writing melodies

[brian trageskin]

53 minutes ago, thawkins said:

I zoned out through all of this scales and theory discussion. I have always been terrible at this, although I respect theory as a tool and I use it more every day.

 

I wanted to add one maybe relevant data point to the argument about imagining music in your head: some people have an audible internal monologue in their head when they read text or something like that; some people don't have it at all. Both groups of people are incredibly surprised to find out the other group exists. And for simplicity's sake let's pretend auditory hallucinations (like schizophrenia) go to a 3rd group that I am not currently talking about. I.e. both the people who hear internal monologue and the people who don't are "normal" for lack of a better word.

I think it is fair to expand this: some people "hear" music in their head and some do not. So to me this means that "imagining music in your head" can mean wildly different things to different people, leading to misunderstandings.

that's literally the 1st thing adam neely mentions in the video i posted, the inability to audiate, to hear sounds in your head. i would imagine only a tiny fraction of those who can't audiate won't be able to develop this skill through ear training though, for neurological reasons. but what do i know. 

Edited January 21, 2022 by brian trageskin

[Wunderbar]

Wtf some people don't have an internal monologue ?

 

Imagine your own brain doesn't even want to talk to you.

[thawkins]

9 minutes ago, brian trageskin said:

that's literally the 1st thing adam neely mentions in the video i posted, the inability to audiate, to hear sounds in your head. i would imagine only a tiny fraction of those who can't audiate won't be able to develop this skill through ear training though, for neurological reasons. but what do i know. 

I think that it does not matter whether you can hear sounds in your head or not, or whether you can train yourself to do it or not.

There as many creative processes as there are creators, so it's just a matter of finding what works for you. But it is probably right that to be good at music, you have to figure out some feedback process and train your feelings to guide you.

Just now, Wunderbar said:

Wtf some people don't have an internal monologue ?

 

Imagine your own brain doesn't even want to talk to you.

Uh what makes you think I can imagine?

[Wunderbar]

8 minutes ago, thawkins said:

I think that it does not matter whether you can hear sounds in your head or not, or whether you can train yourself to do it or not.

There as many creative processes as there are creators, so it's just a matter of finding what works for you. But it is probably right that to be good at music, you have to figure out some feedback process and train your feelings to guide you.

Uh what makes you think I can imagine?

i was just jokingly responding to the mentioned people that apparently exist that don't have an internal monologue.

[thawkins]

42 minutes ago, Wunderbar said:

i was just jokingly responding to the mentioned people that apparently exist that don't have an internal monologue.

My response was also meant to be a joke. I need to work on my posting skills.

[ArtificialDisco]

59 minutes ago, brian trageskin said:

that's litterally the 1st thing adam neely mentions in the video i posted, the inability to audiate, to hear sounds in your head. i would imagine only a tiny fraction of those who can't audiate won't be able to develop this skill through ear training though, for neurological reasons. but what do i know. 

If you've ever gotten a song stuck in your head I'm pretty sure you can do it.

[brian trageskin]

1 hour ago, thawkins said:

I think that it does not matter whether you can hear sounds in your head or not, or whether you can train yourself to do it or not.

There as many creative processes as there are creators, so it's just a matter of finding what works for you. But it is probably right that to be good at music, you have to figure out some feedback process and train your feelings to guide you.

yeah sure, you don't need any of that to make music in this day and age. i'm by no means saying that the only way to write good melodies is to learn theory, train your ears and learn how to play an instrument. whatever works for you, sure.

it all depends on what you're trying to achieve. the method i'm arguing for is imo the most appropriate if you want maximum control over your harmonies and melodies. it's just the fastest, most effective way to achieve that. yeah, you need to invest a great deal of time and energy at first to learn the basics, but the payback is phenomenal. however, if you're not looking for a specific type of harmony, it's probably a waste of time and there are other, simpler ways to improve your melodies, for sure.

@thawkins i'm not thinking of you btw, i know you're formally trained.

Edited January 21, 2022 by brian trageskin

[YEK]

I watched a YouTube musician lately that was saying he didn't think theory mattered much in techno because even if your off key a bit, the repetition of the notes will trick your brain into thinking it's correct. 

[brian trageskin]

6 hours ago, yekker said:

I watched a YouTube musician lately that was saying he didn't think theory mattered much in techno because even if your off key a bit, the repetition of the notes will trick your brain into thinking it's correct. 

repetition legimitizes, as they say. dissonance is resolved by repeating it. human brain stoopid.

yeah i don't think that's a good reason not to learn theory though lol. 

