Composing issues within a Major Key

i would like to share a couple of thought about the subject; for instance, i would ask:



1-Is it natural to state that composing some piece within a major Key would imply (at least at first insight, or at a rather elementary technique stance, etc, so to speak) a melody with starting note as either one of the major triad notes (that is, Tonic,Major 3rd, 5th)?


2-what are the initial harmonization (or chord-disposition) differences among each one of the former melodic approaches; i mean, what is the difference between approaching a Major Key piece composition driven by a melody starting in Tonic vs one driven by a melody starting in Major 3rd vs one driven by a melody starting in 5th?

I.e: is the use of some extension note/non chord-tone required; is the use of an inversion of the chord required, etc ?


3-Once the former has been set: how could the harmonic development of the piece be tackled?

(i guess one general answer would be "go and study music sheets by the great composers..." and the like ;-) ).


greetings



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/10/2017 12:59AM by Athair. (view changes)

"Being a key" is more about phrase cadences and ending cadences than about which note starts a melody. A piece in a major key can start on any note including chromatic notes. There is a general tendency to start melodies on the notes of the tonic chord but this isn't necessary. You idea of checking lots of examples is good. There's a good (if rather old) free book on melodic writing.

Percy Goetschius: Exercises in Melodic Writing (Available in pdf)

Your point.about.starting on any note is a good.one! The issue would be then (also) about the different schemes between.chord tone melody starting pieces within a key vs non-chord tone ones, i guess...anyway, thanks a lot!! Greetings



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/10/2017 07:52AM by Athair. (view changes)