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.

Outlines

00:00

🎶 The Diminishing Role of Melody in Modern Music

The speaker begins by acknowledging the channel's focus on film, music, and classical music, and then transitions into a discussion about the perceived decline of melody in Western music. They introduce the concept of melody as a fundamental component of music, quoting Aaron Copland's definition of music's four central components: melody, harmony, rhythm, and tone color. The speaker argues that melody inherently encompasses the other three elements, providing examples from a Christmas hymn to illustrate how melody suggests harmony and tone color. They also discuss the rhythmic characteristics of melody. The paragraph concludes with the speaker expressing concern over the trend of melody's absence in contemporary pop, film, and classical music, suggesting that this is a significant and sad development in the music industry.

05:01

🎵 The Evolution and Loss of Melody in Various Music Genres

The second paragraph delves into the trend of diminished melody in different genres of music. The speaker points out that while melody was once a central feature, it has been replaced by catchy hooks and repetitive patterns, especially in pop music. They provide examples from various songs, including a One Direction song and a Taylor Swift track, to demonstrate how limited melodic ranges are becoming more common. The speaker also touches on the influence of electronic dance music and hip hop, where sound design and rhythm often take precedence over melody. The paragraph further discusses how film composers like Hans Zimmer have moved away from traditional melodies in their recent works, reflecting a broader shift in the music industry. The speaker contrasts this with the melodic richness of earlier film scores by composers like John Williams.

10:04

📉 The Decline of Melody and Its Impact on Music Expression

In the final paragraph, the speaker contemplates the reasons behind the decline of melody as an expressive tool in music. They suggest that the trend may be linked to the rise of digital communication and the preference for bite-sized, easily digestible content. The speaker also considers the historical cycles of music evolution, where melody has been declared 'dead' in various periods, but argues that the current age marks a distinct departure from using melody for expressive purposes. They hint at the possibility of exploring what constitutes a good melody and how it might be preserved or revitalized in future videos. The speaker concludes by inviting viewers to support the channel for more in-depth discussions on music and encourages them to subscribe and share the video.

Keywords

💡Melody

Melody refers to a sequence of single notes that are musically satisfying when played in succession. It is one of the most recognizable aspects of music and is often what listeners remember most from a piece. In the video, the speaker laments the perceived decline of melody in modern music, suggesting that it has become less central to compositions across various genres. Examples given include the limited melodic range in popular songs like those by One Direction and Taylor Swift.

💡Harmony

Harmony in music is the combination of simultaneous notes that create a pleasing sound when played together. It is one of the four central components of music, as mentioned by Aaron Copland. The video discusses how a strong melody can suggest harmony, even when played alone, as seen in the example of a Christmas hymn where the melody implies an E minor chord.

💡Rhythm

Rhythm is the pattern of long and short durations created by the arrangement of sounds and silences in music. It is intrinsic to melodies, which often have a natural rhythmic character. The script points out that even if a melody is free-flowing, it still possesses rhythm, making it a fundamental aspect of music composition.

💡Tone Color

Tone color, also known as timbre, is the quality of a musical note or sound that distinguishes different types of sound production, such as voices or musical instruments. The video explains that the instrument or voice used to play a melody imparts its unique tone color to the melody, contributing to the overall sound and emotional impact of the music.

💡Death of Melody

The 'death of melody' is a concept introduced in the video to describe the trend of melodies becoming less prominent or complex in contemporary music. The speaker argues that this is evident in various genres, including pop, film scores, and even modern classical music, where melodies are often replaced by simpler hooks or repetitive patterns.

💡Hook

A hook in music is a catchy musical phrase, riff, or melody that serves as an earworm and is intended to be memorable and easily recognizable. The video suggests that the rise of the hook has overshadowed the development of full melodies, as songs have become more focused on short, catchy segments rather than extended melodic lines.

💡Electronic Dance Music (EDM)

EDM is a genre characterized by the use of electronic instruments and music technology. The video notes that EDM has explored sound design and rhythm more than melody, often featuring repetitive beats and hooks with minimal melodic content, reflecting a broader trend away from complex melodies in popular music.

💡Remix

A remix is a new version of a song that is adapted or altered from its original form, often for a specific purpose such as dance clubs or radio play. The video discusses how remixes can strip away melodic elements, focusing instead on short, catchy hooks, contributing to the decline of melody in modern music.

