AP Music Theory Flashcards: Melodic Features
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
Define melodic 'contour'.
Contour is the unique melodic shape created by the specific rise and fall of pitches within a melody.
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Define melodic 'contour'.
Contour is the unique melodic shape created by the specific rise and fall of pitches within a melody.
A melody characterized by many large intervals and skips between notes would be described as having what type of motion?
This melody would be described as having disjunct motion, as it primarily moves by melodic leaps.
What two fundamental musical elements combine to produce a melody?
Melody is produced by pitch and rhythm together, which combine to create a succession of pitches through time.
What is a melody?
A melody is a succession of pitches through time, produced by the combination of pitch and rhythm, that expresses a musical statement.
Differentiate between conjunct and disjunct melodic motion.
Conjunct motion refers to melodic movement by steps, while disjunct motion refers to melodic movement by leaps.
A composer repeatedly uses a short, memorable rhythmic and melodic pattern, altering it throughout a piece. What is this pattern called?
This recurring and developed small musical idea is known as a motive.
What is a 'motive' in music?
A motive is a small musical idea that recurs and is developed through the course of a musical composition or passage.
How does the succession of pitches in a melody relate to its contour?
The specific rise and fall of the pitch succession is what creates the melody's unique shape, which is defined as its contour.
If a melody moves primarily by scale degrees that are next to each other, how would its motion be described?
This type of melody would be described as having primarily conjunct motion because it moves by melodic steps.
In what two forms of music can melodic features be identified?
Features of a melody can be identified in both performed music (by listening) and in notated music (by reading the score).