Tips For Practicing Writing Melodies

[everet]

Hello, I was wondering if there are any tips for practising writing melodies? Do you practice melodies over random chord progressions, etc?

[FrankH]

I find limitation exercises helpful. Limit your melody to 5 notes and 2 rhythms. It's good to write with no chord progression in mind and harmonize after. You can do this for all the scales and modes. You can also practice over 2-5-1 and 1-4-5-1 patterns. When writing a melody it's good to think of what feeling the melody is connecting to; celebration, sadness, dancing, etc..

[xbitz]

starting with suspensions against a cantus firmus ( fourth species counterpoint ) usually gives me an acceptable starting point which can be developed nicely later or can generate ideas for a new song/melody ( +1 to the limitations too)

starting skeletons (using chords u like) for ex. can be
https://www.edmprod.com/piano-driven-chord-melody/
then the melody
http://openmusictheory.com/cantusFirmus.html or https://www.edmprod.com/ultimate-melody-guide/

created a quick super-simple random example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuUhcH9JRPw
to demonstrate how it goes

--
can find quite good (EDM oriented) starting course about counterpointing here: https://www.dancemusicproduction.com/in ... nterpoint/
don't have to keep any counterpointing rules if u are in dance music they are only helping aids but good to know them

ps. the mentioned course in the article above https://edmprod.com/songwriting-for-producers isn't a cheap but super-useful I can only recommend it

[xbitz]

Multiplier also dropped some cool idea into this series https://www.groove3.com/tutorials/Elect ... -Workflows

[jancivil]

I don't think melody in isolation can be taught like harmony can, or that kind of writing 'practiced'. If you do not have experience with extant melody you're working out of a vacuum. It's not learned from books, I don't think.
Note I said "if", of course I don't know but the question itself to me presents that question.

Get melody through osmosis, doing, performing in some way, melodies which are already out there. It's holistic, what's a plan for me may not be anything for you. In sum I find looking for tips to be misguided.

[SoundPorn]

I use Reaper's Reatune to hum melodies into the mic and record them into midi in real time

[xbitz]

call and response also a quite good technique
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq19BZRKmLI

[vurt]

ideas. nick em.

[Forgotten]

ideas. nick em.

[fmr]

Melody is singing (at least that's how I look at it). So, try to imagine yourself singing. Hum over the chords, if you prefer, or simply hum over a text, or simply HUM... Sing in la, la, la...

If you can't come over with a melody, try to listen to the folk songs of your home land (work songs, lullabies, love singings to court the girls, etc.). Look at the melodies that are sung in your church or religious community too.

Melody is as old as music itself, and usually spread by singing. Anywhere you turn to, you find melodies. You just have to pay attention.

[VicDiesel]

You need to force yourself to think melodically. Do you play a melody instrument? Step away from the keyboard and pick up a recorder or so. Sing or whistle if that's all you can do. Doesn't matter if your technique is rudimentary; in fact that's better because otherwise you'll overplay.

Improvise. Record yourself and later cut out the bits that are pleasing.

Here is an improvisation that I did with one flute, just sitting in the grass. Later I wrote it out and harmonized it.

https://vimeo.com/279992875

Victor.

[vurt]

ideas. nick em.

not sure what gollum has to do with it
but i did enjoy andy serkis work with the character

[Frantz]

starting with suspensions against a cantus firmus ( fourth species counterpoint )

Dude, that sounds really complicated.

I bought myself a deluxe producer pack of Captain Chords, Captain Melody, and Captain Rhythm and banged out a quadruple album in 15 minutes. Easy peasy.

[Forgotten]

ideas. nick em.

not sure what gollum has to do with it
but i did enjoy andy serkis work with the character

My precious! The Webberses steals it! Thiefs!!!

[xbitz]

starting with suspensions against a cantus firmus ( fourth species counterpoint )

Dude, that sounds really complicated.

I bought myself a deluxe producer pack of Captain Chords, Captain Melody, and Captain Rhythm and banged out a quadruple album in 15 minutes. Easy peasy.

btw. anyway worth to know your genre too, trance for example mainly a puzzle where have to work with open chord structures and I-IV-VI (constantly changing maj/min chords is the base of the trance) and their substitution chords mainly at the starting point

for ex.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFcrzufMb_o
etc.

and have to create nice fluid voice leadings, Captain Chords and all the stuffs can help nothing it's about you and your taste/knowledge etc.