In today's world, Melodic motion has taken a fundamental role in various areas of society. From its impact on technology to its influence on the social sphere, Melodic motion has marked a before and after in our way of living and relating. Over time, Melodic motion has been the subject of study and debate, generating both admiration and controversy. In this article, we will thoroughly explore the impact of Melodic motion in different areas, seeking to understand its importance in the contemporary world and its relevance for the future.
Melodic motion is the quality of movement of a melody, including nearness or farness of successive pitches or notes in a melody. This may be described as conjunct or disjunct, stepwise, skipwise or no movement, respectively. See also contrapuntal motion. In a conjunct melodic motion, the melodic phrase moves in a stepwise fashion; that is the subsequent notes move up or down a semitone or tone, but no greater. In a disjunct melodic motion, the melodic phrase leaps upwards or downwards; this movement is greater than a whole tone. In popular Western music, a melodic leap of disjunct motion is often present in the chorus of a song, to distinguish it from the verses and captivate the audience.
Bruno Nettl describes various types of melodic movement or contour (Nettl 1956, 51–53):
Other examples include:
These all may be modal frames or parts of modal frames.