💡Expressive Tool

In the context of the video, an expressive tool refers to a musical element that conveys emotion or tells a story. The speaker argues that melody, traditionally an expressive tool, is no longer being used to its full expressive potential in modern music, where it has become more of a background element rather than a central feature.

💡Trend

A trend in the video refers to a popular or widespread pattern in music composition and production. The speaker identifies several trends that have contributed to the decline of melody, such as the focus on hooks over full melodies, the rise of EDM, and the simplification of melodies for ease of memorization and sing-along.

Highlights

Aaron Copland's definition of music's four central components: melody, harmony, rhythm, and tone color.

Melody can suggest harmony, rhythm, and tone color, making it a powerful standalone element of music.

Many modern pop songs, such as those by One Direction, Taylor Swift, and Billie Eilish, feature limited melodic range, often spanning only a few notes.

The simplicity of modern pop melodies may contribute to their catchiness but reduces their expressiveness.

In recent film music, composers like Hans Zimmer have shifted away from melody towards tone colors, rhythm, and harmony, particularly in films like 'Dunkirk' and 'Interstellar.'

Melodic elements are still present in certain genres like children's films and mythic epics, but they are less prevalent in modern music.

The trend of minimizing melody has spread to modern classical music, as seen in James McMillan's 'The Seven Last Words from the Cross.'

The rise of electronic music and EDM further contributed to the decline of melody, emphasizing sound design and rhythmic hooks instead.

Rap and hip-hop often forgo melody entirely in favor of beats and repetitive hooks, changing the landscape of mainstream music.

Remixes have become a trend, often reducing original melodic content to a few seconds of catchy hooks.

The digital age, with its emphasis on bite-sized content, may have influenced the decline of complex melodic lines in favor of immediately digestible music.

Melody has been called into question before, such as during the atonal movement in the 20th century, but today’s trend is different in that melody is still present but used less expressively.

Historically, melody has been a crucial tool for emotional expression in music, and its decline marks a shift in how music engages listeners.

The speaker plans to explore what makes a good melody and how it might be 'saved' in a future video.

Melody's shift from an expressive tool to a secondary element may impact the future of both pop and classical music.

Transcripts

this channel has always focused on film

music and classical music that's always

been my goal but today I want to expand

a little and talk about a problem which

seems to have infected all of western

music I call it the death of melody bit

dramatic I know but wait and see Aaron

Copland the famous American composer

once said that music was made up of four

central components melody

harmony

rhythm

and tone color but the truth is melody

on its own encompasses all the other

three things on this list melody on its

own can and does suggest harmony take

these first notes of this famous

Christmas hymn even when it's just

melody on its own the melody is clearly

suggesting a harmony you can see how the

melody dances around an E minor chord

and so we might even hear a minor in our

head and what about tone color well in

order to sing or play any melody we need

an instrument to play it or a voice to

sing it and of course that instrument or

voice will come with its own tone color

and lend that color to the melody

[Music]

and rhythm

well melodies certainly have rhythmic

characteristics but really any melody

intrinsically has a rhythmic character

even if that rhythmic character is

simply free-flowing so melody is such a

wonderful and characteristic part of

music which can even on its own

encompass all the other building blocks

that Copeland says are central to music

so why then is melody dying I used to

hear so many people say this and I

wanted it not to be true but if you look

closer whether at pop film music or

classical music the absence of melody is

a huge trend take pop for example I

remember clubbing to this song as a

teenager what about the whole chorus of

that One Direction song that put them on

the map it has a range spanning three

notes

[Music]

or what if we go a little more recent

how about Taylor Swift the verse has

three notes the lead up to the chorus

has two notes and the chorus itself uses

no notes even more recent I heard this

Billy Irish song on the radio the other

day bear in mind that all of these songs

have been massive number one hits in at

least one major country in the world at

all of them lack an interesting melody

now I'm in no way saying that these

songs are bad songs in fact this week

I've been finding the Ailish song

incredibly catchy perhaps because of its

hypnotic repetitious Ness these songs

may be good songs for other reasons but

you wouldn't describe any of them as

having a strong melody and if there is

melody there it's not used as an

expressive tool you might say but it's

not supposed to have melody that's part

of the style that's what gives it its

edge but that's exactly my point

melody has gone out of fashion it's not

cool to write a good melody anymore we

just want a cool beat with good tone

colors perhaps these songs are

successful because they have very little

melody and I think that's a point worth

thinking about and it's also very sad of

course having a melody which spans one

to three notes makes it extremely easy

to sing along with to this trend of no

melody has passed on to other areas of

Western music to take film music

superstar Hans Zimmer he's actually

extremely capable and extremely skilled

at writing a good melody when he needs

to take the drunken swagger of Jack

Sparrow's theme how well these notes

express the character

[Music]

