Contour can be described by which criterion?

Contour can be described by which criterion?

• A. Rhythm
• B. Whether the melody ascends, descends, or moves in a wave-like manner
• C. Dynamics
• D. Harmonic progression

Answer: (B)

Contour is about the shape of a melody—the way its pitches move over time. It describes the direction of the melodic line: it can rise (ascending), fall (descending), or move with a more wave-like pattern that goes up and down. This focus on pitch movement is exactly what contour measures. Rhythm deals with timing and note lengths, not pitch direction. Dynamics concerns loudness levels, not the melody’s shape. Harmonic progression looks at the chords underneath the melody, not the tune’s own contour. So describing the melody’s upward, downward, or wave-like movement best captures contour.

Contour is about the shape of a melody—the way its pitches move over time. It describes the direction of the melodic line: it can rise (ascending), fall (descending), or move with a more wave-like pattern that goes up and down. This focus on pitch movement is exactly what contour measures. Rhythm deals with timing and note lengths, not pitch direction. Dynamics concerns loudness levels, not the melody’s shape. Harmonic progression looks at the chords underneath the melody, not the tune’s own contour. So describing the melody’s upward, downward, or wave-like movement best captures contour.