Editing Melodic motion (section)

== In traditional culture music ==
Ethnomusicologist [[Bruno Nettl]] describes various types of '''melodic movement''' or '''contour''' to categorise a song's melody.

There are three general categories, ''ascending'', ''descending'', and ''undulating'':{{sfn|Nettl|1956|p=51–52}}
*''Ascending'': Upwards melodic movement (only found in remote regions).
*''Descending'': Downwards melodic movement (prevalent in the New World and [[Indigenous music of Australia|Australian music]]).
*''Undulating'': Equal movement in both directions, using approximately the same intervals for ascent and descent (prevalent in Old World culture music). Usually concludes with a descending progression.
**''Pendulum'': Extreme form of undulating movement that covers a large range and uses large intervals is called pendulum-type melodic movement. Like undulating melodies, usually concludes with a descending progression.
According to Nettl, undulating and descending melodies are far more common than ascending ones.{{sfn|Nettl|1956|p=52}}

He also identifies additional specialized types which characterise musical styles with exceptionally homogenous contours, named after the melody contour's trace.{{sfn|Nettl|1956|p=52–53}}
*''Tile'', ''terrace'', or ''cascading'': a number of descending [[phrase (music)|phrases]] in which each phrase begins on a higher pitch than the last ended (prevalent in the [[Indigenous music of North America#Plains|North American Plain Indians music]]).
*''Arc'': The melody rises and falls in roughly equal amounts, the curve ascending gradually to a climax and then dropping off (prevalent among [[Navajo music|Navajo]] and [[North American Indian music]])

In addition to this, ''rise'', which may be considered a [[musical form]], is a contrasting section of higher pitch, a "musical plateau".{{sfn|Nettl|1956|p=73}}

Other examples include:
*[[Double tonic]]: smaller pendular motion in one direction

These all may be [[modal frame]]s or parts of modal frames.