In a way this is the opposite of the sequence,which changes melody to maintain similar chord degrees over changing harmony.

Fixed Melody and Changing Harmony

!

& !

& !

œ œ œ# œ ˙ œ œ# œ œ ˙

œ œn œ œb œ œ œ# œ œj œb œn j œ Œ

œ œ Œ Ó œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ ™ œJ Ó

œ œ Œ Ó œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ ™ œJ Ó

œ œ Œ Ó œ œ Œ œ œ Œ œ ™ œJ Ó

7

8

Often dismissed by people don't know any better as 'simple', popular music harmony is a complexand fascinating mix of concepts and cultural influences that are endlessly interesting, effective andinspiring. Do remember that harmony lies in a complex interrelationship with all other music parametersand how its used - and its musical effect - is determined by context rather than theoretical abstraction.I graduated from a 4-year degree in 1996 which I approached with passion and commitment, since thenthere has not been a day that I have not thought about, played or composed music, I've even completed a PhDin composition, and I am still discovering fascinating and rewarding insights about understanding and using 'simple' harmony.I wish you the same enjoyment and satisfaction.

The End and the Beginning