Melody in Songwriting Tools and Techniques for Writing Hit Songs

by Perricone, Jack

• ISBN13: 9780634006388
• ISBN10: 063400638X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-05-01
• Publisher: Berklee Press

Summary

Melody is a subject too often neglected in the teaching of music. This unique resource gives melody that attention it deserves, and proves that melody writing is a skill that can be learned. Through proven tool and techniques, you will learn to write interesting melodies, how melodic rhythm influences rhyme, what makes harmony progress, and the many dynamic relationships between melody and harmony. This clear and comprehensive approach to songwriting unlocks the secrets of popular songs, revealing what really makes them work. Examples of great songs by such notable songwriters as Lennon and McCartney, Diane Warren, Robert Palmer, and more, provide a close-up illustration of the songwriting techniques employed by these masters of the industry. This is the book used in Songwriting classes at Berklee College of Music. The exercises provided make it a wonderful self-teaching manual and a great addition to any general theory course of any level. Use the tools presented in this book to help fine-tune your craft and start writing hits!

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Acknowledgments	viii
Introduction	ix
PART 1 Melody: Its Components
Melody: Some Basics	2	(6)
Melody; Melodic Phrase; Conjunct/Disjunct Melodic Motion; Writing for the Voice; The Lead Sheet; Guidelines for Lead Sheet Writing; Repeat Signs
Pitch	8	(6)
Harmonic Series; The Major Scale; Stable and Unstable Tones; Tone Tendencies; Tonally Open and Closed Phrases
Exercise	10	(2)
Independent Melody; Unstable Tones Ending Phrases
``My Old Kentucky Home''	12	(1)
``Yellow Rose of Texas''	12	(1)
Assignment	13	(1)
Rhythm	14	(10)
Pulse, Meter, and Rhythm
``Gregorian Chant''	14	(5)
Stress Symbols; Summative Stress; Additional Considerations in Stress
Assignment	19	(3)
Masculine/Feminine Endings; Beyond Simple Prosody
Exercise	22	(1)
``Love Is You''	22	(1)
Assignment	23	(1)
Tone Tendencies	24	(3)
Immediate Resolution, Delayed Resolution, and No Resolution
Assignment	25	(2)
Symmetry/Assymetry	27	(10)
Compostional Variables; The Number of Phrases; Balance vs. Symmetry; Phrase Lengths; Phrasal Balance
Exercise	29	(3)
The Rhythm of the Phrase; Matched, Inexactly Matched, and Unmatched Phrases
Assignment	32	(4)
Correspondence of Matched Phrases with Rhyme; Outer Matching; Matched Rhythms; Inner Rhythmic Matching; Open and Closed
Exercise	36	(1)
Assignment	36	(1)
Melody in Minor	37	(3)
Overtone Series; The Minor Scales; Natural Minor or Aeolian Mode; Harmonic Minor; Melodic Minor
Assignment	39	(1)
Melodic Outline; Melodic Contour	40	(11)
Melodic Outline; Melodic Step Progression; Embellishing the Melodic Outline; Analysis of Structural Tones and Embellishing Tones
``Can't Take My Eyes Off of You''	45	(1)
Assignment	46	(2)
Melodic Contour: Ascending, Descending, Arch, Inverted Arch, and Stationary
``Because You Loved Me''	48	(2)
Assignment	50	(1)
Controlling the Speed of Your Song	51	(5)
Phrasal Acceleration/Deceleration; Use of Phrasal Acceleration/Deceleration in Songwriting
Exercise	53	(2)
Rhythmic Acceleration/Deceleration
Exercise	55	(1)
Melodic Placement	56	(4)
Phrase Endings; Phrase Beginnings; Pickup Notes; Beginning on the Weak Part of the Measure or Metric Grouping
``Love Is You''	58	(2)
Building Sections	60	(13)
