tune family

tune family, in music, group of melodies interrelated by melodic correspondence, particularly in general melodic contour, important intervals, and prominent accented tones. There may be differences of rhythmic pattern, mode, and text among melodies within a group. Such groups of related melodies may have evolved from a single melody that was changed by variation and imitation as it was diffused by oral tradition.

A closely related concept, particularly applied to European folk music, is that of “wandering melodies”—that is, similar tunes found in geographically distant areas. In general, it is difficult to trace members of tune families to their source, and in some cases it is likely that similar melodies developed independently within cultures having similar musical systems. Musical examples of tune families may be found in Bertrand Bronson, The Ballad As Song (1969).