The Arts · Grade 9 · Musical Structures and Soundscapes · Term 2

Melody: Contour and Phrase Structure

Examining how sequences of notes create emotional tension and resolution, focusing on melodic contour and phrasing.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• MU:Cr1.1.HSII
• MU:Re7.1.HSII

About This Topic

Melodic contours and harmony explore the 'vertical' and 'horizontal' aspects of music. Grade 9 students learn how a sequence of notes creates a melody with a specific shape (contour) and how adding simultaneous notes creates harmony. The Ontario curriculum emphasizes the emotional impact of these elements, such as the tension of dissonance and the relief of resolution. Students learn to identify major and minor tonalities and how they are used to tell stories in everything from classical symphonies to modern film scores.

This topic is vital for students who want to compose their own music or understand the 'why' behind their favorite songs. It connects to the 'Foundations' strand of the curriculum through the study of theory and notation. Students grasp these abstract concepts faster when they can use visual tools like 'melodic maps' and participate in collaborative harmony-building exercises.

Key Questions

1. How does a melody reflect the natural patterns of human speech?
2. Analyze how melodic contour contributes to the emotional arc of a piece.
3. Design a simple melody that conveys a specific mood using only pitch and rhythm.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the relationship between melodic contour and the emotional arc of a musical excerpt.
• Explain how melodic phrasing mirrors natural speech patterns in a given composition.
• Design a short melody using pitch and rhythm to convey a specific mood, such as joy or melancholy.
• Identify instances of tension and resolution within a melodic line.
• Compare and contrast the melodic contours of two different musical styles.

Before You Start

Introduction to Pitch and Rhythm

Why: Students need a foundational understanding of how pitch and rhythm function independently before exploring their combined effect in melody.

Basic Musical Notation

Why: Familiarity with reading notes on a staff and understanding basic rhythmic values is necessary to analyze and create melodies.

Key Vocabulary

Melodic Contour	The overall shape or direction of a melody, often described as ascending, descending, arched, or wave-like.
Melodic Phrase	A segment of a melody that functions like a musical sentence, often having a sense of beginning, middle, and end.
Tension	A feeling of anticipation or unrest within a melody, often created by dissonant intervals or melodic movement towards a less stable note.
Resolution	The release of musical tension, typically by moving from a dissonant note or chord to a consonant one, providing a sense of arrival.
Speech Rhythm	The natural patterns of duration and emphasis found in spoken language, which can influence the rhythmic construction of melodies.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Minor keys are always 'sad' and major keys are always 'happy.'

What to Teach Instead

This is a simplification. Show students examples of fast, energetic minor-key songs (like many folk dances) and slow, somber major-key songs to demonstrate that tempo and rhythm also play a huge role in emotion.

Common Misconception

Harmony is just 'background' noise.

What to Teach Instead

Students often only focus on the singer. Use 'part-stripping' (listening to just the bass or just the backing vocals) to show how harmony provides the emotional 'color' that makes the melody meaningful.

Active Learning Ideas

Inquiry Circle: Melodic Mapping

While listening to a piece of music, students draw a continuous line on paper that follows the 'height' of the melody. They then compare maps in groups to see if they identified the same peaks and valleys.

20 min·Small Groups

Simulation Game: The Harmony Builder

Using boomwhackers or keyboards, students are assigned specific notes of a chord. They must 'play' their note on cue to create a major chord, then shift one note to create a minor chord, discussing the change in 'mood.'

30 min·Small Groups

Think-Pair-Share: Dissonance in Film

Watch a short film clip with the sound off, then with two different soundtracks (one harmonious, one dissonant). Students discuss with a partner how the different harmonies changed their perception of the 'danger' in the scene.

25 min·Pairs

Real-World Connections

• Film composers carefully craft melodic contours and phrasing to underscore the emotional journey of characters, guiding audience feelings during pivotal scenes in movies like 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'.
• Singers in popular music, such as Adele, often use melodic shape and rhythmic variations inspired by speech to make their lyrics relatable and emotionally impactful.
• Video game sound designers create adaptive soundtracks where melodies change contour and rhythm based on player actions, enhancing immersion in games like 'The Legend of Zelda' series.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Present students with a short, notated melody. Ask them to draw a line above it representing its contour and to identify one section that creates tension and one that provides resolution, explaining their choices.

Exit Ticket

On an index card, have students write one sentence comparing how a lullaby's melody might differ in contour and phrasing from a fanfare. They should also name one instrument or voice type well-suited to each.

Peer Assessment

Students compose a 4-bar melody to express a given mood (e.g., excitement). They then exchange their compositions and provide written feedback on whether the contour and rhythm effectively convey the intended mood, suggesting one specific change.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I teach students to hear intervals?

Use 'reference songs' that students already know. For example, the first two notes of 'Star Wars' is a Perfect 5th. Connecting abstract intervals to familiar melodies helps Grade 9s build an internal 'audio library' for ear training.

What is the best way to introduce basic composition?

Start with 'constrained' composition. Give students a limited scale (like a pentatonic scale) and a simple rhythmic grid. This removes the 'fear of the blank page' and allows them to focus on creating a pleasing melodic contour.

How can active learning help students understand harmony?

Harmony is best understood through 'doing.' Active learning strategies like 'vocal drones' or 'group chord building' allow students to feel the physical vibration of notes locking together. When they are part of the harmony, they understand its structure from the inside out.

Does harmony exist in all musical cultures?

Not in the Western sense. Many cultures, such as some traditional Arabic or Indigenous styles, focus on 'monophony' (a single melody) or 'heterophony' (variations of the same melody). Discussing this helps students avoid the bias that Western harmony is 'more advanced.'