Melodies For The Rhythm Guitarist!

[thelevellers]

OK, how about this for a problem... I can't seem to write melodies?! I don't really do much in the way of soloing either, it doesn't really do it for me, i little lick/riff/fill here and there keeps me happy (and the odd easy offspring solo ). Which means I play mostly rhythm and am perfectly happy like that. until it comes to writing a melody of course...

Any tips on that?! I'm pretty good at coming up with a funky guitar riff if I want to, maybe I do tend to make a punk riff when I was trying for a ballad and vice versa, but I usually get there in the end!

It's just these damn melodies.. maybe its to do with not singing much? I dunno... I do fidn that I think in rhythm chord progressions when I have an idea for a song it's always the bass/drums/rhythm guitar, and if im VERYlucky I might manage a solo... but all that sticks is the chords and maybe bass line...

Any help would be awesome, as I'm getting bored of not being able to fit lyrics to songs properly...

Cheers, Rohan

[Steve]

If you intend to make melodies to suit your vocal range, then you need to find out what your range is! Sing the highest note you can reach, (without interfering with the wedding tackle) then the lowest. All the notes in between are in your vocal range. If you know what key your chords are in, then the scales should come naturally. Try just humming a tune, without the guitar, then work out the notes on the fretboard. This will give you an idea of key and thereafter, chords!

[thelevellers]

that's exactly my problem, I don't think in tunes... so 'just hum a tune' to me just turns into humming songs by other people... making songs in my head is all chords and bass and drums... no melody seems to occur... Am i just broken? Maybe I should just find myself a singer?! Two birds with one stone like that!

Rohan

Edited October 11, 2007 by thelevellers

[john]

Hey

I'd try writing the melody first, before you have anything else.

I agree with Steve... put down your guitar. Sing a lot. Seriously. Sing well known, hit songs from lots of genres (avoid your own initially, even the finished ones), that gets you used to melody and how it fills the space (range volume, timing). Find out where you are comfortable singing, what range your voice sounds best etc. Sing as much as you can. This will benefit your voice, as well as your ear. Challenge your self, but don't strain yourself. Thinkabout control, so try some pieces with broad vocal ornamentation.

Why do all that? Well it helps get your brain in a melody only mode. You gain control and confidence in your voice. Add to that you gain experience of a great number of melodic styles. As you sing you absorb.

Take time to try songs at different tempos, and observe how there is a rough tempo where a melody sufficiently fills the silence without sounding awkward. Play with known songs, add your own interpretation (after you have learned the original). This introduces you to options you face as a songwriter. What works, what doesn't

Feel free to experiment with writing melodies as you go. Spend about 2 weeks NOT singing your songs. Or at least keep it to a minimum.

After you have been singing lots of known songs.... try your own (still no guitar) Seriously. You will have developed your melody muscle . Experiment with them. Critique them. Develop them. Are they interesting as a melody? Is there sommething you can do that would make the melody more interesting? At this stage try one of your own songs for ever two other people's songs. Spend about a week on this.

Now your ear is a bit more critically tuned to what makes a melody work, relax. Try a completely new song (one you have no guitar/music for). This is important. By writing the melody first you have the minimum of constraints on your melodic imagination. Do you have a mood or feel in mind? Close your eyes. Feel the emotion, the mood. What is the singer's motivation? etc. Feel it. Feel the beat. Let that feeling guide you. Explore the emotion with your voice.

Sound cranky? You will feel a bit of a twat at first, but I find this a great way to introduce someone to connecting their creativity to melody, or for that matter their voice.

If you keep away from your old stuff for a while you might be quite surprised at the results.

Just a few thoughts.

Cheers

John

[Steve]

that's exactly my problem, I don't think in tunes... so 'just hum a tune' to me just turns into humming songs by other people... making songs in my head is all chords and bass and drums... no melody seems to occur... Am i just broken? Maybe I should just find myself a singer?!

Rohan

OK try to get a tune you like by somebody else. See if you can write out the chords and the notes of the melody. Then mix up the notes of the melody! I saw a violinist do this with some Bach. He wrote out the bars of music, then actually cut them up into seperate bars and changed them around. It sounded pretty cool!

Two birds with one stone like that!

Bring these two with you when you're down this way next! We'll have a night out!