How to Write GREAT MELODIES in Under 25 Minutes

00:00 Introduction
00:21 Step 1
02:49 Step 2
04:44 Step 3
09:03 Step 4
12:27 Step 5
13:53 Step 6
17:19 Step 7

ABOUT KEPPIE

Hi I'm Keppie! I'm a professional songwriter, and songwriting teacher. I've been teaching song and lyric writing for over 10 years now for some of the best contemporary music colleges in the world— Berklee Online, the Sydney Conservatorium of Music's Open Academy, as well as for the Australian College of the Arts. At other times, I've taught for the Australian Institute of Music, as well as the LA School of Songwriting.

My goal is to help people write better songs! My experience in the classroom, with thousands of students at this point (many going on to find careers and success in music), is that your songwriting, like all things, can get better with meaningful, deliberate practice. My intention is to share the skills, knowledge, information, and ideas that I've gathered with anyone who wants to improve their songwriting.

Keppie's music is here:

ABOUT BENNY

Hi I'm Benny. My passion for music and creativity stretches across multiple disciplines and art-forms. I am a founding member and songwriter / lap-slide guitarist for one of Australia's best and most bearded country-bluegrass-folk bands, THE GREEN MOHAIR SUITS. To date the Mohairs have released 4 full-length albums and tour both nationally and overseas.

I am also the Founder and Head Producer of SILAMOR STUDIOS, a boutique studio specialising in Composition for Film, TV and Interactive Media. I write extensively across various instrumental and lyric-based genres and has been commissioned for major projects by Adobe, Cathay Pacific and Audible. I currently release original songs under the name SILAMOR.

I am also passionate about education and have taught song and lyric writing as well as film composition for JMC Academy, Collarts and the Australian Institute of Music. I design and regularly facilitate workshops on creative process and innovation.

Links to Bennny's music are here:

The Green Mohair Suits

SILAMOR

#howtowriteasong
#howtowritesongs
#songwriting
#songwritingforbeginners
#writesongs
#melody
#billieeilish
#writeasong

[junahvideoplayer]

My song writing class in college was a joke. There are so many tools and methods and tricks to songwriting that you guys are sharing that I never heard of. Really appreciate you sharing the knowledge and without all the shameless plugs for paid content. You guys are so genuine, it is refreshing. Fair play!

[ImpliedMusic]

i can't imagine a musician at any level that wouldn't benefit from your videos. clear and supportive for beginners, a pro level check list for more experienced songwriters.

[bobmaulucciproject]

I like the idea of limiting oneself in order to keep creativity going. It works for me all the time when alone with my guitar or even when in the DAW and writing songs. You can spend so long looking for plugins or layering stuff that you never get the sketches done. Thank you for another great lesson.

[ezrakelly]

This channel actually helped me to start sitting down and trying out writing songs. Keep doing what you doing. You are blessed

[maurikmalasllani]

I was writing a new song but was stuck at a certain point.
I took a break and was watching this video.
You gave me a hand with your wonderful tricks, I managed to finish the piece.
You guys are great 👍✌️

[vincentleary]

Been writing for going on 17 years.... we all run into writers block and thank god i found this for a new acoustic adventure.
This was the best layman explanation I could find.

[TimE_]

You two are such tremendous teachers! Thank you.

[davidlloyd]

Kippy and Benny,
I don’t know if anyone tells you often enough, but you guys are amazing, and solo. Not only with your knowledge and wonderful teaching skills, but you absolutely inspire and motivate songwriters all over the world. Thank you for your wonderful work.

[OurgasmComrade]

Step 7 requires caution especially, as writing too many unique melodies in one song without adequate repetition can make it harder for the melody to be memorable. The overwhelming majority of timeless songs have no more than 3 unique motifs unless it's a longer multipart movement type song (Bohemian Rhapsody or You Never Give Me Your Money)

[liquidsolids]

Thanks for another fantastic video. I've been trying to get better at writing melodies so I will definitely use these techniques. Well done!

[menotyou]

True songwriters at work. Truly amazing to watch and learn from you (plural)!

[MatthewEverettGates]

Crystal clear. Thanks!! I keep seeing fragments of these ideas, but that was transcendently clear / practical / useable

[Elena-hsdy]

You guys are fabulous! ❤
Thank you for sharing this creative process! 😊

[adityasastry]

Funny I always thought I was crazy to say words that don’t make sense but I guess that’s how you do it!! Thanks for this

[ParasharJoshi]

What a fantastic video! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Great content from you two, as always! Thanks a ton

[olvobce]

My college songwriting class was basically music notation-had nothing to do with generating musical ideas-I’m so glad for your videos -thanks!

[gerrithdutoit]

Another amazing video. You are really an inspiration! Thank you so much!

[fathuman]

Some good advice in there. I think the one big thing that wasn't addressed in the video is targetting chord tones in your melody. Especially the last note of a phrase hitting a chord tone is the most practical thing you can do. You can play a load of chromatic nonsense but if you end on a chord tone, it somehow legitimises everything that came before it.

[chrisspinella]

Song writing has always been an interest to me. Many times tried it, failed, got discouraged, thought I wasn’t meant for it or I didn’t have that “gift.” But you’re channel has given me hope. You’ve given the best straight forward lessons and because of these videos I will try it again.

[CoraStanley-uerw]

THANK YOU! This was so helpful! Not only the tips that you identified, but watching you go through the process was MOST valuable. I particularly like the way Keppie will sing the melodie feelings out the words as she did. It was as if she was feeling for the words hidden in the melodic phrasees. This was very useful in so many ways. I really do love learning from you both.