What makes a good melody?

Most good melodies are comprised of stepwise motion (i.e., move by scale steps), with occasional leaps. Melodies that are too leapy are often too difficult to sing. Good writers use melodic leaps as a good way to generate little shots of energy. Most good melodies have a discernible relationship with the bass line.

secretsofsongwriting.com - 5 Characteristics of Any Great Melody | The Essential Secrets of Songwriting

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There’s not really a lot of difference between the way you write a melody for one genre, and the way you’d write it for another. What makes melodies sound different is the way they’re performed, and the kinds of chords and vocal harmonies you might use to accompany them. This is why I often find myself reminding songwriters to listen to different styles of music. The best songwriters out there have much to show us, no matter what musical world they live in. To say it differently, the characteristics that make a good country melody, for example are (generally speaking) the same ones that make a good rock melody. And no matter how far back into music’s “fossil record”, you’ll find that melodic construction really hasn’t changed very much. I’ve listed five characteristics below that describe most melodies written by today’s busiest songwriters. Curiously, those same five characteristics would describe almost any vocal melody written by J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn, Schubert or Brahms. Most good melodies restrict their basic range to no more than an octave-and-a-half. Most good melodies use repeating elements. Listeners should be hearing certain melodic intervals, rhythms and other musical shapes repeating throughout the melody. Most good melodies are comprised of stepwise motion (i.e., move by scale steps), with occasional leaps. Melodies that are too leapy are often too difficult to sing. Good writers use melodic leaps as a good way to generate little shots of energy. Most good melodies have a discernible relationship with the bass line. There are four ways that melodies can move with respect to the bass: parallel motion (the melody and bass move in the same direction by the same interval); similar motion (both move in the same direction by a different interval); oblique motion (one stays the same while the other moves); and contrary (both parts move in opposite directions.) You’ll want to mix & match these four ways. By doing so, you create a bass that feels almost like a countermelody, and frees up your bass from being overly static. Most good melodies have a climactic point, down from which it moves to a cadence (a “rest spot”). A climactic point usually refers to a melody’s highest pitch, but not always. A climactic point is a mixture of things: a high note, along with a significant harmonization, and a strong rhythmic placement, like on a strong beat. It’s fun to put these five qualities to the test. Take one of your favourite songs, and see if its melody exhibits all or most of these descriptions. With a few exceptions, you’ll see that it probably does. Then take one of your own melodies and see how it fares. You’re going to find that it will take very little to rework an uninteresting melody into something that works really well.

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Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website

“The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6 e-book bundle will show you how to write great songs, harmonize your melodies, and give you hundreds of chord progressions in the process.

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Can I get free music on my phone?

You can get free music on an Android phone through a variety of apps. Streaming apps like Spotify and SoundCloud offer free versions that are ad-sponsored. There are also dozens of radio apps, which let you listen to radio stations locally or around the world.

businessinsider.com - The best apps for listening to free music on your Android phone or tablet

You can get free music on an Android phone through a variety of apps.

Streaming apps like Spotify and SoundCloud offer free versions that are ad-sponsored.

There are also dozens of radio apps, which let you listen to radio stations locally or around the world.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If you grew up in the early 2000's, you probably remember the days of Limewire, Napster, and even waiting for a song to come on the radio just so you could hear it again. Safe to say, those days are now gone. And while it's somewhat of a relief not to have to go to such complex measures to get music on your phone anymore, it's also a little bit of a pain. It seems like all music requires a monthly subscription now, or otherwise you have to pay nearly two dollars to own a single song. It's not as bad as it seems, though. It turns out that there are still plenty of places you can listen to free music nowadays — especially if you have an Android phone.

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