Creating Melody

[TSJMajesty]

Fwiw, always remember: Rhythm trumps note choices! Some of the most iconic melodies are remembered because of their rhythms.

Since when? There are no such absolutes. Is this remembered because of its rhythm?


Or maybe the intro to Stairway To Heaven? Or say, the harmony guitar solo in Hotel California?

It can be either.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Since when?

Since the very beginning. And I'm absolutely serious about that. The first "musical steps" humans may have performed very likely were rhythms.
Most (in fact: all) music simply can not even exist without rhythm. But music can exist without melody or harmony.

 

[Piing]

Since the very beginning. And I'm absolutely serious about that. The first "musical steps" humans may have performed very likely were rhythms.
Most (in fact: all) music simply can not even exist without rhythm. But music can exist without melody or harmony.

Really?

My first musical memory from my mother's womb is an OM, not a beat.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Really?

Yes, really. Your examples aren't even remotely "the beginning" of making music. They're not even in the ballpark. And all "OM"s and what not can only exist on a timeline, too.

 

[TSJMajesty]

Yes, really. Your examples aren't even remotely "the beginning" of making music. They're not even in the ballpark. And all "OM"s and what not can only exist on a timeline, too.

Yeah, and even a couple rocks banged together have pitch. And just because "The first "musical steps" humans may have performed very likely were rhythms," (looks like you don't actually know), it has nothing to do with the thread topic, which is Creating Melody.

Like I said, there are no absolutes in music, like 'rhythm trumps note choices.'

 

[Sascha Franck]

it has nothing to do with the thread topic, which is Creating Melody.

It has a LOT to do with creating melody, simply because rhythm is part of all melodies.

Like I said, there are no absolutes in music, like 'rhythm trumps note choices.'

Maybe no absolutes. But tons of kickass players will tell you just that.

 

[Piing]

Yes, really. Your examples aren't even remotely "the beginning" of making music. They're not even in the ballpark. And all "OM"s and what not can only exist on a timeline, too.

 

[duzie]

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

I can’t say that I’ve ever been in more complete agreement with @Sascha Franck . Must be because we are talking about music and not gear

Of course pitch is very important. But man — rhythm is (1) king and (2) sooooooo much more complex than we give it credit for. Try to play a “simple” Miles Davis solo along to the recording. It’s damn near impossible, and why his melodies are soooooo perfect.

 

[Piing]

Yes, really. Your examples aren't even remotely "the beginning" of making music. They're not even in the ballpark. And all "OM"s and what not can only exist on a timeline, too.

As the Buddha said: all phenomena is impermanent. Therefore, I must agree with you: everything we know is tempo-based. From melody, to our ephemeral existences and the duration of this universe .

 

[Brandon7s]

Since the very beginning. And I'm absolutely serious about that. The first "musical steps" humans may have performed very likely were rhythms.
Most (in fact: all) music simply can not even exist without rhythm. But music can exist without melody or harmony.

Exactly. Rhythm is time. Without time, the only thing you can get out of harmony or melody is a static chord or drone. Ask someone which is more musical, a drum groove or a drone that never changes?

You need time to make music. Everything else is on top.

 

[Rewolf]

So… Neil Young Cinnamon Girl guitar solo….?

 

[Gothi]

Creating a pleasent or unpleasent melody (on purpose) has always been a partly intuitive question, I´d say. Not even classical counterpoint offers a formula to create a main melody. Instead you are given a Cantus Firmus, an already given melody, and what you learn is to make second voices that fit its implied and possible harmonies, not to make the main melody. In classical counterpoint, you do not think in the division rhythm, chords and melody, but what is called Species, that is movement of voices in a linear perspective, e.g. one playing in whole notes, another in quarter notes. So every voice is considered a melody. The focus is on intervals and the relations between consonances and dissonances and not chord blocks. Harmonies arise from interaction of voices from "below" rather than being smacked down from above by a chord instrument. Chords extensions like a 6th, 7th or 9th are always dissolved into consonant triads.

Me and my bandmate´s music is all melody driven. However inventing them is not a theoretical issue, but very intuitive. I am pretty messed up in theory, but when it comes to melody, it is a spiritual matter, I have no idea how they arise, but I recognize my inspiration from classical music, folk music and modern music I have listened to all my life. Sometimes it ends up in rather freaky combinations, e.g. this tune where you will hear a paganistic melody written for bagpipes in combination with Wiener-classical aspirations and a synth bass that moves in phrygian and locrian moves inspired by Industrial. So it is basically a multimodal mess from a theoretical perspective, yet we think the intuitive relation between the melodies bind the mess together. Judge for yourself. Our melodies simply arise from listening and listening and listening to different kind of music: modal, tonal, western, eastern etc. Therefore that is the best advice I can give. Listen and hum your own out in your head. You got them all in there. Hope these thoughts can inspire you further.



Kindly
Gothi
Tribe of Hofund