So... writing/composing music... what's the process? How do you get the melody?

Question

I always thought the hardest part to writing/composing music was getting a catchy melody to sing to then adding lyrics. What's a songwriter's process? Do they just sit at a piano and start trying out different notes and then write lyrics? How do you get melodies???

Answer 1

Why leave it to chance. It's a lot easier when you know the process.
There are six pages in this tutorial. It starts with the basics. Some of this you may already know. Jump to page four to find answers to your question, then go back and read through the whole thing.
http://www.googobits.com/articles/1681-how-to-write-a-popular-song.html

Song writing tips
http://www.songwriting-software.com/10-blunders-1.html

Answer 2

Yup -- toughest part of composing is coming up with a good idea!!

If you're writing songs, I think the lyrics are the first consideration, becasue the rhythm and meter of the lyrics often suggest a melody, or at least a mood -- and that's a start.

But sometimes when you';re noodling around on your keyboard or your guitar or whatever, you'll come up with a tune or a phrase or a neat chord progression. If you don't have a lyric for it right away, WRITE IT DOWN, put it in a notebook for later perusal -- and something will come to you in due time.

Different people create in different ways. There is no fixed process that works every time. The hard part is deciding whether what you have come up with is any good. It takes a while to get up a head of steam on this, but once you get it the first time it gets easier -- because now you're familiar with YOUR personal process, which is the only one that matters.

Answer 3

Great query!, that I fairly do not have an reply for. There are a few exceptional rock songs in the market that experience little or no in the way in which of a melody however they nonetheless keep your awareness. For illustration 'The Gift' via The Velvet Underground. It's only a spoken phrase tale with a repetative bass line however it is exceptional. Is it track? I suppose it may be classed as track in that there are musicians gambling a reside orginal ranking in the back of the narrator. As for rap, sampling sounds and a few fool mumbling approximately weapons and ho's?, probably now not.

Answer 4

When I write a song, I start with the melody.

How do I get a melody? I play around with my instrument.

Answer 5

create a bass line and work from there. make an accompaniment and harmony and then melody. and basically yea just start playing around with notes to create something good