▁linear ▁succession ▁of ▁musical ▁t ones ▁that ▁the ▁listener ▁perce ives ▁as ▁a ▁single ▁entity . ▁In ▁its ▁most ▁literal ▁sense , ▁a ▁mel ody ▁is ▁a ▁combination ▁of ▁pitch ▁and ▁rh ythm , ▁while ▁more ▁figur atively , ▁the ▁term ▁can ▁include ▁success ions ▁of ▁other ▁musical ▁elements ▁such ▁as ▁t onal ▁color . ▁It ▁may ▁be ▁considered ▁the ▁for eground ▁to ▁the ▁background ▁accompan iment . ▁A ▁line ▁or ▁part ▁need ▁not ▁be ▁a ▁for eground ▁mel ody . ▁ ▁Mel od ies ▁often ▁consist ▁of ▁one ▁or ▁more ▁musical ▁phr ases ▁or ▁mot ifs , ▁and ▁are ▁usually ▁repeated ▁throughout ▁a ▁composition ▁in ▁various ▁forms . ▁Mel od ies ▁may ▁also ▁be ▁described ▁by ▁their ▁mel od ic ▁motion ▁or ▁the ▁pitch es ▁or ▁the ▁intervals ▁between ▁pitch es ▁( pred omin antly ▁conj unct ▁or ▁dis j unct ▁or ▁with ▁further ▁restrictions ), ▁pitch ▁range , ▁t ension ▁and ▁release , ▁continu ity ▁and ▁coh er ence , ▁cad ence , ▁and ▁shape . ▁ ▁Element s ▁Given ▁the ▁many ▁and ▁varied ▁elements ▁and ▁styles ▁of ▁mel ody ▁" many ▁ext ant ▁explan ations ▁[ of ▁mel ody ] ▁conf ine ▁us ▁to ▁specific ▁sty list ic ▁models , ▁and ▁they ▁are ▁too ▁exclusive ." ▁Paul ▁Nar ves on ▁claimed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁that ▁more ▁than ▁three - quarters ▁of ▁mel od ic ▁topics ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁expl ored ▁thoroughly . ▁ ▁The ▁mel od ies ▁existing ▁in ▁most ▁European ▁music ▁written ▁before ▁the ▁ 2