How to Write a Melody

Melodies are the most important part of any musical piece or song. Without melodies, human ears generally do not appreciate music.

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Guitars
• Musical Instruments
• Pianos
• Music Keyboards
• Pencils
• Pencils
• Writing Papers
• Pencils

1. Decide whether you want your melody to be in a major or minor key. Generally, major keys are used for happy music, and minor keys are used for sad music.

2. Choose a tempo for your melody. It can be slow, fast or rhythmically challenging.

3. Consider various modal scales if you want your melody to be in a certain ethnic style.

4. Experiment with motifs on the keyboard, or in your head, in the musical style you desire. When you discover something you like, write it down on manuscript paper.

5. Experiment with harmony that supports your melody. When incorporating your melody into a song or piece, the harmony will be essential to give the melody direction.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are new to composing, start simple. Write a melody that a young child would enjoy such as "Mary Had a Little Lamb" or "Twinkle Twinkle."

[vade]

on 7/5/2009 The Whistle Test!
Is your melody memorable enough to whistle?

on 11/22/2005 Carry a notebook. Trust me, when an idea pops up, write it down. You don't want to forget! Have fun with it and keep working.

on 11/22/2005 Learn how to feel a musical phrase in groups of two measures. Once you have a two measure phrase, the complimentary following two measures will follow and you have the A section completed! The easiest way to compose a two measure phrase is to use quarter note activity for the first measure, then use a whole note for the second measure. Before you know it, you will have composed a 32 bar song!

on 11/22/2005 If you can play an instrument, play about with some chord progressions and see what you come up with.

on 11/22/2005 Typically, a melody will end on the same note it started in order to sound resolved.