[cern]

HELP Please

Okey Im creating a catchy tune with only 3 channels (8-bit music) and the Bass is little dark and arpeggio is going on voice 3.

Well! Drums is going good and there is some toms etc to give it go nice..

The bass goes like this: 

F0, F0, F1, F0, F0, F1, F0, F0, F1
D0, D0, G0, G1, G0, G0,G0, A0, A1, A0, A0, A1
E0, E0, E1, E0, E0, E0 

Then It repeats.. Arpeggio In F, D and E (Numbers after letters is OCTAVE)

How can I play along with melodies? Should I do it in major or minor? 


 

[psn]

8 hours ago, yekker said:

I watched a YouTube musician lately that was saying he didn't think theory mattered much in techno because even if your off key a bit, the repetition of the notes will trick your brain into thinking it's correct. 

Funny how he has to resort to theory to make the argument that theory isn't always important.  

[psn]

1 hour ago, cern said:

The bass goes like this: 

F0, F0, F1, F0, F0, F1, F0, F0, F1
D0, D0, G0, G1, G0, G0,G0, A0, A1, A0, A0, A1
E0, E0, E1, E0, E0, E0 

Then It repeats.. Arpeggio In F, D and E (Numbers after letters is OCTAVE)

How can I play along with melodies? Should I do it in major or minor? 
 

If you're in a diatonic key (seven notes, equally distributed) the bass line implies you're in F major, assuming you're starting conventionally at the tonal centre. The available chords would be F, G minor, A minor, Bb, C, D minor, E diminished.

The chords F, D minor, G, A minor, C should probably give a conventional sounding result on top of your bass line.

[brian trageskin]

guys what notes should i play over this bassline i just wrote help pls

B - D - G - Bb - Eb - A - D - G - Bb - Eb - F# - B - F - Bb - Eb - A - D - G - C# - F# - B - F - Bb - Eb - C# - F# 

 

(only people with 200+ iq will get this joke)

[psn]

Any kid knows that.

 

[brian trageskin]

the boss 

[Real Human Bean]

Anyone written any good melodies lately?

Let's hear'em.

[brian trageskin]

43 minutes ago, Brian Dance said:

Anyone written any good melodies lately?

Let's hear'em.

the chorus melody in this + 3:13 in

i learned the chord progressions of this tune btw, cause i really liked the chorus. props to thiefinger for the solid songwriting.

Edited January 22, 2022 by brian trageskin

[Diurn]

is about dissonance and assonance between notes, In my opinion too much theory constraints creativity. Everyone has their own method yes, but today you have a lot of resources and tools to create melodies than ever, so apply an arp on any lead synth, then add a bass and looping over it just improvise with a clav, piano, etc. The onthological meaning of melody is even under debate, someone can find interesting a cacophony of sounds. This is most notable on jazz artists

 

Edited January 22, 2022 by Diurn

[cern]

THIS IS THE FUCKING BEAST RIGHT HERE:

C JAM BLUES! Look at his face.. He is not playing melodies.. HE IS THE MELODIES!! 
 

 

[brian trageskin]

59 minutes ago, Diurn said:

In my opinion too much theory constraints creativity. 

music theory is just knowledge of how music works, i don't see how understanding constraints anything. there's no such thing as understanding too much.

Edited January 22, 2022 by brian trageskin

[IOS]

Re music theory and analysis - this is from Mark Levine's book "The Jazz Theory Book".

[cern]

Becoming crazy.. My friend is just spitting out melodies after melodies. 

First he start everything with a soft lead that is going half thru the track:

D, D, E, E, F , G - Funky and catchy! This is the main keys but he play it slightly different to make it not sound same same.. 

Then he just goes up and down in the same octave Only one sharp involved: A#
And playing like 4 different melodies with the same keys. 

80% of the whole track in the same what u call it range? (octave)

Sometimes he goes one or 2 notes an octave under and then one or two notes up.

Finishing the track with coming back where he start. 

I want to learn this. 
 

[brian trageskin]

1 hour ago, cern said:

Becoming crazy.. My friend is just spitting out melodies after melodies. 

First he start everything with a soft lead that is going half thru the track:

D, D, E, E, F , G - Funky and catchy! This is the main keys but he play it slightly different to make it not sound same same.. 

Then he just goes up and down in the same octave Only one sharp involved: A#
And playing like 4 different melodies with the same keys. 

80% of the whole track in the same what u call it range? (octave)

Sometimes he goes one or 2 notes an octave under and then one or two notes up.

Finishing the track with coming back where he start. 

I want to learn this. 

???

[brian trageskin]

[auxien]

why write them

just go find one on here