Writing a melody

Subject: Writing a melody
From: GUEST,Helen
Date: 24 Jan 01 - 11:33 AM

I am trying to find a sequence of steps to give to my student to follow when he writes his own melody. I give my student an exercise to continue a two measure given phrase. My student is 14 years old. I gave him to follow the following sequence when completing a two measure phrase. I myself feel confused about the procedure so if anyone can help please read and reply to me with any feedback. Thanks a lot.

1) Write for piano instrument 2) Put expression marks 3) Divide the given phrase in rhythmic motifs. Then lightly write above the staff the rhythmic motifs in different order. He can omit some motifs. The second phrase and any subsequent phrase must have the same number of bars as the first phrase. 4) Add notes to the rhythm you wrote. Any notes can be used. Try to incorporate into your own phrases characteristic intervals included in the first phrase. For example if the given phrase the examiner gave you has a a big skip of an interval of 7th use it in your own phrases as well. Finish the two middle phrases with the 3rd or 5th degree of the key the phrase is written in. (IF ANYONE HAS ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO COMPOSE A MELODY TO A GIVEN PHRASE PLEASE WRITE THEM. I AM EAGER TO LISTEN TO THEM) 5) It is best to avoid big intervals. However if we need to use a big interval we can approach and follow it with an interval within that interval. 6) Avoid intervals of augmented 2nds, augmented 4ths and 5th and major 7th 7) At the end of the last phrase (the end of the melody writing use the leading note going to the tonic). 8) You can delay to resolve the leading note to the tonic if we put in between notes within the V chord. 9) Avoid the use of the leading note within the middle of the piece 10) You can write a repeatition of the melody 11) You can write a transposition the melody 12) You can write the melody in inversion 13) Add dynamics 14) You can repeat notes

Subject: RE: Writing a melody
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 24 Jan 01 - 11:47 AM

a few quick thoughts...gotta run:

Give him a chord structure first.

Show him the blues structure and scales and let him improvise.

Is he motivated to do this?

Break down the exercise into smaller steps, perhaps change another tune first.

Subject: RE: Writing a melody
From: GUEST,Helen
Date: 24 Jan 01 - 12:00 PM

Dear Mary in Kentucky:

Can you show me the blues structure?

What do you mean by saying "Change another tune first?"

Subject: RE: Writing a melody
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 24 Jan 01 - 02:05 PM

Hi Helen,

This page (http://learnjazzpiano.com/index.mv?sub_page=lesson_menu.txt&page=lesson2.txt) gives some info on the blues scale and the 12 bar blues form. There are probably better sites, and certainly better books. You can search the Internet using google.com and the words blues-chords-scales-etc. I once taught a 14-year-old boy piano. (I'm now teaching a 14-year-old boy come to think about it!) This fellow didn't want to learn to read music, so most of my methods were out the window. He didn't respond to writing his own songs (ditties) with the I, IV, V7 chords. Nor would he write a "sad" song using minor keys. Nor would he write an "oriental sounding song" using the black keys. But when another person showed him the blues scale and the 12 bar form, he really took off writing his own music. He also loved to play along with a tape or CD. (Ray Charles, George Winston) His favorite was "Hit the Road, Jack" to play along with a tape and improvise a melody by just hitting notes of the chords that were played. He had quite a nice voice, and was uninhibited as a 10 year old, so the first song he learned was "Great Balls of Fire" where all he had to do was hit a few chords, then sing!

By change another tune first...what I meant was like in a "hootenany" or jam, where you sing along with the song being performed, but make up your own tune/harmony/descant to the underlying chord structure. Actually, I was concerned with the young man's age and motivation and thought breaking up the task into smaller chunks would make it easier.

When kids are exposed to this approach early on, they seem to be very comfortable with making up their own tunes.

Let us know it goes.

Mary