How to Write a Great Melody (Over Chords)

10 Tips for Writing a Melody Line over a Chord Progression.

Thanks to Charlotte Bonneton for performing.

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0:00 Introduction
1:13 Use Notes From the Chords
2:37 Try Other Ways Through the Chord
4:24 Passing Notes & Other "Non-Chord Tones"
6:38 Suspensions, Anticipations, and Pedal Tones
8:37 Use Sequences
9:24 Think About Overall Shape of Progression
11:56 Adapting the Sequence to the Situation
13:07 Find a Balance Between Steps & Leaps
14:11 Keep the Rhythm Interesting
15:45 Play With Expectation & Overall Shape
17:12 Demo Melodic Line

[wojtekwieczorek]

The fact that you are a great musician and educator is one thing. The fact, that you keep getting better and funnier at editing with each new video gives your content another layer of awesomeness!

[KlaviersAnthology]

Pro tip: explore melodies with your voice if you struggle thinking or playing them on an instrument. Play with your voice and the subconscious knowledge of genres you have experience with or you just listened to will guide you. For faster runs just fill in the gaps or move around the notes you sing. By letting your voice lead you you will discover knew chord and melody relationships even if you have no idea about music theory and just hold on what suits you better! Do not give it much thought. Just hear a chord progression and sing!

[Xochiyolotl]

The violinist won me over. Gorgeous playing. She is amazing because she can take a simple melody and make it sound very beautiful.

[SignalsMusicStudio]

Thanks so much for helping out with my video, and for putting together this excellent demonstration as well! I get this question asked all the time and will just be sending people here from now on :)

[_cynth_wave]

A lot of people dont stress the importance of the rhythm enough-- it can even be helpful to think of it like harmony-- a dissonant rhythm (syncopated or fast) is going to sound more expected over a dissonant chord, playing with that dynamic is really fun.

[emmak.]

The level of pedagogy is just marvelous. Such an encouranging introduction to creating a melody. Thank you, David.

[Aledharris]

I like the fact you’ve basically written a study like the composers of old but you’re able to break it down in a video and explain it all. I imagine if they were alive today, the greats would be much like you.

[alexandrapossum]

Thank you for this, I'm autistic and struggle with stuff like this a lot. Most advice online on songwritting is "Sit down and just write with your heart LOL". This was very helpful <3

[ItsMeVolatility]

That final segment with all the techniques combined was absolutely lovely

[johnrubensaragi]

0:00 Introduction
1:13 Use Notes From the Chords
2:37 Try Other Ways Through the Chord
4:24 Passing Notes & Other "Non-Chord Tones"
6:38 Suspensions, Anticipations, and Pedal Tones
8:37 Use Sequences
9:24 Think About Overall Shape of Progression
11:56 Adapting the Sequence to the Situation
13:07 Find a Balance Between Steps & Leaps
14:11 Keep the Rhythm Interesting
15:45 Play With Expectation & Overall Shape
17:12 Outro

[ViviH-ow]

One of my biggest tips for any songwriter that wants to find a melody to go off of: read a book where the main character writes songs. Make sure that there are lyrics “the character wrote” in the book. When I read written lyrics that I don’t recognize as an existing song already, my mind gives the lyrics a melody. If your mind does this, use that melody for a song, because technically your brain came up with it, and your didn’t copy another melody

[bvdwevther]

One of the most important lessons in composition, that basically everyone has struggled with at one point or another. So very well articulated and delivered. And your friend lending her violin skills was purely angelic. Such a wonderful lesson!

[Zackapo]

A challenge I've faced a lot is adding chords to a melody. I usually think or play melodies that don't stick to regular chord progressions and I've sometimes found creative ones that make it work... and some that don't.

That could be an interesting idea for a video, coming up with different melodies with different levels of tension and how you would approach the harmony.

[carlosgomez]

I don't think I can express how grateful we all are to you, David, for taking so much care and effort to teach to listen to, write, and overall love music

[Tomy_Yon]

Genius using the violinist. I had goosebumps throughout the whole video because of her performance. Well played, very well played. ;)

[whycantiremainanonymous]

Two added tips, if I may:
1. You can be even bolder with the rhythm! Just like you need to balance steps and leaps in the intervals you use, balance short and long note values in the rhythm. Take the example of one of the best-known melodies ever set to the Andalusian cadence, the verse of the Beach Boys' "Good vibrations". It starts with a long and stressed "I", and then moves on to shorter note values. That long held note can save many a melody from boring the listeners.
2. Remember that your melody doesn't only go over a chord, but is also part of it. If you use an upper extension in your melody that isn't in the accompaniment, that would change the chord the listeners hear. So, if your accompaniment is, say, a Cmaj7, but you're singing an F# over it, not as a passing tone, you get a beautiful (well, to my ear) Cmaj7+#11. So what if the melody is a tritone away from the root?

[InventorZahran]

I learned most of these concepts intuitively from playing and listening to so many melodies, but it's great to finally have it all explained in a way that my mind can make sense of.

[HBFaulkner]

Since March of 2020 I've been searching for the knowledge of how to write music to lyrics I finished to accompany a children's book. I've researched schools, bought apps, searched YT, & asked every musician I know for help. This one video, after searching online for the zillionth time, trying again, answered my question in the first few seconds. I already know. Because it clicked. No other person or app or video has said what you have. And you make it so simple....(!!!)

[hazardeur]

stuff like this is why youtube as a platform is such a great thing

[fretnesbutke]

Some tips, for what it's worth, from an old itinerant unknown composer, laboring away in obscurity: Study and analyze melody and form as well as harmony. Seek balance, between adventurousness and accessibility, and between spontaneity and structure. At least be willing to meet the listener halfway. That last bit with the labels was great. Bravissimo, Maestro Bruce.