Which term is used for the sequence of pitches forming the tune of a composition?

Which term is used for the sequence of pitches forming the tune of a composition?

• A. Pitch/Frequency
• B. Lyrics
• C. Melody
• D. Tempo

Answer: (C)

The idea here is identifying what term describes the line of notes that makes up the tune you recognize in a piece. That line—the ordered sequence of pitches over time—is melody. It’s what you would hum or sing as the tune, and it often carries its own rhythm as part of the musical line. Lyrics are the words set to music, not the pitches themselves. Pitch or frequency refers to how high or low a single note is, not the overall sequence that forms the tune. Tempo is the speed at which the music moves, not the pitch content. So melody best fits the concept of the tune created by the sequence of pitches.

The idea here is identifying what term describes the line of notes that makes up the tune you recognize in a piece. That line—the ordered sequence of pitches over time—is melody. It’s what you would hum or sing as the tune, and it often carries its own rhythm as part of the musical line. Lyrics are the words set to music, not the pitches themselves. Pitch or frequency refers to how high or low a single note is, not the overall sequence that forms the tune. Tempo is the speed at which the music moves, not the pitch content. So melody best fits the concept of the tune created by the sequence of pitches.