If you can't sing, how can you find the melody?

[Mr. C]

So I've been writing some songs, lyrics and chords, and have a melody in my head. When I sing the song it sounds like I want it to sound for the most part, but when I hear the recording it's just horrible. I just can't sing even though I wish I could. So how can I write the melody if I can't sing? I've tried using a keyboard to help me, but just can't find the right notes. I even tried singing and using a guitar tuner to get some idea of what notes I'm singing, but that doesn't seem to work either. Any ideas or tips that might help me get the melody out of my head and onto paper?

[gecko zzed]

Find someone who can help you get the notes sorted out.

[Mr Clean]

You should be able to find the notes to your melody on a keyboard. Find the nearest note on the keyboard to the first note you sing/in your head and then work from there. Unless you are hearing notes that do not exist, you should be able to recall any melody on a keyboard.

[guitarplayr82]

Melodyne? Melodyne Essential is cheap enough, and you can physically move each note to the exact pitch that you want it to be "sung" at. And as long as you aren't too far off from the desired pitch to begin with, it actually sounds half-decent. Maybe you should download the demo version to see if it's right for you.

[Xdrummer]

It is possible that a pitch "auto-tune" program (such as Melodyne) could help you sing a melody better than your natural voice would allow - however, I agree that you should be able to play the melody on a keyboard. It may take some time and effort and perhaps you will need to focus on your personal pitch recognition ........ but there is no logical reason why you would not be able to play the molody on a keyboard (other than lack of trying).

[grimtraveller]

Unless you are hearing notes that do not exist

That's what you hear when you are kidnapped by aliens and they start blowing strange looking implements out of what I presume were their mouths......

[grimtraveller]

Unless you are hearing notes that do not exist,

That's called free jazz.

[grimtraveller]

So I've been writing some songs, lyrics and chords, and have a melody in my head. When I sing the song it sounds like I want it to sound for the most part, but when I hear the recording it's just horrible. I've tried using a keyboard to help me, but just can't find the right notes.

You could go the hard route of learning to read music but in truth, a keyboard is your best bet. You say you know the melody and when you sing it, it sounds right. You can't not be able to translate that to a keyboard. Yes it may be long and labourious. Yes it may be a pain in the patootie. Yes it's a drag putting a note under each syllable. But you have no choice. However you do it, it's going to be a hard slog. So you may as well go the foolproof way. Use a keyboard.
And while you're at it, get your singing voice trained. There are very few people on earth that can't actually sing.

[rayc]

Maybe he's microtonal!

[Mr. C]

grimtraveller, you mean I could actually learn how to sing?! That's a scary thought, but I have had that thought. Maybe you're right about the keyboard however. I was able to get the chorus down for one song, but the verses I can't seem to be able to find the notes. For instance, I'm pretty confident that the first note for the first line is a D, but then can't seem to find the rest of the notes for the line. Could be more D notes, but it I feel like it should go up a note, but nothing seems to fit. Well someone who can actually sing is supposed to come over next week so I'll see if they can help. In the mean time back to the keyboard.