Composing Activities - Melody

Step by Step

The first activity requires that notes to be entered onto the stave. Do this by Selecting the crotchet shape (a 1 beat note) from the toolbar on the left, then position the mouse pointer (a target shape) on the stave so that the horizontal line of the target is over the second line of the stave (counting from the bottom) and slightly to the right of the treble clef. When you click the left mouse button (Select), the note will be placed. If it is in the wrong position vertically, Select the note again by clicking to remove it from the stave, then reposition the mouse pointer and click to place.

In all of the following examples, the notes on the stave should be entered as they appear, but where the small notes appear, you are free to enter a crotchet where you wish, so long as it is either at the same pitch as the previous note, or one step higher or one step lower. Make sure that the following note also obeys these rules!

Listen carefully to your finished music. Does it sound good? Could it sound better if you changed the pitch of your notes? Play it to a friend and ask them if they like your tune. Save the music.

Here is another melody for you to try. This one has more notes for you to enter. Be careful that you follow the rules of moving by step or using the same pitch as the previous note.

Listen carefully to your finished music. Does it sound good? Could it sound better if you changed the pitch of your notes? Play it to a friend and ask them if they like your tune. Save the music.

This melody has more notes for you to enter. Make sure that you follow the rules carefully.

Listen carefully to your finished music. Does it sound good? Could it sound better if you changed the pitch of your notes? Play it to a friend and ask them if they like your tune. Does this tune follow the rules? Does it matter? Save the music.

Look closely at each of the above tunes. What do you notice about them? If you need a clue, look at the first and last notes. They are at the same pitch, although the last note of each tune is minim - a note which lasts for two beats. We can use minims like a full stop in a sentence. You should now create your own melodies using the rules as before, making sure that you begin and end on the same pitch. Does it matter which note you begin with? Do some melodies sound better than others depending on which note (pitch) you started? What is the best starting pitch.