StarCalledSun

I'm trying to do some study on writing melodies, and wonder if anybody has suggestions on some great writers to check out. I'm pretty well up to speed on The Beatles, Buddy Holly, The Beach Boys and Elvis Costello, but just need to expand my horizons. (I should mention I'm focused more on pop writing in the last 50 years, but I'll take anything older, as well.) Thanks for any thoughts you might like to share!

I'd go with Spiders (Kidsmoke) by Wilco. Here's a link: Starting around the 5 minute mark, it just seems so w*nky and borderline incompetent. I know both Cline and Tweedy know their way around their instruments, but you can't tell from that self-indulgent solo.

I was in a used guitar shop today and played an old generic 12-string electric, much to my delight. Now I'm doing some research and wondering if anybody has one or has models that they would suggest. Realistically, I'm probably not going to be able to afford a Rickenbacker or vintage instrument, but feel free to post if you feel those are really worth the expense. If you're interested, here's a few links to check out: Dean Boca: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Dean-Boca-12String-Electric-Guitar?sku=519862 Italia Rimini: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Italia-Rimini-12String-SemiHollow-Electric-Guitar?sku=514446 Danelectro: http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Danelectro-DC-59-12-String-Electric-Guitar-in-Black_W0QQitemZ190334506075QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item2c50d2145b&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14#ht_3105wt_941 Fender: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Stratocaster-12String-Electric-Guitar?sku=515107

I found a YouTube video whose notes are very revealing, perhaps it might help. It seems like a Bulgarian folk song, and the style is very much like Eastern European folk music. (I spent a lot of time in Ukraine, and the national folk music is similar to that style, though perhaps with slightly less vibrato than than that performance.) 300 - Message for the Queen

Use dissonance to resolve from. I try to take cues from the melody and the lyrics where an interesting or unexpected note would be helpful. Sometimes I'll even go through the lead sheet and mark potential places to use dissonant notes. (One of my heroes with this is David Rawlings, who sings harmony with Gillian Welch, and has very distinctive note choices.) A harmony vocal isn't there to be "pretty", it's there to further the mood and story of the song, and using dissonance gives you more colors to add.

That's a good question. I'd say a lot of topics or ideas for songs I write come from whatever I've been reading at the time. Usually it's not a direct line, like "I'm going to retell this story in a song." More often a phrase, concept or situation seems to stick with me. Usually I then take it in very different directions from the source material, but that initial jump-start is usually books or sometimes films. I've never been particularly good at writing love songs or slice-of-life songs.