Going up and coming down

1Ascending and descending

When notes go up in pitch, the melody is ascending. When notes go down, it is descending. Here is the C scale going up (blue) and then coming back down (orange):

Sing it with sol-fa: d r m f s l t d', then d' t l s f m r d. Keep each note the same length, like steady footsteps.

2Steps and skips

A melody can move in two ways:

• A step moves to the very next note, like do → re → mi. On the staff, a step goes from a line to the next space, or from a space to the next line.
• A skip jumps over one or more notes, like do → mi → so. On the staff, a skip goes from a line to the next line, or from a space to the next space.

The purple notes d m s d' skip. That jumping tune is a favourite in choir warm-ups.

3Singing well going up and down

• Going up, do not shout. Keep your voice light, as if the high notes float.
• Going down, keep each note clear to the very bottom. Do not let your voice fade away.
• Breathe before you start, not in the middle of the scale.

Try it yourself

Try each one first, then tap Show answer to check.