this is some brilliant advice guys. thank you so much.

quote:

Originally posted by JEO And a thing that helped me was that I made up a couple of good sounding instruments with my synth before even trying to create a melody. Good filtering / lfo applied to a good waveform can give an edge to even the simplest melody (a good example could be Lost Tribe - Gamemaster, someone correct me if I'm totally off course here). So basically my biggest problem was thinking too complex, DOING too simple. Now that it's the other way around, things are finally starting to come together.

as for the end part of my question which relates to the above - I've been using logic. what are your thoughts on logic's stock synthesizers vs. other third-party plugins such as omnisphere or sylenth1? are the stock plugins limiting? can a good sound be achieved with them or do i have to venture outside?

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I don't know about Logic's stock synths, but I think almost any synth will do, as long as it's tweakable enough. Also, I don't know how many types of filters the stock ones in your DAW hold, but imo filter envelopes and knowing how / when to apply a specific type of filter are the thing. You can accomplish so much with a right kind of filter envelope, resonance, cut freq and it's automation. Look at some of the coolest sounding presets on your synth and try to figure out how they were done.

I don't know why I keep saying it but I'm personally so hyped about using an LFO with my sounds it's ridiculous. IMO applying a deep lfo to your sounds brings depth to even the simplest melody, again.

impOSCar tutorial

I know it can be a bit old.. But reading this tutorial and following along helped me a great deal earlier on. And it's free.

depends on the person, i think. i started off writing out the bass notes of the chords and creating the progressions that way, filling up the chords as i went along, then finally doing the melody once i had a solid chord progression. a lot of times i have the cadence in my head but can't hear the exact melody. i have always had a lot of fun writing them and not a lot of difficulty though.

I think the progression under the melody is just as important as the melody itself so I'm going to spend some time talking about that.

When I create a chord progression I tend to start it with two chords that have at least one common note. I to V, vi to IV, etc. I'll use that common note as the bass for the beginning of the track, so I can keep some elements static while continuing to progress the song. Say I use a vi to IV progression in the key of C. I'll use the A as the bass note, because that's the root note of the first chord. As I introduce more of the progression and start shifting chords, I can keep the bass on A through the IV chord and it'll still sound good, but since it'll be in first inversion it won't sound as "complete" as the first chord. As I continue progressing the song I'll make the bass go from A to F on the second chord, making it in root position and giving it a much more powerful sound.

How does that relate to melodies? Well for one having a solid foundation like that really helps make melodies sound like they "work" better over the progression. Some of your favorite melodies might sound pretty dull or uninspired on their own outside the context of the rest of the track so you need to make sure your chords and counter-melodies, harmonies, etc. all work before you try and slapping a melody over it.

As far as actually creating the melody, I usually just loop the chords and start placing the first notes of each bar above the chords to see what sounds good. Then I start filling in more notes for movement. In the above example, I might put a C over the A minor chord, then F over the F major, then start filling notes between them until I come up with something that just sounds nice. If your progression flows well enough and the foundation of your track sounds good on its own it'll be a lot easier to write a melody over it.

I also know how to play guitar and piano, and can use my keyboard to play in any key in FL Studio without a MIDI keyboard so I'm able to improvise over progressions that I have looping to come up with something good. I definitely suggest getting familiar with at least a piano, it makes things a lot easier and when music is hands-on it can be completely different from anything you'd do staring at a piano roll.

Yeah, making a sweet synth first really helps it along. A lot of times a good synth with character and definition can help really compliment a melody or support it entirely.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Kysora

How does that relate to melodies? Well for one having a solid foundation like that really helps make melodies sound like they "work" better over the progression. Some of your favorite melodies might sound pretty dull or uninspired on their own outside the context of the rest of the track so you need to make sure your chords and counter-melodies, harmonies, etc. all work before you try and slapping a melody over it.


Indeed. I would even go so far as saying the percussion, style, groove and sounds of the overall track can play a big role in the composition and chord progression selection, since the a melody will naturally be born in "harmony" with the other elements, if you have progressed that far along in the song writing process for that particular track you may be able to attain a certain mood in all the other elements of the track without having written a melody yet. The major feature of those elements of course being the actual chord progression. Drums don't exactly have "mood" but certain sounds in the kit will either support (and the groove itself), or not support, an actual melody or chord progression.

interesting to hear the different approaches when it comes to melody creation.

regarding sound design, The Logic Pro synths are all excellent and could keep you going in programming for years with out looking for anything else. Sculpture is a nice modeling synth, I really like how it sounds.

Trifonic: Synthesis with Logic's Sculpture from Next Step Audio on Vimeo.

quote:

Originally posted by Fledz Grab random loops from random sample packs, distort, cut, delay, whatever the sample as much as possible to make it sound completely different. At that point your imagination will kick in and you will start to hear particular notes you like, good progressions, a particular key or chord, a type of sound and so on. Open a new midi track, use the inspiration to put some notes down. Add your own synth, add more effects, slot it into your track. Then do whatever you want with the original sample, delete it if it's of no use anymore. Whatever sounds good at the end of the day. Don't worry too much about formulas.

You talk quality, Fledz, unlike you did at Anjuna forums.

many and I mean alot of the classic trance melodies are direct rips from orchestral music whether it be filmscores or classical. Whether it is on purpose , who knows but you might find some ideas by listening to late 90's early 2000 Zimmer soundtracks. Basically anything from Media Ventures it was called at the time. IF you suck at melodies, you can either steal or learn music theory. Your choice. And don''t think of stealing as a bad thing. Everyone does it. John Williams uses so many quotations from earlier composers. Nobody cares anymore. Just don't steal anything too recent or too well known.

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yeah stealing parts of melodies and alter them works well. i stole from a megaman 2 midi and released it lol. its a gold mine those megaman games.

Last edited by Zak McKracken on Dec-02-2010 at 22:38

You had a release? What, where? I want to hear it.

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Don't steal, learn the theory, or don't, just don't take the most obvious route. Though I reckon it's all about your ethics.

On the other hand, if you want to make another uplifting orchestra trancer with an obvious chord progression, then go ahead. I think no-one will ever know you "stole" something from someone, even if it was a copy of Andy Blueman's latest "masterpiece". There's a good chance someone will even sign your track and maybe another 5 people will download it from Beatport. Have some integrity.
Though this music isn't much to anyone, anymore, I think it can be a little more than stealing other's melodies and going the easiest possible way..

quote:

Originally posted by Microlab You talk quality, Fledz, unlike you did at Anjuna forums.

Thanks? I guess

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