You have little ditties play in your head all day, but can't seem to find the words to make them worth listening to. That's okay! Talents come in all shapes and sizes and sorts. Some artists tend to struggle more with one part of their musical talent than the other and have to rely on the help of co-writers to complete the perfect song. Who doesn't love hanging out with their friends and writing songs about their lives though??? Here are some exercises to help you strengthen your melody writing.
1. Hum it out. Start humming along to your already favorite songs. When you finish the chorus and bridge, add a few more hums you make up yourself. As small as this exercise sounds, it's actually super beneficial to help you start building your own melodies. You realize you have always had ideas to add to your favorite songs! Those ideas may just manifest into your own masterpiece.
2. Play around on an instrument. If you've never tried an instrument, pick up a friend's guitar or tinker around on a piano. Sometimes, just playing around on an instrument (even if you don't really know how to play it yet) can lead to new melodies.
3. Write your lyrics first then sing them over an already-famous song. Hearing how another writer created a song can encourage new melody ideas you wouldn't have had otherwise.
4. Research your favorite songs and see how the songwriters came up with the idea for their melody. When we listen to who inspires us, sometimes we gain new ideas from their former creations. Having similar habits will show up in your own music.
5. Co-write! This one cannot be stressed in the songwriting industry enough. Call up a friend, go to your local NSAI chapter meetings or call the Nashville office for some help on finding possible co-writers. If NSAI knows about your music and style, we are far more likely able to suggest possible cowriting connections.
Melody can be sometimes be tough if you are more of a lyricist, so try and use some of these helpful tips to up your melody game!
