10 Hints for Creating a More Tuneful Melody

The tune, or melody, is probably the most important and identifying aspect of a song. It’s what we seem to relate to and remember most easily. It’s what we sing, hum or whistle.

Paul McCartney once related the satisfaction he experienced one morning as he was going to bed late after a gig. As he was getting into bed he heard the milkman whistling the tune to “Is There Anything That You Want?” McCartney recalls the great feeling of being on the same wavelength as the milkman, and relates, “I think that was one of the best compliments I’ve ever been paid to this day.” That’s the power of a memorable tune.

Not all music today focuses on the melody. A lot of music is rhythm based, being driven by the groove of the drums and guitar, with the singer swimming around in there somewhere. Other music is most memorable for the riffs and licks the guitars or other instruments are making. In an interview, the Corrs once attributed their success in Australia to their music being so melodic. They felt that Australians relate well to songs with a strong tune, and that a lot of music today lacks a strong melodic component.

Whatever style of music you write, your composition is likely to benefit from having a memorable tune. Here are ten hints for creating one.

1. Regularly Write Down or Record Your Ideas

New creative ideas can appear in your head at the strangest of times. Have you ever had a great idea in the shower? I’ve never worked out why having a shower is so conducive to creative ideas. I experience it regularly, and often hear the same from others.

Also, creative ideas seem to hit me when I’m going to sleep, or waking up, or when I’m out walking near a river. The key thing is to have a way of writing down your ideas, or recording them, before they vanish back to wherever they came from. Carry around a notebook or a mobile phone capable of voice recording so that your best ideas aren’t lost.

2. Noodle Around On Your Favorite Instrument

Sit down with a clear head, and start playing whatever comes into your mind. Or just allow your fingers to dance around with different notes and intervals. When you hear something you like, write down the notes, or record what you were playing.

3. Noodle Around On An Instrument You’re Less Familiar With

The different sound of another instrument, or the different way you play the notes, can lead to new melody ideas. Even if you can’t play the instrument you’ve picked up, fiddling around can lead to inspiration. My son, a drummer, regularly keeps lots of different instruments in his bedroom – from bass guitar to flugelhorn – and gets the most amazing creative musical ideas by fiddling with them.

4. Hum While You’re Ironing

When you’re doing brainless work around the house or yard, start humming or whistling. Use the opportunity to make some new music. Because you’re mind isn’t 100% on your music-making or work, some new ideas might sneak in. Also the different environment might stimulate your mind in a different way.

There have been a few times recently when I’ve been humming or singing to our baby to help him get to sleep, and some new melody ideas based around an interesting interval (a fourth or a fifth) have developed. As I kept humming I was able to experiment by adding or taking away some of the notes that led to that interval. I suppose I should have written those ideas down!

5. Disassemble Some Tunes You Like

Here’s an experiment for you. Take a tune that you really like and write down the notes. Now take a totally different song that you like, and play back the notes you wrote down in the timing of the second song. If there was something promising in what you just played, then keep fiddling by changing the notes or the timing slightly. Write down or record the finished product.

6. Collect Small Melody Fragments

A tune will often go for eight or sixteen bars, and a song will contain several tunes – typically verse, chorus, and possibly bridge. Rather than coming up with the whole sixteen bars of a tune at once, collect lots of smaller two-bar phrases that sound promising. When you have a bit of a collection, you can start trying to combine these into a longer tune. Look for combinations that flow naturally from one to the other, or phrases where one sounds like it is answering the other. Also look out for phrases that contrast with each other.

7. Don’t Be In a Hurry to Finish Your Tune

Leave room for polishing! Even when you have a very promising tune, don’t be in a hurry to decide that it’s finished. Keep noodling with it on the keyboard or guitar. Experiment with small changes with the timing and notes played. Try some small embellishments, and try simplifying the tune by cutting a few notes out. Try singing the notes to see how natural they feel. It’s amazing at how much better a bit of work and polish can improve a tune.

8. Sit On It For a Few Days

Spending too much time on the one tune can filter the way you are hearing it. Once you’re fairly happy with your tune, record it and come back to it in a few days. What sounded amazing a few days ago may sound a bit contrived. Something that sounded less impressive may actually sound quite good. A fresh perspective can lead to a better evaluation of what you have created, and also new inspiration about where that tune could go.

9. Sing or Hum Over a Chord Progression

The tune might be the last part of the song to be written. Many bands create the instrumental parts first, then create the melody (and sometimes the lyrics as well) by improvising while the band is playing the song. Try this yourself by singing along with the band, singing along with an instrumental recording, or singing along while playing the music yourself.

The resulting melody will probably fit the song very well, but don’t be too easily satisfied. It may be that the song sounds great because of the groove and instrumental parts, but the melody is still a little weak. Try improving the melody with some of the other hints on this page.

10. Write the Lyrics First

Many composers relate that they find it easier to create a tune if they know the lyrics. Start by reading the lyrics out loud, and try to discover the natural rhythm of the words. Then read the words out loud over the top of a chord progression, and try to find a melody that works with the chords while keeping that natural rhythm. The lyrics may also suggest a mood and genre for the song, whether it is slow and thoughtful or fast and driving, and the type of instruments to be used in the final recording.

Do you agree that the tune is the key element of a song? Would you like to add some more hints for creating a great melody? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.