Composition · Developing

Shape, vary, and interrupt a melody

Turn a small motif into an expressive, sometimes unfinished phrase.

• Use mostly steps for tenderness; reserve leaps for emphasis
• Descending lines and longer note endings can sound reflective
• A sequence repeats a motif at a different pitch level

Example: Motif: D–F–E–D. Variation: D–F–E–A. Interrupted form: D–F–E… followed by silence.