but when you look at his more recent

smash hits say Dunkirk or interstellar

or inception you won't find a lot of

distinctive melody in the most popular

tracks of these films amazing tone

colors great rhythm moving harmonies but

very little melody and honestly you

could say that handsomer is right to do

this he is where he is because he's

constantly on top of trends and on top

of his business and having an overly

melodious score just wouldn't be right

for these films but then we should ask

ourselves why not when did melody go out

of fashion and why compare all this with

the melodies of John Williams who wrote

some of his best tunes in the 70s 80s

90s and naughties

or even earlier to the Golden Age of

cinema

we do still hear this kind of melody in

film music but it tends to be confined

to mythic epics or to children's movies

the trend has even spread to modern

classical music take a fantastic well

loved high-quality piece of modern

classical music the seven last words

from the cross by James McMillan

it has great harmony such as these bars

which set up the whole piece

great tone color such as this moment

when Christ hallucinates from

dehydration

[Music]

and then there's this tortured lashing

delirious rhythm of them hammering

excruciating nails into the cross if you

thought Billy Eilish was edgy maybe give

this piece a listen my point is this

work is amazing but you wouldn't

describe it as a melodious piece it has

melody often fragments of melody but by

classical standards it's not melodious

maybe that's unfair but I think that

melody is not one of the principal

qualities of this piece so what happened

to melody well it's very difficult to

say but I think this has been building

up for some time in the trends of pop

music and popular culture and then

perhaps from there it's fed through to

other kinds of music there's an article

in the keyboard magazine that has some

good thoughts on this pop music didn't

always lack melody

[Music]

at some point pop-music discovered the

power of a strong hook and how catchy a

repetitive hook could be take Led

Zeppelin's whole lotta love

[Music]

notice we call this a hook

rather than a full-blown melody it's a

set of notes or rhythms which a bit like

an advertising jingle is bite-sized and

easily memorable and I think that this

idea of a catchy hook took over at some

point until songs were more and more

just hook with not much house going on

with the rise of electronic music we

were given techno technology driven

music and while most of this music

wasn't necessarily mainstream it

reflects a real lack of melodious 'no

savor of other qualities

that's an excerpt from I wanna be a

hippie which reached number one in

several countries in Europe in the 90s

and this trend did eventually seep into

the mainstream to take the rise of EDM

electronic dance music this genre has

massively explored the possibilities of

sound design rather than melody in dance

music and it shows some of these tracks

are amazing feats of sound design and

catchy hooks with little or no melody at

all and then there's the domination of

rap or hip hop where of course the

performer doesn't so much sing as rap

and the accompanying music is often just

a beat with an endlessly repeated hook

[Music]

[Music]

then there's the rise of the remix to

where there take an old longer song and

remix it but more and more DJ's will

just surgically remove 10 second or even

five second snippets from a song and use

that to form their new catchy hook

transforming it from older more melodic

music to a catchy hook with very little

melody and in fairness that remix is

more tuneful and some or perhaps this

loss of melody even relates to the

digital age of texting tweeting the

bite-sized thought perhaps the public

doesn't want longer streams of thought

anymore they just want something

bite-sized immediately digestible which

can both satiate and numb them

immediately it's hard to say why

something would go out of fashion but I

do think that these trends and ideas in

recent music history might give us some

idea to why melody now seems to be one

of the least engaging elements in modern

music history has often cried the death

of melody with Beethoven with Marla and

with the twentieth-century atonal

movement where melody sometimes became

unfollow Abel but I think this age today

marks a point where melody really isn't

being used as an expressive tool anymore

it still exists as in there are still

notes that you can follow and sing along

with but it no longer has the expressive

quality of the melodies of the past and

I think this is going to be the topic of

my next video what makes good melody

what does it mean to have expressive

melody and how might we save melody I

don't know if these questions have an

answer but I think we have to look at

them if we want to have a better

understanding of the music of the past

the present and the future I hope you

enjoyed this video I plan to continue

making videos like this on music of all

kinds if

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