Help on composing music to my songs? [PLEASE READ]?

Question

I play guitar and I sing. I love to write my own songs, but lately it's been tough for me to come up with a unique melody. Whenever I DO come up with a tune, I later realize that it's either only a small alteration from a song that already exists, or the tune is really plain. I'm great at writing the poetry, but I need help with composing my own music. Are there any good techniques to come up with a cool, unique, funky melody?


[note:most of my songs are pop music] also, don't suggest I go to a composer to get it done. im only 14 [can't afford it], but im very educated in the music industry.

Answer 1

OK for the composition portion of the chord changes etc, spend some time with a book of chords and chord progressions. One new chord and you'll be able to write a new song with a little more flavor, 100 new chords and you'll have a wealth of musical vocabulary at your fingertips. The goal is to become "Musically Literate". If there are hundreds and hundreds of chords and we only know a few we are very limited in our musical vocabulary. Also, even though all styles use the same chords, its in how they're used where the change occurs... especially rhythmically. So learn new strumming and picking rhythms too! It's not to hard to learn new chords once you start. They end up looking real similar and familiar. It's all about education, practice and growth! Congratulations on being at a point in your writing where you're craving growth!

Here's some websites with a lot of guitar chords.

http://www.chordbook.com/guitarchords.php
http://chordfind.com/
http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/

AND CHECK OUT THE PROGESSIONATOR!!!
go down and select the key, the type of progression and the style and it will give you a progression!

http://www.hotfrets.com/songanator.asp

**Finally, Remember that music is a communal language.... we naturally share ideas. If you think of the greatest innovator in music history, they borrowed something from someone else. You can still be original, even if you learn and borrow. If you don't learn and borrow, it'll be like searching through a dark cave without a flashlight. Think of your resources as the flashlight for the huge cave of musical experience!!**

I loved answering these questions! Thanks for asking them~!

Answer 2

Perhaps you need to experiment with your chord structure more. If you're writing in E do you usually just use the chords E A B and maybe C#minor? Try using different ones for a change, F#m and D will serve you well if you want to stay in E.

Even better is to put in a modulation or a key change (the difference is with a modulation you usually go back to your original key) a good way to do this is with chords ii V and I. If you wanted to take it into A then have all your E stuff, then put a Bminor (minor chord II for A) E (chord V for A) and then A (chord I) These usually work best with chords IV V and VI of your original key (so A B and C#m)

Another way is to add notes to the chords. You probably know about 7s, but you can all all sorts of different notes - 9s and b5s are good ones to use. These help your chords sound more interesting. Yet another thing you can do is experiment with how the chord is voiced - what note goes where. E major but with D in the bass (i.e. the lowest note) sounds a lot different - as does D with E in the bass.

I find that with more interesting harmonies then your "boring" melodies will sound a lot more interesting. You're doing the same thing with each chord, but the chords themselves are more interesting.

However if you want more complex melodies then a very important thing to think about is shape. A good melody will go up and down smoothly rather than having a lot of jumps (though the occaisional jump is quite effective). You should also include notes that aren't in the chord for effect - in classical music these are known as appogiaturas. Try putting some F#s in your melodies when the chord is E for example.

Hopefully that's not all too confusing, I've mentioned a lot of stuff. There are thousands and thousands of books on composition - try going to your library and finding some.

If you need any more specific help then post some details, I've studied and played all sorts of music for a long time (popular, classical and jazz)

Answer 3

Wow how strange, i do too, except mine are rock but anyway.

when playing guitar instead of trying changing chords at the same time, play one chord for longer and the next shorter, if you et what i mean.

Or, with a chord, instead of strumming it, pick random strings of the chord individually, for example like the beggining of 'slide away' by oasis.

or try combining different types of music.
Funky rock riffs always go down well.

simple melodies and one note riffs are always good.
arctic monkeys and RHCP have done just that.

hope that helped.

Answer 4

first off, don't listen to the radio for several days, it takes your mind off copying.
second. find a bass guitar, it will add so much difference to the songs that you have already recorded, third, find a drumbeat somewhere, then you can create your own originals
if and when you can afford it, go find a portastudio recorder, if your just starting out, i recomend the tascam porta one, you can create good songs on it. i started out with an 8 track recorder and made my own cd with it, now im upgrading to a 24 track..
32 years of playing. and still recording


link to the portaone>>> put it on your santa list..

Answer 5

I think it would help you greatly if you learned to read and write music. It isn't very difficult, and it will help you to record what you come up with.