Melodic motion

This may be described as conjunct or disjunct, stepwise, skipwise or no movement, respectively.

In a conjunct melodic motion, the melodic phrase moves in a stepwise fashion; that is the subsequent notes move up or down a semitone or tone, but no greater.

In popular Western music, a melodic leap of disjunct motion is often present in the chorus of a song, to distinguish it from the verses and captivate the audience.

Ethnomusicologist Bruno Nettl describes various types of melodic movement or contour to categorise a song's melody.

[2] He also identifies additional specialized types which characterise musical styles with exceptionally homogenous contours, named after the melody contour's trace.