In melodic direction, what does descending mean?

In melodic direction, what does descending mean?

• A. The higher pitch occurs first
• B. The lower pitch occurs first
• C. It indicates a scale with all half steps
• D. It ends on the subdominant

Answer: (A)

Melodic direction is about how the notes move in pitch. Descending means the melody moves downward, starting on a higher pitch and then going to lower pitches. So the key idea is that the first note is higher, and the line steps down from there. For example, a phrase that goes from G above middle C down to E and D is descending. This is different from ascending, where the notes rise from lower to higher. The other statements describe things not about motion direction—one refers to a chromatic scale (all half steps) and another to where the melody ends—so they don’t define descending.

Melodic direction is about how the notes move in pitch. Descending means the melody moves downward, starting on a higher pitch and then going to lower pitches. So the key idea is that the first note is higher, and the line steps down from there. For example, a phrase that goes from G above middle C down to E and D is descending. This is different from ascending, where the notes rise from lower to higher. The other statements describe things not about motion direction—one refers to a chromatic scale (all half steps) and another to where the melody ends—so they don’t define descending.