diff --git a/src/pitch_generation/melodicGeneration.js b/src/pitch_generation/melodicGeneration.js
index 1005c26..e525e8e 100644
--- a/src/pitch_generation/melodicGeneration.js
+++ b/src/pitch_generation/melodicGeneration.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { getRandomPitches } from './getRandomPitches.js';
 import { extractPitchName } from '../data_conversions/extractPitchName.js';
 import { extractOctave } from '../data_conversions/extractOctave.js';
-import { musicalPitches } from '../harmonyUtil.js';
+import { musicalPitches, pitchsets } from '../harmonyUtil.js';
 
 // reads the pitch of the previous sonority and determines appropriate melodic movement for the soprano
 // returns a boolean which triggers a recursive call if the interval received is out of expected values
@@ -9,15 +9,18 @@ import { musicalPitches } from '../harmonyUtil.js';
 let callCount = 0;
 
 export const melodicGeneration = (prevPitches) => {
+    console.clear();
+
     callCount++;
 
     // direction: boolean; true refers to ascending motion; false refers to descending motion
     let direction;
-    
-    const preferredMotion = [0,1,2,3,4];
     let isMelodic = true;
+    const preferredMotion = [0,1,2,3,4,12];
+    const sopranoLength = pitchsets[3].length;
 
     let newPitches = getRandomPitches();
+
     let prevSoprano = prevPitches[3];
     let newSoprano = newPitches[3];
 
@@ -27,16 +30,44 @@ export const melodicGeneration = (prevPitches) => {
     let pitchNameOne = extractPitchName(prevSoprano);
     let pitchNameTwo = extractPitchName(newSoprano);
 
+    // 3 is added here to account for the octave wrap associated with octave wrap as the number in pitch
+    // notation shifts; i.e. B4 to C5 being only a semitone, despite the octave marker completely changing
     let pitchNumOne = musicalPitches.indexOf(pitchNameOne);
     let pitchNumTwo = musicalPitches.indexOf(pitchNameTwo);
 
-    console.log(prevSoprano, newSoprano);
-
-    let interval = pitchNumOne - pitchNumTwo;
+    let interval = pitchNumTwo - pitchNumOne;
     direction = interval > 0;
 
+    if (octaveOne === octaveTwo) console.log("OCTAVE: same");
+
+    if (octaveOne > octaveTwo) {
+        console.log('OCTAVE: first is higher');
+        if ((pitchNumTwo + 3) % 12 <= (pitchNumOne + 3) % 12) {
+            console.log('CAUGHT OCTAVE SHIFT');
+            console.log(interval);
+            interval = Math.abs(interval) * -1;
+        }
+        console.log(interval);
+
+        // interval = 12 - interval;
+    } else if (octaveOne < octaveTwo) {
+        console.log('OCTAVE: second is higher');
+        console.log(`pre shift: ${interval}`);
+        if (interval < pitchNumOne) (interval = 12 + Math.abs(interval));
+        console.log(`post shift: ${interval}`);
+    }
+    
+    // this boolean evaluates first, but may be changed to false pending the following conditional flow
     isMelodic = preferredMotion.includes(Math.abs(interval));
 
+    // edge case: does not allow augmented triads to be considered "consonant"
+    if ((pitchNameOne === 'F#' || pitchNameTwo === 'Bb') && (pitchNameOne === 'Bb' || pitchNameTwo === 'F#')) {
+        isMelodic = false;
+    }
+
+    console.log(prevSoprano, newSoprano);
+    console.log(pitchNumOne, pitchNumTwo);
+
     console.log(`interval: ${interval}`);
     console.log(`direction: ${direction ? 'ascending' : 'descending'}`);
     console.log(`isMelodic: ${isMelodic}`);