Key Features:

• Length – The duration of the phrase
• Direction – Does the phrase mostly rise, stay the same, or decend. Does the phrase combine or change directions?
• Rhythmic Stability – The level of syncopation being used
• Harmonic Stability – The level of consonance or dissonance being used; eg. chord tones to extensions to alterations
• Melodic Stability – The level of melodic or consonant intervals being used
• Ornamentation – Are there are lot of articulations; trills, slides, bends, legato, etc.
• Volume
• Timbre/Tone

Some of the above features can change within a single phrase too, they don’t have to be consistent. The next thing to think about is how varied these features are and the ranges being used. Some of the important ranges to think about are…

Key Ranges:

• Melodic Range – The distance from the lowest note of a phrase to the highest
• Rhythmic Range – The difference between the shortest used note value and the longest
• Intervallic Range – The diversity and difference between the range of intervals being used; conjunct or disconjunct
• Pitch Set Range – The number of different pitches being used
• Dynamic Range
• Timbral Range

Exercise 1: Using the above features, analyse a phrase from one of your favourite players or solos. Use that information to improvise and write new phrases.

Phrase Functions:

• Deliever a memorable melody/Hook/Theme
• Build Intensity
• Subvert or Appease the Listeners Expectations
• Connect/ Fill Space between two phrases or sections
• To Mark Out The Form