4.3 types of melodies
There are different types of melodies used in the music you listen to. Some melody types can be played or sung by themselves or together.
Terms:
Main Melody: The main melody is the most important one. It is the loudest in the mix and the one that gets stuck in your head.
Counter Melody: A counter melody has a different rhythm than the main melody and doesn’t play all the time. The counter melody complements the main melody.
Ostinato: An ostinato is a short melodic fragment that is repeated over and over.
1 | Melody Review
Make sure your notes are in key and you are using intention, repetition, variation, space to create a memorable melodies.
2 | Imagine An Artist
Create a blank region in a piano track over the first verse of your 3.3 project. Listen to it and imagine a specific artist and how/what they would sing over your track.
3 | Main Verse 1 Melody
Write a purposeful melody in the style of your artist by singing in your head or singing out loud while using the piano roll to capture your ideas.
4 | Main Chorus Melody
Make a new melody that contrasts your verse. Try using more repetition and longer notes in the chorus. Remember its the part that most people get stuck in their head.
5 | Main Verse 2 Melody
Choose if you want your second verse to be the same, similar, or different from the first. Copy and paste if its the same, alter it slightly if it is similar, or write a new one in a different range.
6 | Copy Main Melody
Copy the main chorus melody to the second chorus.
7 | Verse Counter Melody
Add a new track with a different sounding instrument and write a contrasting melody that doesn’t “step on the toes” of the main melody.
8 | Chorus Counter Melody
Create a counter melody for the chorus.
9 | Add The Ostinatto
Choose a short plucky sound and write a melody with a lot of repetition in the pitch and rhythm. Copy and paste the ostinatto to fit your arrangement.
10 | Mix
Change the volume of the melodies to make the counter melodies and ostinattos support the main melodies in the mix.