Melodic Fills

Short figures in the gaps join phrases instead of filling every hole.

Related

OrnamentsTheme and VariationsCounter-melodyRomantic

Whether to fill the gaps between phrases is where arranging is most often overdone. A fill should join two phrases or point attention to the next one, not prove how many notes the player knows.

The problem

Fill every gap and the theme stops breathing; the listener loses any reason to expect the next phrase. Decide whether the gap needs explaining first.

Texture or frequency band

Fills belong on long melody notes, rests and phrase endings, occupying the band the melody has vacated. They should be simpler than the theme. If the theme sits high, move the fill down to the middle to avoid two lines competing.

Approach and judgement

Mark the breathing point of each phrase and add only around it. Keep each fill to two beats and four notes. Do not use the same figure every time, change only the ending on the second pass and leave the third empty.

What to listen for

In a theme and variations, the first statement is usually plain and decoration arrives later. In folk or jazz standards, the short phrase at a cadence often repeats the previous rhythm rather than introducing new melody.

Common misunderstandings

More ornament does not mean more professionalism. A fill in every gap cancels the breath and cancels the theme with it.

Sources

• The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed., entry Ornamentation（Oxford University Press），用于核对装饰与加花的类型
• Robert Gauldin, Harmonic Practice in Tonal Music, 2nd ed.（W. W. Norton, 2004），用于核对旋律变奏与句法关系

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