TIP: People having problems getting a good melody

future producer · Post by **future producer** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 1:13 pm

I never bothered with scales or any music theory at all, everything was done by ear and at first my melodies were crap and odd sounding. What I done to learn more, and this helped a lot, was download loads of MIDI files from Rock to Trance and study how the hooks and other stuff was put together and then try and recreate it myself.

Another thing to do (some may not like this idea) is to find a a melody (MIDI again) and start to take things out, add things, and move stuff around until you got something you like.

If you want to learn a little music theory have a look at this free guide by Raven Spiral - http://www.ravenspiral.com/ravenspiralguide.pdf

3rdeye · Post by **3rdeye** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 2:09 pm

Future Producer wrote: If you want to learn a little music theory have a look at this free guide by Raven Spiral - http://www.ravenspiral.com/ravenspiralguide.pdf

good call, i mentioned this guide in another melody-related thread not long ago. cant recommend it enough, a really useful document for newcomers to music theory. it gets pretty into things but is written so that its easy to take in

somejerk · Post by **somejerk** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 3:53 pm

luckily i went to performing arts schools as a kid so i was trained to play piano and then later played bass. however, music education is never ending so i'm sure this will be useful!

thx

vonboyage · Post by **vonboyage** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:42 pm

Future Producer wrote: Another thing to do (some may not like this idea) is to find a a melody (MIDI again) and start to take things out, add things, and move stuff around until you got something you like.

Thats how i started mate, that.. and tryna re-create other peoples music.

Pretty good idea, that.

producethought · Post by **producethought** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:42 pm

want to make a good melody... go to a local university and learn some jazz theory... otherwise its all trite classical bullshit...

learn about dissonance!

Sharmaji · Post by **Sharmaji** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 6:03 pm

got an apeggiator in your synth? turn it on. mess w/ it. record the output. mess with that.

roqqert · Post by **roqqert** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:07 pm

its also the sound of your synth... if you wanna have spacy moody shit just get some lowpass filterd synths like a sine something like that and turn the release on...works always

feasible_weasel · Post by **feasible_weasel** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:15 pm

just play random keys, until something u like comes out..

__________ · Post by **__________** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:49 pm

weasel knows it. i'd say do it one note at a time though unless you want it proper random. i only know 2 scales which are both major, but i know what notes go together for a minor, mainly from playing guitar.

don't rape midi files, it won't teach you fuck all

feasible_weasel · Post by **feasible_weasel** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:54 pm

£10 Bag wrote:weasel knows it. i'd say do it one note at a time though unless you want it proper random. i only know 2 scales which are both major, but i know what notes go together for a minor, mainly from playing guitar.

don't rape midi files, it won't teach you fuck all

indeed, too many samples....

djake · Post by **djake** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:40 pm

feasible_weasel wrote:just play random keys, until something u like comes out..

brap to dat

forensix (mcr) · Post by **forensix (mcr)** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:26 pm

just slap your cock on the keyboard then quantize the results.

INSTANT DUBSTEP MELODIES

(has anyone ever thought about keys)

tempest · Post by **tempest** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 9:46 pm

I don't really understand this random keys thing, might work after lots of twiddling down the shit notes to the ones that are in the same scale...

or... you could just learn some scales and modes, theres heaps!! and if you practice them, you get good at keys

that's what i did with guitar anyway, and thats what i'm doin with the keys now...

seems like the best way to learn, is from the basics of what everythings made

the duke · Post by **the duke** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 9:49 pm

listen to Mozart

auan · Post by **auan** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:07 pm

Fuck Mozart, Listen to Wagner, listen to Rimsky-Korsakov, listen to Mussorsgy, Stravinsky, Prokofiev...

psychonaught · Post by **psychonaught** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 12:02 am

Auan wrote:Fuck Mozart, Listen to Wagner, listen to Rimsky-Korsakov, listen to Mussorsgy, Stravinsky, Prokofiev...

the cheeky girls another one for that list

misk · Post by **misk** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:33 am

forensix (mcr) wrote:just slap your cock on the keyboard then quantize the results.

INSTANT DUBSTEP MELODIES

(has anyone ever thought about keys)

cock. come up with your own ideas.

sherbert mastodon · Post by **sherbert mastodon** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 7:33 pm

Sing a line in your head then try to do that in midi.
I reckon looking at the phrasing other people use to help... i found it hard to
come up with new rhythms in the melodies, studying haydn helped... i transcribed a chunk of a string quartet piece into Sibelius, then Logic.... interesting!!!!

dem ones · Post by **dem ones** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 8:34 am

melody seems to be the hardest bit of makin tunes, i jus fuck about playin keys till i hit on something, or sometimes il do it manually in the piano roll,

jus woteva mate, if you run flstudio u can get all the scales and chords in the piano roll,

safe

chunkie · Post by **chunkie** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 9:43 am

http://www.sonalog.com/product.htm

get this

motion capture MIDI suit

then listen to your favourite dubstep track, dance about and run the midi track to your fav synth

whole new meaning to 'my track was inspired by ....'

TIP: People having problems getting a good melody

TIP: People having problems getting a good melody

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Re: TIP: People having problems getting a good melody

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