Question

In essay form, differentiate between the following two sets of terms: i. melody and harmony ii. rhythm and meter

Answer 1

When we study music in a technical and academic way, we are introduced to some terms that may seem to have the same meanings, but have a totally different application from each other. However, it is important that every music student knows how to differentiate them.

An example of this can be seen between the words "melody" and "harmony. Although many people believe that these words have the same meaning, it is important to note that harmony refers to the overlapping of notes during musical composition and that it is the basis for the construction of the melody, which in turn refers to the sequence of notes emitted one after the other in the same tone and on the same scale

Another example is the words "rhythm" and "meter". The rhythm is the term that refers to the patterns of duration of melodies, while "meter" has a more complex concept and is related to the subsequent beats that are identified within the rhythm as it extends through the duration from music.