Mélodiques

Mélodiques is the plural form of the French adjective mélodique, which means related to melody. In music theory, analysis and critique, mélodiques describes elements that pertain to the melodic line—what the ear perceives as the tune. The term is used for notes, contours, motifs or intervals that contribute to a melody, distinguishing them from rhythmic or harmonic aspects.

Common phrases in French include lignes mélodiques (melodic lines), motifs mélodiques (melodic motifs), and intervalles mélodiques (melodic intervals). Descriptions may address the direction of motion (stepwise, leaps), the overall contour, or the development of a melody across a passage. The term also appears in pedagogical and analytical writing when stressing the melodic character of a musical part.

Relation to other terms: mélodiques is primarily descriptive rather than a formal category. It contrasts with terms such as rythmiques (rhythmic), harmoniques (harmonic), and timbriques (timbre). While a composition can present both mélodiques and harmony, the classification helps speakers and writers articulate which aspects of a work are melodic. The expression is common across Western classical, jazz, and popular music literature in French.

Note that in English-language contexts, mélodique translates as melodic, while melodics as a distinct field exists in English pedagogy related to keyboard technique. The French plural mélodiques is therefore typically used within Francophone discussions of music to describe melodic characteristics rather than as a standalone technical field.