How can I tell whether a melody moves by step or by leap?

Compare consecutive notes—the current note and the very next note—not notes that happen to be near each other elsewhere in the tune. Then ask whether the melody moves to the next scale position or passes over one or more scale positions. An interval is the difference in pitch between two tones; adjacent scale degrees are steps. [S1]

For instance, assuming a C-major scale, its notes in order are C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. Moving from C to D is a step up. Moving from D to G crosses E and F, so it is a larger interval: for a simple worksheet, label it a skip or leap. Moving from G down to F is a step down. The direction does not change the rule.

Here is an original example, assuming every note belongs to C major:

C – D – G – G – F – E

Read it one pair at a time:

1. C to D: step up.
2. D to G: larger move up; E and F lie between them in the scale.
3. G to G: repeated pitch, so it does not move up or down.
4. G to F: step down.
5. F to E: step down.

You can write step up | leap up | repeat | step down | step down beneath the notes. This describes the sequence of rising, falling, and unchanged pitches without needing to name every interval precisely. The example is a practice sequence, not a claim about a particular song.

First identify the notes in the melody and compare neighboring notes. If you know the scale, check whether the notes occupy neighboring scale positions. If the scale is unclear, write down the pitches you can identify and mark uncertain notes with a question mark. You can describe an obvious rise or fall, but wait to call it a scale-step or a specific leap until you have enough context.

The source explains steps through adjacent scale degrees and gives the major-scale pattern, but it does not establish a comprehensive rule for exactly when every larger interval should be called a “skip” rather than a “leap.” [S1] For a beginner’s contour worksheet, choose one label for larger moves and use it consistently; your teacher or course may prefer a particular term.

Copy this for each short phrase. Fill in the pitches in order, then judge each neighboring pair. Keep uncertain information visible instead of forcing a label.

Melody contour worksheet

Phrase: [write or name the melody here] Scale, if known: [write it here / unsure] Notes in order: [note 1] – [note 2] – [note 3] – [note 4] – [note 5]

Compare each pair:

1. [note 1] to [note 2]: [step up / step down / larger move / repeat / unsure]
2. [note 2] to [note 3]: [step up / step down / larger move / repeat / unsure]
3. [note 3] to [note 4]: [step up / step down / larger move / repeat / unsure]
4. [note 4] to [note 5]: [step up / step down / larger move / repeat / unsure]

Summary: [mostly steps / includes larger moves / includes repeated notes / not enough information]

Check the scale assumption before deciding a move crosses scale positions. The worksheet describes note-to-note motion; by itself, it does not identify the song or explain why the composer chose that contour.