Common Approaches for Creating Melody
Motivic development
Start with a SHORT simple set of notes (2, 3, 4,….) NOT an entire phrase, and apply development techniques to create a a complete phrase and use structure to compose a full melody. This approach to creating melody is far and away the most utilized technique.
Contour Lines
Draw the shape of the melody for an entire section of music. Use the form of the contour to establish specific notes of the melody. Conventional shapes include: ramp, bell, step, wave, arch, bowl, and saw tooth. This technique is used frequently by composers of film music, art music and music for video games. Percussionists often say “if you can say it, you can play it”. Contour composers say “If you can draw it you can write it”. Composing from contour lines is very effective.
Mathematics
20th century composers explored various mathematical techniques for creating melodies. 12-tone music and atonal music are examples. These intellectual exercises were interesting and rewarding for some. However, the general listening audience never embraced the products of mathematically generated music. That is likely because, while the math is faithful to theory, it often to tell a coherent, believable story. Music that fails to tell a story always fails to excite the general listening audience.
However it is true that many notable composers have used dice and letter associations with notes to kick start composition. Sometimes a random beginning is just the thing to jump start a composition. But, starting a composing by a random event is not the same has holding rigidly to a mathematical theory to create a composition.
Computer Software
Inexpensive software is widely available to create music loops. These products are very useful to create electronic dance music. Computer software has been creating music since the 1950s. Here is one contemporary effort by computers to compose music:
https://www.jukedeck.com
At Jukedeck, we’re building machine learning technology that can compose and adapt professional-quality music, giving people and companies personalized music that’s dynamically shaped to their needs.
NPR Story about Computer Generated Music
Intuition
“The melody just came to me.” INSERT EXPLICATIVE HERE. Baloney. Nothing just “comes” to anyone. The creation of melody is a deliberate, thoughtful craft. Done well, the craft becomes an art. Anything that just “comes” to you has been rambling around in your brain for a while. Likely the melody is a variant of something heard or written before. Intuition is the least reliable method for creating melody. Relying on intuition to create melody condemns a composer to writing the same melody over and over and over. Learn how to create a motive and how to develop a motive. When those skills are in hand your "intuition" will be amazing!
Start with a SHORT simple set of notes (2, 3, 4,….) NOT an entire phrase, and apply development techniques to create a a complete phrase and use structure to compose a full melody. This approach to creating melody is far and away the most utilized technique.
Contour Lines
Draw the shape of the melody for an entire section of music. Use the form of the contour to establish specific notes of the melody. Conventional shapes include: ramp, bell, step, wave, arch, bowl, and saw tooth. This technique is used frequently by composers of film music, art music and music for video games. Percussionists often say “if you can say it, you can play it”. Contour composers say “If you can draw it you can write it”. Composing from contour lines is very effective.
Mathematics
20th century composers explored various mathematical techniques for creating melodies. 12-tone music and atonal music are examples. These intellectual exercises were interesting and rewarding for some. However, the general listening audience never embraced the products of mathematically generated music. That is likely because, while the math is faithful to theory, it often to tell a coherent, believable story. Music that fails to tell a story always fails to excite the general listening audience.
However it is true that many notable composers have used dice and letter associations with notes to kick start composition. Sometimes a random beginning is just the thing to jump start a composition. But, starting a composing by a random event is not the same has holding rigidly to a mathematical theory to create a composition.
Computer Software
Inexpensive software is widely available to create music loops. These products are very useful to create electronic dance music. Computer software has been creating music since the 1950s. Here is one contemporary effort by computers to compose music:
https://www.jukedeck.com
At Jukedeck, we’re building machine learning technology that can compose and adapt professional-quality music, giving people and companies personalized music that’s dynamically shaped to their needs.
NPR Story about Computer Generated Music
Intuition
“The melody just came to me.” INSERT EXPLICATIVE HERE. Baloney. Nothing just “comes” to anyone. The creation of melody is a deliberate, thoughtful craft. Done well, the craft becomes an art. Anything that just “comes” to you has been rambling around in your brain for a while. Likely the melody is a variant of something heard or written before. Intuition is the least reliable method for creating melody. Relying on intuition to create melody condemns a composer to writing the same melody over and over and over. Learn how to create a motive and how to develop a motive. When those skills are in hand your "intuition" will be amazing!
