It may seem utterly obvious, but the importance of melody can sometimes be overlooked-great grooves, clever chord sequences and glossy production can  culminate in just that: a great groove, some chords and glossy production! From a music licensing perspective, it tends to be the melody that sells; writers who can compose great melodies are of most interest to film producers. The chords and rhythm set the mood, but its the tune that allows the viewer to relate to the product in the  fizzy drink commercial or makes us fall in love with the main character in the blockbuster movie!

It is essential to know  the fundamentals of melody, i.e., symmetry and balance-(a few notes in one direction, then back again), small steps, not jumpy leaps (If you’ve composed your melody on a guitar or keyboard, test it by singing it back  to yourself. Is this easy to do? If not, chances are its a weak melody). Strong ones are memorable, they stick in people’s heads, that’s why people whistle, sing and buy them! Keep the rhythm of your melody simple, even if all else around it is complex and syncopated (Pat Metheny is a great exponent of this). There’s no excuse to overlook melody in writing unless there really is a justifiable reason to do so; even some of the biggest selling rap songs are those that introduce a strong melody or riff at some point within the song.

We recommend listening to great melodies; give yourself a chance to be inspired by them! Think outside the box and don’t be restricted by your musical tastes and genre preferences when composing. For example, listen to Mozart, Debussy or Michel Le Grand, then write your ‘Dubstep’ or whatever style track straight after. You never know, as a consequence your song might receive a great hook just after the  middle 8 build up. It could make you millions!

Best Wishes,

Songbayteam 🙂