- 1). Think about the story you are telling in the song. The story can help you determine the times when the notes should go higher and when they should drop lower. Improvise a few times while you sing through the lyrics, or as you are playing on your piano, guitar, or other instrument. If the melody you are writing is purely instrumental, it should still tell a story. The happy and lively moments are often portrayed with notes that are higher on the scale, and moody or sad moments are translated through the lower notes.
- 2). Subtle use of repetition is an important part of a melody. Find phrases of the melody to repeat, often a two- or four-bar section of the piece you are writing. If your song has verses and a chorus, there should be a distinctive difference in the musical patterning of the melody in both sections. Fiddle around with the notes that create the major, minor, and diminished chords in your melody. Much of your melody will play along the notes in the chord, but it is up to you to find a way to use them to add your own personality and perspective to the melody.
- 3). Listen to some of your favorite music, particularly the songs that made you want to write your own melodies in the first place. Teach yourself how to play, sing or hum the melody of a popular song or two, then significantly rearrange the notes. Experimenting until you find a melody you want to play over and over again is going to be the key to your melody-writing success. Read up on what some of your favorite songwriters do to come up with their melodies and choose a technique that inspires your writing.
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