3.6 Check For Understanding

In the following melody, how many notes represent unstable scale degrees?

1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4

In the previous melody, how many notes are unstable and on strong beats?

1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4

In the following melody, which of the following statements is NOT true about scale degree 4 in the third measure?

1. It is a passing tone that connects scale degrees 5 and 3.
2. It is an unstable scale degree but doesn’t need to be resolved.
3. It occurs on a weak beat.
4. If it was changed to scale degree 6 it would make the melody harmonically incompatible with the harmony.

One important tool for songwriting is the ability to look at a melody and determine the chords with which it is compatible. Choosing which chord to use with a given melody is known as harmonizing the melody. Remember that it is common for a melody to contain unstable scale degrees that are not part of the underlying harmony as long as these notes are followed by a stable scale degree if they occur on a strong beat.

Which chords are compatible (as discussed in this chapter) with this melody? Hint: there are three

1. I
2. ii
3. iii
4. IV
5. V
6. vi

How could the previous melody be altered to make it compatible with a V chord while preserving rhythmic structure? Hint: two of the following choices are correct.

a.

b.

c.

d.

In the following video, we demonstrate how to construct a basic melody using the techniques from this chapter.

Identifying melodic techniques

Which melodic technique does Taylor Swift use in her song “You Belong With Me”?

1. Modified repetition
2. Sequence