Working With Melodies

The melody option works in a different manner to the options that we have looked at so far.

Tonic Note

Determines the tonic or keynote.

Scale Type

Determines which notes PET is allowed to choose from in order to make a melody. This option works in conjunction with the tonic note option. In the above diagram, PET would choose from the notes in an Eb major scale only ie. Eb F G Ab Bb C D.

Examples

The Scale Type also determines whether PET displays a key signature. The following scales use key signatures:

• Major
• Natural Minor
• Harmonic Minor
• Jazz Melodic Minor
• Major Pentatonic
• Minor Pentatonic
• Blues Scale

All other scales are represented modally ie. they are written without a key signature using accidentals.

Upper and Lower Ranges

PET can produce melodies in a range up to one octave above and one below the tonic note displayed.

The amount of scale degrees available in the upper and lower range boxes varies dependent on the amount of notes in the scale type currently selected. For a standard scale such as a major scale the maximum amount of scale degrees available is eight which represents an octave. A range of one scale degree always represents a unison.

Example:

Tonic Note = F

Scale Type = Major

Upper Range = 5 Scale Degrees

Lower Range = 2 Scale Degrees

PET will produce melodies in the range: D (a major second above middle C) to C (one octave above middle C)

Number of Notes

Determines the number of notes PET will play. (Excluding the Tonic Chord and Tonic Note if selected.)

Stepwise Percentage

Movement by step means that a melody will move from one note to either a higher or lower adjacent scale note or will remain on the same note. Melodies that move by step are generally easier to identify than those that do not.

The default stepwise percentage of 60% means that overall, six out of every ten notes will move either by step or remain on the same note. The remaining four will not. However, this does not mean that if you have a melody ten notes long that you are guaranteed to get six notes moving by step and four not! This is because PET chooses its notes to a certain extent at random with a probability, in this case, of 60% that any two adjacent notes will move by step.

Probabilities often only work out after a large number of tries. Try tossing a coin four times. As there is a 50% chance of getting a head and a 50% chance of getting a tail you should have got 2 heads and 2 tails, did this happen? Try it a few times – how many times did it work out?

Play Tonic Chord

Determines whether a tonic chord is sounded before the melody is played. The type or quality of chord depends on, and is appropriate to, the current scale type.

Play Tonic Note

Determines whether a tonic note is sounded before the melody is played.

Show First Note

Determines whether the first note is shown as it is sounded. In test mode this note is not counted as part of the test.

Test Mode

In test mode, after a melody has been played, you must play the melody back to PET. You can do this using either the on-screen keyboard which is played by pointing the mouse at a key and then clicking the left button or by using a MIDI keyboard. As each note is played it is displayed on screen.

• If you make a mistake the last note played can be erased by selecting the erase button.

• The mute button is used to turn the keyboard’s audible output on or off.

• If you play more notes than were in the test they will not be displayed on screen. However if the mute button is turned on you will be able to hear them.

If the show first note option was selected this note does not form part of the test and so it should not be played as part of the answer.

When you have finished entering your melody select the submit button to have your melody marked.