How do you properly compose with scales?

[tapper mike]

Learning songs by others is a great way to learn musical devices. Listening is also a useful tool.

Let's play a listening game. I'll ask that senior theorists not give the answers out so that some newer musical theorists have a chance to play.

All four of these examples have the same melodic device. It is an approach to writing melodies. Some of the examples share other devices.

Listen to each. Think about what you are listening to. Try to find commonalties in the melodies.

If you are partially correct I'll give you that. But I'm looking for the single unifying theme.

https://soundcloud.com/tappers-examples/deviceex1
https://soundcloud.com/tappers-examples/deviceex2
https://soundcloud.com/tappers-examples/deviceex3
https://soundcloud.com/tappers-examples/deviceex4