The_Complete_Idiot%27s_Guide_To_Music_Theory

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Part 3: Tunes
You can achieve this symmetry by mirroring rhythms, or by mirroring tones.
Take Dvorˇák’s New World Symphony, for example. Measure 3 is identical to
measure 1, thus setting up the symmetry between the two parts of the tune.
“Michael, Row the Boat Ashore” has a rhythmic symmetry between the two
parts, even though the tones used change a bit. (Sometimes the tones have to
change, to relieve the harmonic tension or answer a melodic call.)
In any case, when you make the second part of your melody resemble the first
part, you establish a familiarity in the mind and ear of the listener, so they know
(pretty much) what to expect and feel comfortable when you deliver it to them.
The last two bars are a near-mirror image of the first two measures.
Balance Repetition and Variety
Repetition is part and parcel of symmetry—and of establishing motifs and hooks.
You find a melodic or rhythmic figure that you like, and you repeat it throughout
the course of the melody or song. This sort of repetition, such as that
shown in the following example, helps to unify your melody; it’s the melodic
equivalent of a steady drumbeat, and serves as an identifying factor for listeners.
However, too much of a good thing can get annoying. If you repeat your figure
too often, it will start to bore the listener. It’s hard to say how much repetition
is too much repetition, but chances are you’ll be able to tell—or your listeners
will tell you.
Note
Songwriter Jimmy Webb, in his book Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting
(Hyperion, 1998), says that the key to writing interesting melody is “to lead the
ear on a path which is both pleasant and to some degree unexpected.” (Emphasis
his.) I agree wholeheartedly. The best melodies sound familiar yet still manage
to surprise us somewhere along the line; they do a good job balancing repetition
and variety.
When you find yourself using too much repetition, it’s time to trot out the
variations—or to add completely new melodic or rhythmic figures. Balancing
repetition and variety is an essential skill to learn, and marks a key difference
between a novice and an experienced composer.
Follow the Chord Progressions
I’ve mentioned chords and chord progressions a few times in this chapter,
because chords and progressions contribute significantly to the melodies you
compose. However, I haven’t presented chords yet, because I feel it’s important