How Do I make a Melody

R

Raymie James

New member
I am new to this site, and I have a question. I need some help from some of you who are well versed in the use of music software. I own every piece of production software on the market. Acid Pro; cakewalk; FL Studio; Cubase; and Band in a Box. The only one that I can seem to create a melody on (chord progression) is Band in A Box. As you can imagine, after a short while, that becomes boring. I want to create songs on the others because they present much more diversity both in sound and additions, but I can't seem to find a way to make a progression on any of them without at least a million loops, samples etc. It would seem to me that one would have to have such an extensive library of sounds, as well as being familiar with each one of them, that one could never put together a cohesive melody. I can import a chord progression from BIAB into Acid Pro and add to it from there, but the difference in sound is very noticable.
In short, I would appreciate any help that any of you could render.
 
No, there's no need to have extensive sound library.
What you probably want is instruments and MIDI. With MIDI, you play the melodies on your keyboard and they get sequenced at your software of choice. With virtual instruments, you can select (or synthesise) your sound of choice which will be playing that melody.
You need to read the manuals to learn how to add/edit MIDI in piano roll.
There are stock instruments in the software you mentioned, I recommend going for FL or Cubase. (but that's not everything out there, I know at least 10 DAWs not named here ;)). Pick piano for example and create some melodies just with that. Now bring bass instrument for example and play accompainment. Then some synths to add another layer. Then some drum samples and place them wherever you want to make a drum pattern.
And on and on ;)
Hope this helped a little, if not, I can get more specific about how exactly to make sequences and stuff, but reading a manual or quickstart guide is probably better...
 
how long have you been making beats? you have to walk before you run bro.. it will not come over night.. i just press buttons until i hear a decent melody being created sometimes.. no real formula.,
 
A chord is just two or more note played at the same time. Press 3 keys on a piano that are two or three keys apart. Keep messing with different keys until you hear something that sounds good. It is that easy.


 
Desire Inspires said:
A chord is just two or more note played at the same time. Press 3 keys on a piano that are two or three keys apart. Keep messing with different keys until you hear something that sounds good. It is that easy.
Click to expand...

I would just suggest learning some theory. It will catapult you beyond just pressing some keys.
 
GodParticle said:
I would just suggest learning some theory. It will catapult you beyond just pressing some keys.
Click to expand...


Learning music theory is the best solution. But unfortunately, most people here do not want to put in the effort to learn. They want something quick and easy.

Even though the quick and easy lesson does not solve the problem, it speaks to the immediacy of information that people want.

Learning and improving takes a lot of hard work. Most people here are good people. But they are not ready to study music theory and practice for hours at a time.

I never see people that know how to play instruments ask simple questions like "How do I make a melody".

Bottom line: learning is not important.
 
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so pander to the lowest common denominator instead, is that what you are saying. If they want to be professional (and most of them do) then they need to step up and accept that part of being professional is a commitment to ongoing learning about music and production.

btw a diad (2 notes) is a not a chord - it can imply several chords but is not a chord in and of itself.

it requires 3 notes before we have enough evidence to state a particular chor dis in use.
 
bandcoach said:
so pander to the lowest common denominator instead, is that what you are saying. If they want to be professional (and most of them do) then they need to step up and accept that part of being professional is a commitment to ongoing learning about music and production.


btw a diad (2 notes) is a not a chord - it can imply several chords but is not a chord in and of itself.


it requires 3 notes before we have enough evidence to state a particular chor dis in use.
Click to expand...


Yes, it does take at least 3 notes to make a chord. But I had to start off easy. If I said "play three keys at once", there would be more confusion. Someone will say "I pressed three keys but it didn't sound right" or "what three keys to press?" or "how long do you hold down the keys" or "what kinda keyboard do you use to make chords?" and a thousand other questions.

People here are not bad. I would probably hang out with people from here for fun. But I don't think some people are really serious about having a music career. They just like the cool factor of making beats and think that somebody will put them in the game just for being cool.

Even producers who make simple beats have put in a lot of work and have some knowledge of music theory. But when you start talking about reading or learning, some people's minds just go blank. That is why it is best to keep it simple.
 
had and still having same problem.... I had never even heard of music theory. played by ear if this key sounded right with this one cool nxt key. turns out it was c major I was playing in. still learning but from what ive learned if u learn the scales and theory behind them it becomes more then just random note selection and you can control the song. instead of going where the song takes you.
 
Desire Inspires said:
Learning music theory is the best solution. But unfortunately, most people here do not want to put in the effort to learn. They want something quick and easy.

Even though the quick and easy lesson does not solve the problem, it speaks to the immediacy of information that people want.

Learning and improving takes a lot of hard work. Most people here are good people. But they are not ready to study music theory and practice for hours at a time.

I never see people that know how to play instruments ask simple questions like "How do I make a melody".

Bottom line: learning is not important.
Click to expand...

Not true, most ppl 'are' here to learn. That's what the sites for. To the OP "the search box will answer any question you have" Why not upload something for us to dissect and give pointers.
 
Start off making an beat on a table or with some odd items like pots, bottles, and etc. Once you start making people nodding or rap you have the ability to push keys and create a vivid track. Try it...
 
Before making a melody you must have some skills over guitar and beats!
It means that How much you hands on beats and how much you hands on chords. So for making a good melody you must have expertise on these things. Best of luck.
 
I think the most important thing is figuring out which genre you wanna focus on. Then listen to ALOT of songs in that genre. Then play around with the piano and a metronome.
 
Think about fluidity in the pattern. Does it sound good? or does it sound messy? Start off with just a couple keys repeating itself and than add to it. You don't have to be Mozart and come up with a opus on the spot. Just make something that YOU and your ears will like.
 
i usualy hum then play the solo keyss.. after i tryna matching it with the second hand or different instrument then if i want anything else i tweak them... #MelodyMadeEasy
 
I'd say play your favourite melodies and then try to accompany them with chords you pick by your ear, it can somehow help you to guess how the melodic progression was created. Also always seek to find the scale of that melody and more important there can be some notes going off scale - that's how more complex melodies are created. Study also why those notes going off scale sound good. It's relatively easy to create a melody from a 4 or 8 (or 16) chord pattern just picking notes from that chord or scale, but if you take a listen to complex melodic music (classic or jazz for example), it's going off the pattern pretty often, making it unique and distinct...
 
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