Need some advanced melody help

[tharealphaze]

this is sort of advanced for me anyway, but what do i need to learn to be able to put different scales in one melody? For example i think i saw a post where someone said the melodys where in a minor then had c major in it later or something like that? i feel like this could take me to the next level i need to be at with making melodys. Ive been getting a lot of help from you guys lately thanks for all the support this site is awesome!

[mysteryman]

A lot of Chord progressions have BOTH minors and majors in them. Example: Try Playing... A Minor, F Major, G Major, A Minor, E Minor. Thats a simple chord progression and it has both Minor and Majors in them. I believe thats in the C Major scale too but dont take my word for it. Theres tools on the web to help you with this sort of stuff. Google phrases like "Chord Progressions" and "Musical Scales".

[Oliver SoundShoots]

If your track is in a major key, then just lay out your notes in order (e.g. 'c major' C-D-E-F-G-A-B) then the minor scale that will work best to compliment the major root will be the 6th note in your list. So, for example, A minor (6th in the list) will work good with C major.

If your track is in a minor key, then just lay our your notes in order (e.g. 'c minor' C-D-Eb-F-G-Ab-Bb) and the major scale that will work best to compliment your minor key will be the 3rd note in your list. So, for example, Eb major (3rd in the list) will work good with C minor.

If you use this system with your example of A minor, you will see that C major is a good fit for it!

This system works well because, for example, Eb major and C minor use exactly the same notes in their scales, but just have different ordering of the notes, so even though you're mixing major and minor scales, you're not using any additional notes, it's just that the riffs/melodies start from a different note.

This is just a rough guide on what people usually use, the best way though is just to experiment. The most striking music always comes from experimentation and laying down notes that people aren't expecting. Hope this helps!

[tharealphaze]

If your track is in a major key, then just lay out your notes in order (e.g. 'c major' C-D-E-F-G-A-B) then the minor scale that will work best to compliment the major root will be the 6th note in your list. So, for example, A minor (6th in the list) will work good with C major.

If your track is in a minor key, then just lay our your notes in order (e.g. 'c minor' C-D-Eb-F-G-Ab-Bb) and the major scale that will work best to compliment your minor key will be the 3rd note in your list. So, for example, Eb major (3rd in the list) will work good with C minor.

If you use this system with your example of A minor, you will see that C major is a good fit for it!

This system works well because, for example, Eb major and C minor use exactly the same notes in their scales, but just have different ordering of the notes, so even though you're mixing major and minor scales, you're not using any additional notes, it's just that the riffs/melodies start from a different note.

This is just a rough guide on what people usually use, the best way though is just to experiment. The most striking music always comes from experimentation and laying down notes that people aren't expecting. Hope this helps!

this actually made me understand it A LOT better. I havent had the time to sit down and learn about it yet but now i have an idea now thanks A LOT.

[Oliver SoundShoots]

No worries, glad I could be of help to you!

If you ever want any other clarifications on this then just shout me!

I'm more of a scales man as opposed to chords, so if you ever want any other tips or ideas to try then just let me know!

[kebeats]

A Minor, F Major, G Major, A Minor, E Minor. Thats a simple chord progression and it has both Minor and Majors in them. I believe thats in the C Major scale too but dont take my word for it.

Yupp. Those are C maj's diatonic chords. Which means they come from the scale.

A minor (6th in the list) will work good with C major.

Eb major (3rd in the list) will work good with C minor.

Had ta say somethin cause these aren't just examples of 'a good fit'. They're both examples of a major/minor key's relative minor/major.

I'm more of a scales man as opposed to chords,

Come on bruh!

[Oliver SoundShoots]

think your splitting hairs here. I did explain in my post that these major/minor examples are comprised of the same notes, hence that's why they work together.

[bandcoach]

As for using different keys in the same tune, it is a broad question that can be answered in so many different ways.

For example, I start in the key of G major and end up in G minor for the second half of the melody: what changes?

My melodic material can be drawn from the following:

G major has G-A-B-C-D-E-F^#-G
G natural minor has G-A-B^b-C-D-E^b-F-G
G harmonic minor has G-A-B^b-C-D-E^b-F^#-G
G melodic minor has G-A-B^b-C-D-E-F^#-G ascending and G-A-B^b-C-D-E^b-F-G descending

Because I am moving from tonic major to tonic minor I keep the same melodic outline and alter the notes within the melody to fit the new key






Now consider that I use the same melody but instead move to E minor instead of G minor, what changes now?

My melodic material can be drawn from the following:

G major has G-A-B-C-D-E-F^#-G
E natural minor has E-F^#-G-A-B-C-D-E
E harmonic minor has E-F^#-G-A-B-C-D^#-E
E melodic minor has E-F^#-G-A-B-C^#-D^#-E ascending and E-F^#-G-A-B-C-D-E descending

Because I am moving from major to relative minor I keep the same melodic outline, but shift the pitch of the notes (transpose) to the new key centre and adjust the other parts of the melody to fit the new minor key requirements






Sidebar: Yes the melody has that jaunty feel associated with quaint programs about old cars/horse and buggy but it serves to illustrate the point....

[Oliver SoundShoots]

I like the GMaj to GMin change, slightly different to the more usual shift to Emin. Both sounding good, and great presentation Bandcoach!

[kebeats]

think your splitting hairs here. I did explain in my post that these major/minor examples are comprised of the same notes, hence that's why they work together.

Lol. I read it. What I don't understand is how you know scales but not chords? Take it how you want I just wanna see you take that (baby)step. Nothin more..