Categories: Melody
All theory articlesWhat Is Resolution in Music: How Tension Moves Toward Stability
What resolution means in melody and harmony, how it differs from stability and cadence, why stepwise motion is so common, and how to hear delayed, partial, and redirected resolution.
Reader level: ArrangerStable and Unstable Notes: How Scale Degrees Create Rest and Motion
Which scale degrees sound stable or unstable, where their tendencies lead, and how to use this hierarchy in melody, improvisation, and analysis.
Reader level: ArrangerWhat Is a Musical Phrase?
A simple explanation of musical phrases: how a phrase differs from a motif, how it works in melody, and how to practise phrasing.
Reader level: MusicianWhat Is a Musical Motif?
A simple explanation of a musical motif: how it differs from a phrase, how it works in melodies and riffs, how to develop a motif, and how to use it in a song.
Reader level: Musician