Melody Writing Techniques?

[MockingQuantum]

So I figured out another good melody technique. It's not so much writing as development, and it's probably blisteringly obvious, but it wasn't for me: Accents and Dynamics.

I've found that most of my dissatisfaction with my writing derived from the fact that even when I figured out a good melodic line, it felt lifeless. Well, playing around with where the accents fall in a phrase can really work with, or against, harmonic movement, and really creates interest either way.

I know it's simple, and kind of a no-brainer, but it's easy as crap to forget when you're working with plugins and sampled instruments.

[timaeus222]

So I figured out another good melody technique. It's not so much writing as development, and it's probably blisteringly obvious, but it wasn't for me: Accents and Dynamics.

I've found that most of my dissatisfaction with my writing derived from the fact that even when I figured out a good melodic line, it felt lifeless. Well, playing around with where the accents fall in a phrase can really work with, or against, harmonic movement, and really creates interest either way.

I know it's simple, and kind of a no-brainer, but it's easy as crap to forget when you're working with plugins and sampled instruments.

Yep. A good melody may have emphases on certain notes to add a sort of groove sometimes.

[Ethan Rex]

So I figured out another good melody technique. It's not so much writing as development, and it's probably blisteringly obvious, but it wasn't for me: Accents and Dynamics.

I've found that most of my dissatisfaction with my writing derived from the fact that even when I figured out a good melodic line, it felt lifeless. Well, playing around with where the accents fall in a phrase can really work with, or against, harmonic movement, and really creates interest either way.

I know it's simple, and kind of a no-brainer, but it's easy as crap to forget when you're working with plugins and sampled instruments.

Exactly dude. To go a step further, I'd say that factors such as sustain level and release time also add some extra life to things. Think about how you sing a melody; is every note played with a similar velocity, decay time, sustain level, etc? Hopefully, the answer is no - it's really easy for a human voice to add subtle inflection to the melody that gives it some soul. Similarly, a melody written in a DAW should have those same inflections.

[ectogemia]

Exactly dude. To go a step further, I'd say that factors such as sustain level and release time also add some extra life to things. Think about how you sing a melody; is every note played with a similar velocity, decay time, sustain level, etc? Hopefully, the answer is no - it's really easy for a human voice to add subtle inflection to the melody that gives it some soul. Similarly, a melody written in a DAW should have those same inflections.

Agreed. And for what it's worth, when I write lead parts, I very, very frequently automate the volume, the vibrato, modwheel-linked parameters, change the velocities, and sometimes create cloned instances of the instrument with different envelopes for a variety in the sound. And having mono/legato leads with an "attack sound" lets you create well-articulated slurs (imagine, say, a saxophonist tonguing the first note and then just fingering the second, or guitar hammer-ons and pull-offs).