36 Ear Training – Melodic Dictation Review

Characteristics of Melodic Structures

• You can expect melodic dictations to contain repeating material.

• Melodic dictations will establish the tonic key by including tones from the tonic triad at the beginning and end of the phrase.

• Melodic dictations are also likely to contain tones from the dominant triad.

Getting Started

• Take note of the clef!

• What is the time signature? How many beats are in the measure? What is the beat note?

• What is the key signature? Ascertain on hearing the tonic triad whether it’s major or minor?

The First Hearing

• Where is the repetitive melodic material?
  • i.e. is there a musical “idea” that repeats, exactly or inexactly, then a continuing of that idea (or fragments from it) followed by a cadence?
  • Or does the phrase contain an antecedent and consequent, each with their own “first” idea and “second idea”? Noticing repetition of material will prevent you from having to write certain concepts from scratch on every hearing.

Implied Harmony

• Notice where tones from the tonic and dominant triads occur (and pre-dominants, and seventh chords). What solfege degree does the excerpt start and end on?