The Order of the Phrases; Building a Symmetric Section; Building a Balanced but Not Perfectly Symmetric Section; Open or Closed?; Creating Open Sections; Unbalancing a Sections; Creating Interesting Balanced Sections; Fragmentation
Assignment	72	(1)
Developmental Techniques	73	(12)
Motive; Variety within Unity; Developmental Technique #1: Retain the Rhythmic Structure, Change the Pitch, Sequence
Assignment	74	(4)
Use of Developmental Technique #1 in the Compositional Process; Developmental Technique #2: Varying the Phrase Structure; Extension and Truncation
Assignment	78	(4)
Developmental Techniques
Assignment	82	(3)
Form	85	(7)
Song Forms; The Central Statement; Song Sections: Verse, Refrain, Chorus, Bridge, Transitional Bridge, Primary Bridge; Frequently Encountered Song Forms; The ``Standards'' Song Form; The Introductory Verse; The Chorus; The Concept of Open and Closed and Its Relationship to Form; Verse/Refrain; Verse/Chorus; Bridge Sections
Assignment	90	(2)
Part 2 Melody-Harmony Relationships
Functional Harmony and Harmonic Progression	92	(4)
Tonic Function Triads; Subdominant Function Triads; Dominant Function Triads; Stability/Instability in Harmonic Progression; Functional Harmonic Progressions
Exercise	95	(1)
A Unified Theory of Melody and Harmony	96	(6)
Melodic Progression; Independent and Dependent Melodies; Why a Unified Theory?
Assignment	100	(1)
``Come Rain or Come Shine''	101	(1)
Non-Chord Tones and Tensions	102	(8)
Non-Chord Tones: Neighbor Tone, Changing Tone, Passing Tone, Unprepared Approach Tone, Escape Tone, Anticipation, Suspension
Assignment	104	(2)
``Killing Me Softly''	106	(3)
Tensions; Non-Chord Tones and Tensions
Assignment	109	(1)
Making Harmonic Choices	110	(5)
Harmonic Choices
Assignment	114	(1)
Melody/Bass Relationships	115	(10)
Motion of the Bass to the Melody: Oblique Motion, Parallel Motion, Similar Motion, Contrary Motion; Chord Inversions;
Assignment	120	(4)
Consonance/Dissonance of Intervals
Assignment	124	(1)
Harmony in Minor	125	(16)
Traditional Harmony in Minor: Natural Minor, Harmonic Minor, and Melodic Minor; The Harmonic Minor Scale; The Melodic Minor Scale; Melody/Harmony Relationships in Minor; Minor to Major/Major to Minor; Use in Form; Modal Interchange
Assignment	130	(8)
Additional Melodic/Harmonic Considerations
Harmonic Rhythm; Harmonic Cadence; Use in Form; Harmony's Effect on the Phrase; The Harmonic-Metric Phrase and the Melodic-Rhythmic Phrase
Assignment	138	(1)
``The Long and Winding Road''	139	(2)
Starting with a Chord Progression	141	(4)
Melodic Integrity; Front-Heavy, Back-Heavy Melodic Phrases
Assignment	144	(1)
Pedal Point, Sus Chords, and Chords without Thirds	145	(9)
Pedal Point
Assignment	146	(6)
Sus Chords and Chords without Thirds; Chords without Thirds
Assignment	152	(2)
Blues/Rock	154	(11)
Major Pentatonic; Minor Pentatonic; Independence of Melody and Harmony; Characteristic Rock Harmony; Root Motion
``Addicted to Love''	157	(6)
Form in Blues and Early Rock; Emphasis at the Beginning; Emphasis at the Subdominant; Emphasis on the Dominant or on the Final Cadence; Adding a Bridge to the Blues; Other Blues-Derived Forms; Stylistic Considerations
Assignment	163	(2)
Modes	165	(10)
Aeolian Mode or Natural Minor; Chord Progressions in the Aeolian Mode; Strong Cadencing Progressions; Root Motion; Dorian Mode; Chord Progressions in the Dorian Mode; Mixolydian Mode; Typical Mixolydian Progressions; Use of Pedal Point
Assignment	174	(1)
Afterword	175	(1)
Biography	175