Stephanie G. Mathis Writing an amazing tune is only half of the work a writer has to do. Finding a song that people can sing along with after just one or two listens is a real skill.
There are some tried and tested rules that will give you a good idea of how to create a great melody.
A melody is a collection of notes (pitch) that are sung or played at different times (rhythm). You have to choose which notes and for how long. The notes you choose will make up 50% of your melody, while the rhythm in which you sing or play them makes up 50%.
Second, every good song has a core idea called a theme. This is a group of notes that are played in a particular rhythm. A motif is usually short, no more than two to eight notes, but it acts as a song identifier. For example, the two notes on the first word in Yesterday by The Beatles.
Thirdly, how the notes in a song change with time is organized; the motif is at the core of any melody. It is then broken down into longer phrases and then into song segments. Most commonly, a length of 4-8 bars is used. There are a variety of ways to construct them.
Melodies can be written as sequences or repetitions. It helps you recognize the tune. Melodies also use variation – so we don’t die of boredom. The motif in Yesterday is repeated a bit higher on the word far away.
The difference between the pitch of two notes, whether they are close or far apart, is known as an interval. The notes can be separated by a jump (one whole tone or half-tone), a skip (two full tones), or a leap (3 full tones and more). You can choose to have the intervals between two notes go up or down or remain the same.
The contour is the shape that a composer gives to a melody by choosing intervals. This can make it easier or more difficult to sing the melody and remember. If there is not enough shape, the melody will never progress. Too many jumps between notes can make a song difficult to sing and remember.
Most melodies use at least the root and the 5th note (also known by the term dominant) of the scale. It is important to establish the key of the song and then create tension in the melody by moving from the home base. The fifth note of the scale is as far away from the root note as you can get.
How can you adapt or apply these principles to your music? Here are five ways to get started. You can begin your melody by creating pitch-first or rhythm-first. Imagine them as fire starters.
Start with a Scale
Pick a scale and use it to create your private alphabet of possible notes. It’s important to use short notes in different rhythms and orders to create a variety of connections.
You can explore the relationship between two notes by stepping through intervals in skips and leaps. Don’t forget about changing directions; either ascending or descending intervals can change the whole sound.
Listen to the melody for the popular carol Joy To The World. The key is the rhythm. It’s a simple descending major scale.
Along with the major scale, there are three different types of minor: natural, harmonic, and melodic. Both the major and minor are a part of the larger family of modes. Try using the shorter Pentatonic Scales.
It’s important to experiment with creating a motif that you can then develop into something according to your taste. You may have a favorite key or scale that you use every time. Try a different ‘note alphabet.’ Explore your options.
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Use your chords
can be used to create a tune if you already have a chord progression. Arpeggios are a great way to reorder them. Havana by Camila Caballo is a good example. The verse contains a strong motif that uses all three notes that make up the G minor progression’s first chord.
The notes in the tune are B, G, then again B. It’s basically a G minor arpeggio that descends. Two of these notes (G & B) can also be found in the Emajor progression’s second chord. Simple is good, but it’s not always easy.
Note that the notes in the motif are repeated. Hava-banana –only seven notes but three pitches. The whole motif is repeated three times in a line – this will help the song to stick.
Go Naked and go instrument-free
You can create a song by leaving your studio, taking your phone or voice recorder with you, and going somewhere. You can already feel a rhythm in your body if you are able to walk.
This also works on a train or the bus back. Any mode of transportation where you can daydream …. and try singing something. As you sing, record it. Allow yourself 30 minutes of uninterrupted editing.
It’s not about getting a perfect vocal performance but allowing melodic fragments to surface. The key you choose may not be the one you normally gravitate to unless you have a perfect pitch. It may also differ from the one you tend to prefer.
A New Zealand lead guitarist used this method for an alt-rock band to start a song when he went on his daily run. A song idea came to him while he was running, and he didn’t even have his phone. He ran to the nearest public phone booth to call home.
Focus on Rhythm
The rhythm of a melody is just as important as the notes that you sing. You can recognize the tunes of great songs by the rhythm in the melody. Try singing your song without rhythm. It’s harder than you think!
You can start by working with rhythm. You can either use notation to create a template in a score editor/DAW or start by dialing in a beat.
Templates for Notation
Most songs have sections of 4, 8, or 16 measures or bars. Start with four measures, and then dial in the potential melody.
I’m sorry, but I don’t think this is worth a mention! You can then change the note values bit by bit until you feel like it’s more in tune with what is in your head. You can easily see how the rhythmic idea is repeated and varied.
Once you have a rhythm that you like, think about the pitches. My online songwriting course gave me suggestions for how to change the rhythm and pitch of a four-bar melody phrase. I did this on guitar in real time. They said to start somewhere else, “up a quarter,” or “down a quarter,” and suggested that the ending be more complex.
Drummers, beats, and plugins
Ringo Starr’s attention to the songwriting of Paul McCartney and John Lennon was one of the most interesting aspects of The Beatles’ Get Back’ trilogy. Ringo Starr was a constant source of inspiration for the Beatle’s’ i>Get Back’/i> trilogy. He provided the songwriters with a wealth of ideas to work with, but he also allowed them to generate quickly and instinctively. This is a boon to workflow.
If you don’t have a drummer in-house, then using any plugins, loops, or drum machines from your studio/laptop will help to create a groove that can be used to play or sing over. You can start with just rhythm programming if you don’t have a full beat. You don’t need a complete kit, but you can make a lot of interesting sounds with minimal percussive sounds.
Lyric Rhythm – Words First
The rhythm of words can be accented, or they may stress certain patterns. These words can be used to create a melodic rhythm that is very singable and binds well with the lyrics. The magic sauce of prosody is when words and music are combined into a single entity.
Since the watermelon
This is a line from Paul Simon’s song The Myth of Fingerprints. The syllables can be sung in 8 eighth notes or quavers. With emphasis on the Ev forever and the Wa for watermelon. Meaning…? It’s not clear if that is true, but it sure sounds easy!
These rhythms are found in many conversational phrases. If you can easily say something, chances are you can also sing it. Scansion is a technique that helps you find the rhythmic bones of your melody by identifying patterns in words and phrases. Finding the rhythm in your lyrical thoughts and hearing how they sound when spoken aloud can be an excellent starting point for a good tune.
You can learn a lot from the songs that you enjoy. Their melodies may contain some of the principles that were discussed, but all will have started with something small and built on it. Listen again, pay attention, and be attentive! Try these ideas when you are stuck for an idea and create something beautiful.
