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TIP: People having problems getting a good melody

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 1:13 pm
by future producer
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

Re: TIP: People having problems getting a good melody

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 2:09 pm
by 3rdeye
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 8)

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 3:53 pm
by somejerk
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

Re: TIP: People having problems getting a good melody

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:42 pm
by vonboyage
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.

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:42 pm
by producethought
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!

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 6:03 pm
by Sharmaji
got an apeggiator in your synth? turn it on. mess w/ it. record the output. mess with that.

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:07 pm
by roqqert
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

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:15 pm
by feasible_weasel
just play random keys, until something u like comes out..

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:49 pm
by __________
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

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:54 pm
by feasible_weasel
£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....

Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:40 pm
by djake
feasible_weasel wrote:just play random keys, until something u like comes out..
brap to dat

Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:26 pm
by forensix (mcr)
just slap your cock on the keyboard then quantize the results.

INSTANT DUBSTEP MELODIES



(has anyone ever thought about keys)

Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 9:46 pm
by tempest
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

Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 9:49 pm
by the duke
listen to Mozart :)

Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:07 pm
by auan
Fuck Mozart, Listen to Wagner, listen to Rimsky-Korsakov, listen to Mussorsgy, Stravinsky, Prokofiev...

Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 12:02 am
by psychonaught
Auan wrote:Fuck Mozart, Listen to Wagner, listen to Rimsky-Korsakov, listen to Mussorsgy, Stravinsky, Prokofiev...
the cheeky girls another one for that list

Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:33 am
by misk
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.

Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 7:33 pm
by sherbert mastodon
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!!!!

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 8:34 am
by dem ones
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

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 9:43 am
by chunkie
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 ....'

:D