6.22 Recognizing melody

The exercise Recognizing melody is a preparatory exercise for Chapter 6.23 Melodic deviation.

The purpose of this exercise is to learn to hear the difference between two differently notated melodies. The difference between these two melodies concerns only one note.

Exercise recognizing melody

Ear Training exercise 6a: recognizing melody. The played melody is notated twice. Choose the right melody.

Example question

The next melody is being played:

Which melody do you hear?

Choise 1:

Choise 2:

Practical steps

The melody is being played in the E major scale. The difference between the first and second melody is the first beat in the second bar:

1. In the first melody, a F# is being played, the second tone of the scale. The preceding note B is the dominant. The F# is also being played in the third bar.
2. In the second melody, an E is being played, the tonic. The tonic is also being played in the first and last bar (remember). Together with the previous note B we hear dominant - tonic.

Sing the two notated melodies to train your inner hearing abilties. Then play the melody and pay particular attention to the tonic in the last measure (try to remember how this note sounds). Try to hear if the note on the first eighth of the second beat in the second bar

1. is F# (choise 1) or
2. is the same as the tonic E in the last bar, and do you hear the dominant tonic skip (choise 2).

Answer: choice 1.