Great stuff from blt...I agree completely. One really good way of getting melodies floating around your head is to get comfortable, open up a book of poetry and just start "singing" the poems. Even if it feels a bit weird at first, it's a really fine improvisational learning tool. Remember, we've often talked about improvisation on Mudcat, but usually in an instrumental sense....but the same goes for vocalisation. Yer not JUST makin' it up...what you've done is collect information and now you're using parts of it in random order.

Works the same with a newspaper (or internet) article...just "sing" it to yourself (quietly..or your nearest and dearest will think you're nuts!).

Eventually you'll be able to strum random chords and hum melodies over the top of them. Now, a warning. Have a taperecorder going, 'cause it's bloody hard to remember when you've hit on something that interests you. I've lost thousands of good melodies that way. You think..."oh it'll come back"...but sometimes it doesn't....'cause it's an improvisation....so grab it while you can!

Rick