Tips on writing melodies

[skipscada]

I find the most interesting melodies often come when I try to come up with a second voice to an existing melody. I tend to make predictable first voices, but create more engaging stuff when I need to circumvent the hurdles that arise when building a new melody around the old one.

[Otherworldly]

Use the power of your mind and then translate that into music format that can be shared with others.

Please, let me try to explain further. Hopefully, I won't yet again be harassed, stalked by trolls, which is the reason why I rarely visit this forum. This is certainly not regarding the OP (Author of this topic), no offense intended towards you (peace).

Melodies are key important, and what you do with it for example, don't underestimate the power of lyrics, when done right (with consideration to stanzas i.e. words that fits beautifully with the melody) words can either make or break a good melody. If not words? Instrumentals for example, a film score (music) that relates perfectly to the story. It's important to create strong melodies that relates (captivates) the listener, the importance of connecting with the audience should be paramount, the difference between forgettable vs. memorable.

The reason why I mentioned lyrics is in relation to the "Song" both melody and lyrics are key to creating great hooks and one example would be the chorus, which is suppose to captivate the audience, to also make it memorable.... next day the fan is singing that chorus.

Strong melodies are memorable, and from a producers perspective will open up huge potential i.e. for great harmonies and diversity of accompaniment (various styles/mixes) and still remain memorable, that actually "Captivates" the audience. Most labels will know right off the bat if a songwriter has great potential, or not.

I take notice of how others reacted to my music, good or bad, I always try to do better.... I love challenges, because I always want to improve on my previous work. Never wanting to reside in a comfort-zone i.e. difficult challenges stretches my ability to do much better. I guess that's why after many years of honing my skills resulted in, almost all my songs reaching the Top-Ten charts, I have also been on TV (interviews regarding my songs). At meeting with major label managers and producers they have said that I create fantastic melodies. But I still keep honing my skills, to do better and better. Great melodies come from the heart, from within as explained above. I can hear in my my mind and feel it in my soul, the entire song including all the nuances and harmonies, most importantly, all expressed with "Feeling"

I'm lucky because I mastered piano by age 12, and later learned to sing, play bass, drums and other instruments. Nowadays I primarily focus on the "Song" and work as a producer. I have enjoyed decades as a successful, professional songwriter and performed live at some of the best venues in the world.

Writing great melodies: It most certainly helps if you have a good ear and the ability to easily translate from what you hear inside (mind, soul i.e. from the heart) and successfully translate that into format that can be shared with others.

[jancivil]

Please, let me try to explain further. Hopefully, I won't yet again be harassed, stalked by trolls, which is the reason why I rarely visit this forum.

Right. So THIS:

You are totally aware that I had already added you to my block-list, yet you continue to 'quote me out of context' for the purpose of distorting and confusing what I said i.e. you deviously cut the end of my sentences that contained the conclusion (correct answer). On another topic you clearly caused disputes and confusion; derailing topics by showing disrespect (bigotry; patronizing) and show no interest in keeping the peace. I've seen you do this repeatedly. FWIW these are the reasons why I have added you to my block-list, yet again you are replying; harassing; I am now asking you to "Cease and Desist" from having any further contact with me.

bizarre, arrogant garbage, nothing short of a pretense to mind-reading (there is no mechanism available to me here to detect your block) and ascribing all of this motive to me just out of me having stated my view of what you said, all of this really personal shit, all of this amplification of such a non-event can be framed now - a 2nd time - as your victimization while you wield such a flame-thrower. You strike me as a bit unhinged. There is no need for this. I wouldn't even have connected your user name to anything, you're of no moment in my life at the end of the day. Behind a fight which only existed in your mind following these words of mine:

Sorry, but music needs more than a mere instance of a chord (or M vs m key) to be anything like 'uplifting'. Minor = sad/Major = happy is facile to the point of shallow when you really get down to it. Somewhere Over the Rainbow connotes... of something like yearning. Maybe the thing of 'uplifting' is a product by the end of the bridge, but one person may have different words for it than the next person. But 'happy as opposed to sad' is so simple-minded... what are we about, music for toddlers?"

Following a post which added nothing really to the thread, and if anything regressed where it was. No, sorry, you may feature that this pagro bullying works to control what other people do but I'd advise against proceeding further, it's actually against the rules to flagrantly flame an individual. FTR, I don't think you're saying anything really. "Cease and desist" - Nope, so sue me.

