Help with writing a melody please!

I'm trying to write more Original songs. I'm into power metal, and for the most part they hold chords during the verses and riff in pre and choruses. I can write those ok, but I have real trouble with vocal melodies. I can write Lyrics I'm happy with as well, but whenever I write a melodie it seems so....emo. : / I'd post a song here but I'm too embarressed ;( Can anyone give any pointers to writing a melody?

Cheers

Julian

If your having trouble from what i can tell its because your trying too hard. Just lay back and see what comes to you. If you try to make your self write a melody it becomes robotic and is no longer the free expression that the music SHOULD be about in the first place.

can you sing like cookie monster?

No

Analyze melodies you like. That will make you figure out what it is you like about them. That doesn't mean you're going to copy them for your own melody. You just analyze them as an exercize and that will open up your own writing ability.

You can even go a step further and actually try singing a melody from another song that you like over the riff that you've written. And then change it into your own.

I've read interviews with Keith Richards from The Stones that when he writes songs he will sit around for a few hours jamming on other peoples music that he likes and slowly starts improvising off that stuff till he starts doing his own compositions. Also years ago I read that Bob Dylan said that he's based songs on a bass line he's heard reverberating through an apartment wall.

I find that good melodies can sometimes be pretty challenging to compose. And it's not unusual for me to put in three or four hours straight just fooling with a riff or progression, sometimes changing keys to get to a vocal melody that I can write some lyrics to. Also I'll experiment with different vocal meters.... starting the vocal line in a different rhythmic place than the obvious one I originally started. Think of guys like James Brown or Robert Plant who really bounced their vocals against their rhythms. I know I'm referring to a lot of old timers, but to some extent the same principles apply whether your writing show tunes or death metal.

Lastly, keep at it. It doesn't always come easy, I believe you have to write the crappy songs and get them out of the way before you get to the good stuff, and maybe you'll have to embrace you pop sensibility and work with it instead of against it. Just remember all the greats put in a lot of time to come up with great material.