Melody

In music, a melody is a sequence of notes, each heard separately.

The main theme is called the melody. It consists of one or more musical phrases[?], and is usually repeated throughout the song in various forms. Different musical styles use melody in different ways. For example:

• Rock music and other forms of popular music tend to pick one or two melodies and stick with them; most variety occurs in the lyrics.

• In western classical music, composers introduce an initial melody and then create variations. Classical music often has several melodic layers, such as those in a fugue. Richard Wagner popularized the concept of a leitmotif: a melody associated with a certain idea, person or place.

• Jazz musicians use the melody line as a starting point for improvisation.

• Indian classical music relies heavily on melody and rhythm, and not so much on harmony as the above forms.