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The creation of melodies without lyrics

cgglydecgglyde Pro Posts: 109
From experience I've always had to write lyrics first then a melody for those lyrics, by overlapping my lyrics and my music and finding ways to make them fit together. This works for the most part and has it's benefits, I can work off the natural rhythm of the words and natural acends / decends of the notes. But I don't have a great control over the rhythm this way, cause I'm trying to cram all the word I want to use into the passage I've chosen. I feel like being able to write a melody first before a lyric is so much more beneficial because you have free range of movement in many more musical aspects, at least in my opinion. However I struggle with this, every time I try to write a melody first, I tend to fall into my usual habits and I also feel like I'm focusing on to much at once and it overwhelms while I try to do it. I'm not gonna explain to much more and just ask my question, for those of you who write melodies, primarily without words, whats your process and why, if you don't mind sharing. 

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  • mkeymontmkeymont Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 43
    @cgglyde, One thing that I sometimes do is to choose a phrase, something that you're working on lyrically or even random and put on some kind of jam track or play some music and just sing along using that phrase. You'll come up with fresh new ways to sing that phrase out of boredom alone!! I once read that guitarist Steve Vai would, as an exercise, play the same note for an hour straight. I did it once and sure enough, after 5 minutes I got so bored that the little subtleties and variations started to become more important and noticeable. It's a great way to increase your musical sensitivities. Also, try writing melodies using only a few notes. It forces you to realize that rhythm is a huge part of what makes a melody unique! Mike
  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,378
  • KokonuhtKokonuht Member, Enrolled Posts: 658
    Really cool vid! I had a song in a dream once, I woke up and I remembered it. Though the memory didn't last long, I forgotten about it later =\
  • david1552david1552 Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 74
    @MichaelS

    Thanks for sharing :)

    I'm not sure I've dreamed about a melody/song, but sometimes a melody hits me and IF I don't record it directly it's goooone :( even though I always thinks "Ohh this is a good melody, there's no way I will forget it..."

    Anyway, for me the creation of a song ALWAYS starts with a melody... I've never managed to write lyrics before I have a melody...

    //David
  • MichaelSMichaelS Pro Posts: 73

    @david1552:

    Yeah, if you don`t write it down, it`s fly away.  Very fragile substance... :^(   It's happened with me too and now I try to record immediately. By the way,  I started to use the simple voice recorder. Very helpful little device .  

  • david1552david1552 Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 74
    @MichaelS
    That's certainly is a good thing those little voice recorders :) I use my mobile as a portable recorder at the moment and it works quite good. I'm not sure how many great melodies I've lost because I didn't put it on tape immediately...

    //David
  • cgglydecgglyde Pro Posts: 109
    Thanks for all the comments and advice and that is an awesome vid......Yeah I always have to write the lyrics and then follow the natural melody and maybe exaggerate parts.....but I've been reading through these responses and I think I've thought of a good way to go about it. Thanks for all the help
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