A melody type is a term used by musicologists and ethnomusicologists to represent a set of melodic formulas, figures, and patterns which are used in the composition of an enormous variety of music, especially non-Western and early Western music. Such music is generally composed by a process of centonization, either freely (i.e. improvised) or in a fixed pattern. A musicologist is someone who studies musicology. ... A musicologist is someone who studies musicology. ...

Most cultures which compose music in this way organize the patterns into distinct melody types. These are often compared to modern Western scales, but they in fact represent much more information than a sequence of permissable pitches, since they include how those pitches should function in the music, and indicate basic formulas which serve as a basis for improvisation. In non-improvised music, such as codified liturgical music, it is still usually clear how the developed from set patterns. In music, a scale is a set of musical notes that provides material for part or all of a musical work. ... Improvisation is the act of making something up as it is performed. ...

Melody types are considered the precursors to modes and, later, scales. These later developments place less emphasis on the stock of melodic figures, and allow more free composition. In music, a mode is an ordered series of musical intervals, which, along with the key or tonic, define the pitches. ... In music, a scale is a set of musical notes that provides material for part or all of a musical work. ...

Melody types around the world

• Modes in Gregorian chant as used in certain genres such as the Tract
• Weisen (or Töne) in the music of the Meistersingers
• Echos in Byzantine, Armenian, and Russian chant
• Nomos in Ancient Greek music
• the system of Jewish cantillation
• Maqam in Arabian music
• Makam in Turkish music
• Risqolo in Syrian music
• Meqam in Kurdish music
• Muqam in Uyghur music
• Mugam in Azeri music
• Shashmakom in Uzbek music
• Dastgah in Persian music
• Raga in Indian music
• Pathet in Indonesian music

In music, a mode is an ordered series of musical intervals, which, along with the key or tonic define the pitches. ... Gregorian chant is also known as plainchant or plainsong and is a form of monophonic, unaccompanied singing, which was developed in the Catholic church, mainly during the period 800-1000. ... The tract (Latin: tractus) is part of the proper of the Roman Mass, which is used instead of the Alleluia during Lenten or pre-Lenten seasons, and a few other penitential occasions, when the joyousness of an Alleluia is deemed inappropriate. ... A Meistersinger (German for master-singer) was a German lyric poet of the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, who carried on and developed the traditions of the medieval Minnesingers. ... In the theory of byzantine music echos is the concept most akin to that of mode or maqam. ... Byzantine music is the music of the Byzantine Empire and by extension the music of its culture(s) as they continued in the Orthodox Christian parts of the population after the fall of the empire to the rule of the Ottoman Empire. ... An example of hook and banner notation used by Okruzhniki Old Believers in 1884. ... Detail from Piero di Cosimos version of Perseus rescuing Andromeda. ... Gen. ... In Arab music a maqam [sic] (plural maqamat) is, a technique of improvisation that defines the pitches, patterns, and development of a piece of music and which is unique to Arabian art music. ... In Turkish music, a makam (pl. ... Turkish music includes the music of modern Turkey, together with related musics in neighbouring regions that once lay within the former Ottoman Empire, and closely related ethnic variants in Central Asia stretching as far as the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. ... Syrias capital and largest city, Damascus, has long been one of the Arab worlds centers for cultural and artistic innovation, especially in the field of classical Arab music. ... Traditionally, there are three types of Kurdish Classical performers - storytellers (çîrokbêj), minstrels (stranbêj) and bards (dengbêj). ... A muqam is a musical mode or scale, an ordering of pitches or notes used to guide improvisation and composition. ... Mukamlar, plural mukam is a term for bodies of musical repertoire for the Turkmen dutar, two-stringed lute or tüÿdük, an end-blown flute. ... Azerbaijan is in Caucasus but, musically, it is more closely linked to Persian culture. ... Uzbekistan is a Central Asian country inhabited primarily by Turkic Uzbeks. ... The tradition of Persian art music embodies twelve modal systems, known as dastgahs. ... Moosiqi Asil or Persian music is the traditional and indigenous music of Persia and Persian-speaking countries: musiqi, the science and art of music, and moosiqi, the sound and performance of music (Sakata 1983). ... Raga (rāg /राग (Hindi), raga (Anglicised from rāgaḥ/रागः (Sanskrit)) or rāgam /ராகம் (Tamil)) are the melodic modes used in Indian classical music. ... Indian music is: The music of India or Native American music This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Indonesia is culturally diverse and is home to hundreds of forms of music, with those from the islands of Java, Sumatra and Bali being the most frequently recorded. ...

Extra-melodic implications

In most cases, these melody types are associated with extra-musical implications, particularly emotions (see Indian rasa, for instance). They are also often associated with certain times. For example, most ragas are associated with a certain time of day, or a wayang performance in Java implies a certain succession of pathets. It has been suggested that Feeling be merged into this article or section. ... Senses delight all and have delighted always, but Indian theorists were perhaps the earliest to perceive the delight of senses as the essence of being - a phenomenon of mind sublimating spiritually. ... Raga (rāg /राग (Hindi), raga (Anglicised from rāgaḥ/रागः (Sanskrit)) or rāgam /ராகம் (Tamil)) are the melodic modes used in Indian classical music. ... Wayang is an Indonesian word for theater. ...

Many of these traditions have a corresponding rhythmic framework. These include:

• Usul in Arabian and Turkish music
• Tala in Indian music
• Bentuk in Javanese music

In Ottoman / Turkish music theory, the term usul denotes a rhythmic pattern that forms the framework of a composition. ... The term Tala can refer to: A rhythmic pattern in Carnatic or Hindustani (where it is also spelled taal or tal) music. ...

See also

• Modal frame
• Matrix