Jack, I'm not restricting myself to slow airs, that's just what I was exploring that got me interested in song melodies in general. I also play some pretty fast jigs and reels, and appreciate that many of those tunes have been turned into some great songs also.

But it's not just Irish tunes. I'm interested how new contemporary songs are being written. Some may have great lyrics but pretty boring melodies. So is it important to have good melodies as well as lyrics? And what is the best way to go about composing the melodies if they are important? Or are they best borrowed from existing songs or tunes?

Cheers, S. in Seattle