Melody
A sequence of single pitches perceived as a coherent musical line.
Category
fundamental
Pronunciation
MEL-uh-dee
Origin
Greek (melodia)
Length
133 words · 1 min read
About Melody
Melody is the horizontal dimension of music — a succession of pitches organised in time that the listener perceives as a unified idea. Melodies have contour (the shape of rising and falling pitches), range, intervals, and rhythm.
More fundamental terms
Sight-Reading
View all fundamentalterms →The ability to perform a piece of music at first sight without prior practice or rehearsal
DynamicsThe variation in loudness between notes or phrases in a performance.
TimbreThe characteristic quality of a sound that distinguishes one instrument or voice from another.
DroneA sustained or continuously repeated note or chord that sounds throughout a passage or entire piece
BaroqueThe period of Western art music spanning roughly 1600 to 1750, characterised by ornate expression, basso continuo, and the development of tonal harmony.
Compare with similar terms
v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →