Melody and pitch — Music, 7–10 years
A melody is a line of notes that we can sing, remember and recognise. Pitch tells us whether a sound is higher or lower, not whether it is louder.
What is a melody?
A melody is a musical line: notes arrive one after another and make a shape we can follow. Some notes are higher, some lower, and some may last longer. If you can hum a tune after hearing it, you are remembering its melody.
Why do melodies matter?
Music needs more than a collection of sounds if people are to recognise and pass it on. A melody gives sounds a memorable path, so a song can be sung by someone else without the original instrument. This helped people share stories, dances and songs before recordings existed.
Follow three notes
Imagine three notes: C, D, E. C is lower than D, and D is lower than E, so the line rises. If you sing “do-re-mi”, you have made a rising melody. Change it to E, D, C and the same notes now make a falling melody.
High is not loud
People often confuse a high sound with a loud sound because a sharp, bright note can grab attention. But pitch means high or low, while volume means quiet or loud. A bird can sing high and softly; a drum can sound loud without having a clear high note.
Where does it appear?
Melody is the part you follow when you sing a school song, a lullaby or a tune from a film. It helps people recognise a song even when its instruments or speed change. In a phone ringtone, a short melody can identify the call.
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