BookatlasPiano Rabbit Hole: Improvisation Theory & Practice
3889 / 18210 · Workshop 21 — “Stella by Starlight”: Ambiguous Tonal Center, Non-Diatonic Harmony, and Hearing Function Without a Comfortable Home Key← prev⊞ allnext →

21.7Level 1 — melody only

Play the melody without chords.

Mark:

  • phrase peaks
  • long notes
  • semitone movements
  • notes that sound stable
  • notes that sound suspended or questioning

In a harmonically ambiguous tune, the melody becomes an especially important anchor.