Music Information

How to Create an Original Melody


Here's a method I use that works. First, sit down at your piano or keyboard and just improvise. I suggest improvising first because music that is created in this way is at its freshest. It's not adulterated or thought up. It is pure inspiration. Now, there will come times during improvisation where you may say to yourself, "this is nice and I'd like to develop it." You see, now you have an original melody to develop.

The trick is you don't need a lot of material to begin with. JUST TWO BARS IS ENOUGH to start you on your way. I usually work within 8-bar phrases so I know that the melody will usually end or repeat itself after 8-bars. I say usually because sometimes, the melody does not want to fit nice and neat into a predefined 8-bar phrase. But more times than not, the 8-bar phrase will serve you well

Now, to be able to grow the initial 2-bars of inspired melody into 8, you can either harmonize the melody with a few chords or just write out the rest of the melody as it comes. Once I have the first 2-bars, I usually have already identified what Key the piece will be in. It then becomes a matter of choosing a few chords from the Key and the rest of the material is easily flushed out into 8-bars. In the piece "Rainforest," I use 2 chords for an entire 8-bar phrase ( 4-bars for G Maj. and 4 for E-minor) and improvise the melody on top.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!


MORE RESOURCES:

WNCT

Study confirms dangers of portable music players
Irish Times, Ireland - 3 hours ago
Listening to personal music devices such as iPods at high volume over a long period can permanently damage hearing, according to a new EU study. ...
Scientists warn of potential health risks from personal music players Xinhua
Health warning to music lovers The Press Association
Music players linked to hearing damaged RTE.ie
BBC News - eFluxMedia
all 301 news articles


E! Online

Music Review: Kenny Chesney takes chances on CD
San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - 4 hours ago
The settings often feature beaches, boats and rum drinks: Familiar territory for Chesney, in both his music and life. But this time he's not heading into ...
Kenny Makes Beautiful Music, Thanks to Renée E! Online
Kenny Chesney's album explores his 'state of mind' USA Today
New Releases, Oct. 14: Kenny Chesney, Lucinda Williams, Ray LaMontagne LiveDaily.com
USA Today
all 26 news articles


BBC News

Britney Spears Naked In New Music Video
KBS Radio, Canada - 5 hours ago
Britney Spears didn't just debut her new video for the single "Womanizer" on ABC Friday night (October 10th), she also debuted a newly toned body. ...
Video: Sneak Peak: Britney Opens Up in New Documentary AssociatedPress
Britney’s Womanizer exposed! Galatta.com
BRITNEY SPEARS - SPEARS' STEAMY SAUNA SCENE Contactmusic.com
Daily Mail - Actress Archives
all 817 news articles


MTV UK

Katy Perry to host MTV Music Awards
The Press Association - 4 hours ago
Katy Perry is to make her hosting debut at this year's MTV Europe Music Awards. The 23-year-old old Californian musician, whose single I Kissed A Girl ...
Katy Perry announced as host of 2008 MTV Europe Music awards InTheNews.co.uk
Katy Perry To Host MTV Europe Music Awards AngryApe
Katy Perry to host MTV Europe Music Awards FemaleFirst.co.uk
TeleText - BBC News
all 156 news articles


Music Review: Snider rotest music has funny side
San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - 6 hours ago
... the cover of his self-released EP "Peace Queer" shows him blindfolded and held hostage at gunpoint by a shirtless hippie demanding protest music. ...


Amos Heilicher, 90, pop music hitmaker
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN - 7 hours ago
By JON BREAM, Star Tribune A giant in the music industry, Amos was never too big to talk to the man on the street. A cheerful fixture at Crossroads Deli in ...


Wahlberg insists no chance of music comeback
RTE.ie, Ireland - 13 hours ago
He says: "I just felt like I wanted to do music early on and then when I started acting I had to wait until I could do another record anyway. ...


Music Review | Prince Rocking and Acknowledging Signs o’ the Times
New York Times, United States - 2 hours ago
By JON CARAMANICA On Friday the stock market concluded a brutal week, its worst in history, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average having lost almost 1900 ...


Canada.com

AC/DC Resists Online Music Distribution Trend
eFluxMedia - 2 hours ago
By Alexis Ceck Instead of reeling musicians in, Apple’s Internet music store iTunes seems to be pushing away the truly heavy names of the music industry. ...
AC/DC Dabbles in Downloads with Black Ice PC World
Stream exclusive AC/DC tracks Melbourne Herald Sun
AC/DC turns off iTunes for "Black Ice" Reuters
New York Times - The Age
all 181 news articles


The Veronicas Debut Brand-New Web Series Exclusively on Their ...
MarketWatch - 10 hours ago
Music web channel, The Veronicas - UNTOUCHED, beginning Monday, October 13th. The weekly series will chronicle Lisa and Jess Origliasso's journey to stardom ...

Music - Google News

home | site map
© 2006