Chapter 3 – Heart: melodic creation

How to gradually create a melody?

Chapter 3 (the “heart”) is, together with the 4th, at the center of this method. It demonstrates how to gradually create a melody with a single type of value: whole note, half note, quarter note then eighth note, over a full cadence, using one of the following 3 melodic cells :

1. “Tetrad” cell (4-note chords: triad + 7th or doubled note of the triad)
2. “Conjunct motion + 1 skip” cell
3. “Intervallic melodic” cell

These 3 types of melodic cells are kinds of melodic bricks (Lego) you can assemble together to create your own melody.

Plan

• the exercises are done (3.1) at beginner level (whole, half and quarter notes): by taking a pivot point (voice leading) on the 1st beat, in major and minor modes, in 4/4 and in 3/4
• then at intermediate level (3.2), in eighth notes, taking a pivot point (voice leading) on the 1st and 3rd beats.
• The Chapter concludes with a presentation of the chromatic approach technique (3.3) widely used in jazz, as well as a pianists’ corner (3.4): example of left hand accompaniment on a full cadence in half and quarter notes then syncopation in 3/4 and 4/4.