Music Composition DUMmIES

You don’t even need the melody for the rhythmic phrase in Figure 4-5 to be

immediately recognized. In fact, if you knock the first five notes out on your

desktop at school or work, someone is bound to finish it for you. The rhythm

suggests the melody, shown in Figure 4-6.

This is an important idea: A simple rhythmic phrase can suggest melodies. It

can also, therefore, render some melodies unsuitable.

Mixing It Up: Back Phrasing, Front Phrasing, and Syncopation ...............

There are a few ways to change up the rhythm of your composition.

Back phrasing .......................................................................................

Let’s have some fun by pushing the phrasing of “Shave and a Haircut” out by

one beat. Our result looks like Figure 4-7.

& 4

(^4) Œ œ
œ œ œb œ Œ œ œ
Figure 4-7:
“Shave
and a
Haircut” —
back
phrased.
& 4
(^4) œ
œ œ œb œ
Shave and a hair cut
Œ œ œ Œ
two bits
Figure 4-6:
Adding the
familiar
notes to the
familiar
rhythm.
Chapter 4: Rhythm and Mood 35