Help with beginner project i'm working on: need ideas, suggestions, criticism...

A

Alphacen

New member
Hi,

My problem is i can't get any decent sounding melody to my song...it's either uncreative or i don't know how to make it sound fitting.

Here are both files, the first is just the drums and background, which to me seems decent and the second has a halfassed melody i put together. The song is neither finished.

Free File Hosting and Online Backup Storage. (the core of the song)

Free File Hosting and Online Backup Storage. (with shitty melody)

The melody sucks so much i don't even want to post it...but i must.

Where am i doing it wrong? Thing is that in my head i can come up with a decent sounding melody but no way in hell i can express it.
I would love if somebody took the time and do their melody (just for a short part, doesn't need to be the whole song) with my background, post it here and give an explanation how he did it. Just so i can get a feel for it...technical wise.

I'm working in cubase 5 and use samples from Halion One. Is the sample quality the issue here?

P.S. and comment on the drums and pads as well. I need as much criticism as possible.

Thanks
 
1) Put those files somewhere that you can play them in the page instead of having to download them - like soundcloud or reverbnation or something. I don't want to download those files and open them in a media player when I can just click the play button.

2) If you do not have any experience with music theory - you should look into it. But basically I can tell you that the easiest way to come up with a melody is

a.) Pick a scale that is in the same key using notes from the chords you are using, OR notes from a harmonic related chord. For example, say you have a D chord playing. Your D Chord is comprised of D F# A -(a harmonic chord would be A) Now you have a scale to work with, comprised of the notes: D E F# G A B C - so now you have some notes to work with.

b.) Next pick a rhythm pattern to assign to the melody. This will consist of 1/4 notes and 1/8 notes 1/2 notes what ever - like making a drum pattern - Next try different combinations of those notes across the scale - pick a root note for your melody like A - then try different patterns of going to and from A using the scale, like:
A D A A
C D A A
D A F# A

thats 3 measures in 4/4 time - you can also do patterns of 3 four times to fit thirds into 4/4 time evenly, like so:

D D A
C B A
E D A
F# G A

(3x4 = 12 eg triplets fit into 4/4 time)

- I did this all from memory so it might not be perfectly accurate - but it should give you some frame work to build on some ideas... Limit yourself to a certain amount of notes and develop a pattern with those notes to play over whatever chord progression you have.
 
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Arkie, that was neat.
OP [ah, that's you alph], there are a number of ways of coming up with a melody. I struggle with melodies, though I love them. But one thing I've found that's useful, if a little brain intensive/monotonous, is to continually play the sequence you need the melody for and just keep listening to it, with a recorder handy. And just try to hum anything. The predictable, the boring, the familiar sounding, the outlandish, the ridiculous......Eventually, something should emerge. It could be a long eventually.........patience padwan, patience.
I also find that if I've sketched the song on guitar, sometimes, just the way I strum the chords in my cak handed way brings a clashing of notes that 'suggests' basslines, other instrument lines.......and melodies {and harmonies}.
 
Thanks for the replies, but my main problem is not that i can't come up with a melody, but i can't seem to make it fit. It just sounds out of the song instead of in. It sounds weak and unexpressive.

I do know some music theory but it's sadly not the only issue here. I heard simple melodies with simple chord progressions that sound fitting.

I can't seem to make even a simple melody C D E F | F E D C over a C chord to sound professional. It just sounds so weak and amateurish. How can i make it sound full and rich?


heres the link to soundcloud

http://soundcloud.com/alphacentauri42/workinprogress-6#
 
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