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contour

The overall shape of a melody: where it rises, peaks, and falls.

The overall shape of a melody: where it climbs, where it peaks, where it falls. Contour is often more memorable than the exact notes, which is why a melody survives being hummed slightly wrong: the shape carries it. Steps and leaps draw the line.

Learn it: Melody

The one-sentence definition at the top is the same one the Theory Aide extension shows as a tooltip inside Ableton Live. Hover any dotted term for its own.