You sure can type a whole lotta bullshit, tho. "Let me explain further..." - lol. You still ain't said anything.

[Otherworldly]

EliteRezk,

In addition to my previous post,

I agree with others about finding "inspiration" obviously that could be about anything, based on real life experiences or something you read regarding someone or something.... therefore, Melodies can be about anything, there are no rules. Here's a good point: I have often seen lead guitarists find inspiration based purely on feel i.e. being emotionally moved by the actual song, create great melodies and perform exceptionally well. He knew what key the song was in but didn't even know what chords were being played.

The more you create melodies, instrumentals, songs, the better you get. No matter how experienced, there is more to discover and learn. Close your eyes, experiment, sometimes a mistake can turn out to be pure genius. Always keep a pad handy to quickly get music parts down in notation or record it no matter how unfinished (short) those parts might be at the time... the next day may very well put you in the right mood, to get it all into perspective and completion. Patience is a virtue, songwriting/composing is a labor of love. Don't concern yourself about rules and limits, always create from the heart, with feeling.

[MOK19]

i find walking or bicycling, being rhythmic, with heart rate, tend to encourage intensive ruminative states for phrasing.

....This right here is actually pretty great.
In retrospect, yes, I've experienced that to be the case too. The feet's cadence while running practically begs for improvising over with your breath, or in your head.
Never thought I'd find more reasons to run from KVR. Thanks, xoxos.

[HolisticSongwriting]

Lots of great comments here, let me just add my 2 cents worth to the mix:

3 Types Of Melodies You Must Know:
http://blog.holistic-songwriting.com/20 ... know-tech/

All the best

[xoxos]

Never thought I'd find more reasons to run from KVR. Thanks, xoxos.

t-shirts and mugs.

[Albert6720]

If you want to create melodies just for practice than its best you can pick some notes from internet and mix them to make a new melody because if you use that for commercial use you may face copyright issues.

[fmr]

Lots of great comments here, let me just add my 2 cents worth to the mix:

3 Types Of Melodies You Must Know:
http://blog.holistic-songwriting.com/20 ... know-tech/

All the best

This is just a bag full of crap. An example: "Without chords, color melodies are intrinsically boring. They are not going anywhere and they don’t provide a lot of color by themselves." What the hell is that? A melody that cannot survive by itself is NOT a melody... period. Someone who starts like that cannot be serious. And the given examples of "melodies" are to laugh about.

[HolisticSongwriting]

Hey fmr,

Well, if you call "Halo" by Beyoncé or "Style" by Taylor Swift laughable... Opinions differ I guess.

"A melody that cannot survive by itself is NOT a melody... period." - Depending on the musical style, I disagree. Even in jazz terrain there's the one-note samba which you will have to admit won't work on its own.

Look man, I'm not trying to pick a fight here. I respect your opinion and I used to think exactly the same way a couple of years ago. But there are SO many melodies out there that simply wouldn't work without the chords.

That being said, I was only referring to "color melodies", which are intrinsically direction-less by themselves. I do love a good melody that can stand on its own two feet (Bernhoft's melodies still make my heart purr ). Although the mainstream market seems to think very differently. I come from a commercial background so maybe a good thing to keep in mind when reading my blogs

All the best,
Friedemann

[dark water]

The best tip for writing melodies is to take a dictaphone or other recording device to an old people's home and then ask them what their favorite songs are.

You get loads of Dah-Dum-Dum-Dum Dee-Dee Dee-Dee tunes, which you can then pick the best bits from.
You can also mult samples together and use them as a crowd choir.

Also works with bird song via a field recorder.

[flakes2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOlDewpCfZQ

[Txai]

The main note of a melody doesn't need to start on the first one all the time. You can always use appoggiaturas every once in a while.

[Dieumercy]

I just stick to a scale and go with the flow. I follow the ideas in my head.

[AutoTonic]

Hey, my advice for writing better melodies is by reducing your harmonic context. For example when your song is in MAJOR (Ionian) and uses intervals from this scale xoxoxxoxoxx (x=yes, o=no) then one very inspiring approach would be to ignore certain intervals from that scale so it will result in a reduced form, e.g.: xoxooxoooxo having only a few 'diatonic' notes left.
I've – by the way – created myself a program that easily allows reproducing what I've explained here: it allows you to map any scale possible (consisting of any count of intervals within a potential scale) completely reinterpreting how your MIDI keyboard works. I'd appreciate if you might check it out, let me know if you have any questions. It's called 'AutoTonic' and you can find it here.