The Essence of Melody in Songwriting
The Importance of Melody and Initial Approaches Melody is a central element of songwriting. It might be even more critical within a vocal and instrumental composition because it should leave a lasting impression on the listener's memory while maintaining a strong connection with the lyrics and the song's meaning.
When considering that one of the key attributes that distinguishes a composer as a songwriter lies in the construction and modulation of melodies, it becomes evident that melody and songwriting are inseparable. Let's begin by briefly exploring Jack Perricone's reflection at the start of his book, "Melody in Songwriting" (Perricone, 2000).
According to him, it's a mistake to think that the composition process can be solely characterized by rigid patterns and rules. Such an approach would result in mere combinations of notes and chords organized logically but devoid of life and emotion. Instead, the author suggests that these techniques should integrate naturally without excessive study, focusing on what you want to convey at the moment, nurturing the creative flow and inspiration.
As seemingly obvious as this initial reflection may be, it is of vital importance because amidst all the technical aspects we'll explore, we should not forget the artistic, emotional, and personal side, which is the core and lifeblood of composition. It's intriguing that Perricone chose to open his work with this reflection.
The Musical Phrase A musical phrase is much like a spoken sentence. Therefore, we can liken musical phrases to sentences in a dialogue, with one phrase often leading to a coherent response.
This fundamental concept is essential in creating balanced and harmonious musical phrases, whether we're talking about melody, breathing, or lyrics. Both Jack Perricone in his book "Melody in Songwriting" (Perricone, 2000) and Robin Frederick in the guide "Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting" (Frederick, 2008) emphasize this idea.
Regarding this topic, Frederick (2008) suggests that to create effective melodic phrases, it's helpful to think of them not just as parts of verses or choruses but as individual melodic sections, single melodic phrases, or verses. Let's take Bruno Mars' "Grenade" (2010) as an example. In this musical excerpt, we have the first verse, which represents the initial melodic "cell" of the verse.
In another image, we find the second verse. It's notably different from the first but shares some similarities. If observed closely, you'll notice that the rhythm of the two phrases is quite similar. Additionally, they can be compared to a question and its consequent answer. Partly because of the similarity between the two phrases, which provides coherence and continuity. And partly due to the brief pause between the two phrases and the melody's movement. In the first verse, the melody ascends, creating a sense of incompleteness, while in the second phrase, we have a kind of response as it descends, providing a sense of resolution.
The following two verses will simply reiterate the melodic lines of the first two verses with slight variations. It's clear that in songwriting, it's essential to focus on the verses of a section of the song, specifically on the melodic sections, ensuring that they are interconnected, just like a question is tied to its answer.