Members BryanMichael Posted July 16, 2002 Members Share Posted July 16, 2002 http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0898796024/qid%3D1026784069/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/002-9116503-4897614 just one helpful book-team it up with the "Writing Better Lyrics" Book by Pat Pattison... Peace,Bryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WattsUrizen Posted July 16, 2002 Members Share Posted July 16, 2002 Books do not and can not teach you how to write melodies. Perhaps they can note the characteristics of 'good' melodies, so they you can try to involve these in your own writing. But any good book on writing counterpoint (Kennan, Salzer & Schacter, etc) has these, and more. But these characteristics do not apply to all melodies. Some melodies just work, even though it is hard to see why from a theoretical point of view. Far more important is the ability to craft the song around the melody. So instead of wasting your time and money on this book, get a good book on counterpoint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BryanMichael Posted July 16, 2002 Author Members Share Posted July 16, 2002 Well- I'd hardly consider this book a waste- I have a collection of books on songwriting etc. and I think this book is written in an easily understandable and informative way. It was only posted as a suggestion. I'd also recommend Aaron Copeland's "How to listen to Music"...... Sometimes people aren't up for the full "academic" treatment and just need some exercises to break loose the writer's block- And it doesn't take a genius to understand that you can read all you want and still not create a so-called "decent" melody-Thanks for the news flash! WOW-someone might actually "waste" their time learning something instead of just wondering where to start. I still recommend the Pat Pattison Book and this one. Also, if you ever want to get into counterpoint and deeper into arangement-Copeland's book or maybe the others that our friend here has recommended. Far be it from me to suggest that something may be helpful-God knows I could spend more time telling you that knowledge doesn't reside in books and that other things are more important to your craft....like reading other books:confused: that are different. Yes-it is a mystery. Do not read anything or "waste" your time and money (last time I checked...the library was still FREE) on something so "simple". You must comprehend all of music theory and apply advanced composition techniques to create a 4 chord song. Yes-books bad. Unless-right kind of books no waste-ee money. no listen no read book no learn that way...unless right book-ee melody-secret-come from nowhere-hide under couch- only real artist find melody- what is the sound of one note playing? is melody? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WattsUrizen Posted July 16, 2002 Members Share Posted July 16, 2002 LOL. Well, your post was titled 'THIS is where melodies come from'. Not 'Help for writing melodies'. Ok so maybe I'm just being picky. But I still think that straightforward books like the one you mention don't really help THAT much. Most of what they explain is rudimentary knowledge that anybody with a decent background in music will know already. I'm not claiming that all music should be written using complicated techniques, merely that melody is something we don't really understand, and that you are probably better off putting your effort into learning how to work with the melodies you have, and crafting them into songs. Ok, maybe this book might push you along a little if you need a bit of guidance, but I think that if you really want to get something that looks at melody in a more appreciative way, then look at some counterpoint texts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BryanMichael Posted July 16, 2002 Author Members Share Posted July 16, 2002 I only titled my post that way as a response to the other"where do melodies come from" post.But my verbage INSIDE the post stated that it was "one helpful book" Peace,Bryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WattsUrizen Posted July 17, 2002 Members Share Posted July 17, 2002 My apologies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BryanMichael Posted July 17, 2002 Author Members Share Posted July 17, 2002 Peace, Bryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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