The Death of Melody?

Summary

The video script addresses the perceived decline of melody in Western music genres, including pop, film scores, and modern classical music. It argues that melody, traditionally central to music, has been overshadowed by other elements like rhythm and tone color. The script points out examples from popular music where simple, repetitive hooks replace complex melodies, and contrasts this with the rich, expressive melodies of the past. It questions whether this shift is due to changing musical styles, technological influences, or societal preferences for bite-sized content, and suggests that this trend could be harming the expressive potential of music.

Takeaways

• 🎶 The video discusses a perceived decline in the importance of melody in Western music, across genres like pop, film scores, and classical music.
• 🎵 Melody is traditionally considered one of the four central components of music, along with harmony, rhythm, and tone color.
• 🔍 The script argues that melody can imply harmony, rhythm, and tone color, suggesting it is the most fundamental musical element.
• 📉 Examples are given of popular songs that have simple or non-existent melodies, indicating a trend towards less melodic music.
• 🎧 The video points out that modern music often prioritizes catchy hooks and beats over complex melodies.
• 🎬 In film music, composers like Hans Zimmer have moved away from distinctive melodies in favor of atmospheric sounds and rhythms.
• 👨‍🎨 The script suggests that the decline of melody might be linked to the rise of electronic music, rap, and the digital age's preference for bite-sized content.
• 📚 The video references an article in Keyboard Magazine that discusses the historical shift from melodic to hook-driven pop music.
• 🔑 The script proposes that the public's preference for easily digestible, repetitive content could be influencing the reduction of melody in music.
• 🤔 The video concludes by questioning whether the loss of melody is a permanent trend or something that can be revived, hinting at future exploration in upcoming videos.

Q & A

What are the four central components of music according to Aaron Copland?

Aaron Copland stated that music was made up of four central components: melody, harmony, rhythm, and tone color.

How does the melody of a piece of music suggest harmony?

Melody can suggest harmony by the way it moves around certain chords, as illustrated by the example of the famous Christmas hymn where the melody dances around an E minor chord.

What role does the instrument or voice play in the melody?

The instrument or voice used to play or sing a melody provides its own tone color, which in turn lends character to the melody.

Why is the trend of having a limited range of notes in songs considered a problem by the speaker?

The speaker considers it a problem because it indicates a decline in the use of melody as an expressive tool in modern music, which they believe is a significant and expressive part of music.

What examples does the speaker provide to illustrate the lack of melody in recent popular music?

The speaker cites examples such as a One Direction song, a Taylor Swift song, and a Billy Eilish song, noting the limited range of notes used in their choruses.

How does the speaker connect the trend of lacking melody to the broader trends in music and culture?

The speaker connects the trend to the rise of catchy hooks in pop music, the influence of electronic music, the dominance of rap and hip hop, and the digital age's preference for bite-sized content.

What is the speaker's opinion on the use of melody in modern film music by composers like Hans Zimmer?

The speaker notes that while Hans Zimmer is capable of writing good melodies, his recent work in films like Dunkirk and Interstellar lacks distinctive melody, reflecting a trend in modern film music.

Why does the speaker think melody might be going out of fashion in music?

The speaker suggests that melody might be going out of fashion due to the rise of catchy hooks, the influence of electronic music, the dominance of rap and hip hop, and the public's preference for bite-sized, immediately digestible content.

What historical examples does the speaker provide to show that melody has been considered 'dead' before?

The speaker references Beethoven, Mahler, and the twentieth-century atonal movement as historical examples where melody was thought to be dying or had become unfollowable.

What is the speaker's plan for their next video on the topic of melody?

The speaker plans to explore what makes a good melody, the meaning of expressive melody, and how we might save melody in their next video.