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#513812 - 04/20/02 01:25 PM

How to write /re-write a quality melody

Kendrix
MP Hall of Fame Member

Registered: 09/06/01
Posts: 2150
Loc: Rochester,NY,UNITED STATES

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The age old question: What comes first the words or the music? Diving deeper in to music: what comes first melody, the groove or the chord changes?

For me it had become a pattern to start with some lyrics- these imply some groove. Then the melody almost comes as an afterthought and can tend to be unexciting.

Lately Im trying to start with a melody and to write it in my head- not on any instrument.

An instrument tends to limit my flexibily in this regard. Also re-writing the melody to improve it is just as important as re-wriing the lyrics to improve the quality.

Starting with the melody and uncoupling it from my somewhat limiting instrumental chops seems like the best way to improve my stuff.

If I can create interesting lyrics around a strong melody it seems more likely to result in more powereful song than if I start with the words.

Of course this is a challenge in any case.

Comments? How do others approach the challlenge of creating melody, lyrics chord changes and a groove that are mutually re-enforcing ?

_________________________
Check out some tunes here:
http://www.garageband.com/artist/KenFava

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#513813 - 04/20/02 05:40 PM

Re: How to write /re-write a quality melody

Guest Room Warrior
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Registered: 04/06/00
Posts: 248
Loc: Fort Wayne, IN USA

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Kendrix, i agree that writing away from your instrument is good technique for coming up with strong melody. I've written most of my best hooks while driving or mowing the lawn.

But when you do that, don't you hear a rhytmic feel and some harmonization happening in your head at the same time? I don't think it's a matter of writing it later... the best ones seem to form themselves in the mind with groove and chord changes attached.

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Jim Bordner
Gravity Music
"Tunes so heavy, there
oughta be a law."

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#513814 - 04/22/02 03:23 PM

Re: How to write /re-write a quality melody

dstagl
Senior Member

Registered: 02/16/00
Posts: 201
Loc: Chicago, IL

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I have no hard, fast rules for writing songs. Sometimes it's lyrics first, sometimes music, and sometimes all at once.

If I think of a good line in traffic or at work or in the middle of the night, I'll jot it down either on paper or in my Palm and sometimes more stuff starts flowing out right there. Sometimes the lyrics have a melody with them in my head and sometimes it's just a melody in my head. I'll try and record that melody with me just humming it into whatever I can which is generally not in my studio so I end up with it on voicemail. A lot of times the real good ones will stick whether I record them or not. I find if I try and play them on guitar I lose some part of it in the translation so I try not to do that.

The other thing that will happen is I'll just be fiddlin' with my guitar and I'll hit something I like whether it's a chord progression or lick. These days I usually run up to my project studio and throw it down on tape. If I'm out of my studio I try and write it down notating where the changes go as rhythmically detailed as I can.

Later on I'll sift through all the music and see if I've got any lyrics that fit. If I have a melody ahead of time it generally defines a chord progression.

I have enough scraps of papger of discarded lyrics--1 or 2 lines--to heat my house for a couple years. Then I've got about 2-3 albums of music that has never been used, and it will all be replaced by the songs that just happen. The ones where everything comes at the same time. I find these to usually are better, IMHO, but I don't think these songs would happen if I wasn't constantly writing and recording the little scraps here and there. I think no matter how you write, it's important to not get too hung up on what you've done. You have to be able to throw out the good stuff. Charlie Collins from Train had this advice: Write so often that at the end of a month what was your best song is your worst.

Dave

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#513815 - 04/22/02 03:39 PM

Re: How to write /re-write a quality melody

Kendrix
MP Hall of Fame Member

Registered: 09/06/01
Posts: 2150
Loc: Rochester,NY,UNITED STATES

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I have also found that, when I have an inventory of both musical ideas and lyrics I can play around with different pairings of these.

Its interesting to see how multiple pairings can click pretty well. Ive had some luck with this approach.

_________________________
Check out some tunes here:
http://www.garageband.com/artist/KenFava

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