1. How compose a to MeLody

2. Step 1
Compose one bar of music using the notes of your ‘tonic’ chord (key chord) and some ‘passing notes’
E.g. If you’re in the key of C major the tonic chord is a C chord (C-E-G)
Melody = tune
Tonic = the most important note in the music
Passing notes = notes in between the notes of a chord
C D E F G A B C
C D E F G A B
= notes of a C major chord. If our piece is in C major then it is also the tonic chord
= the passing notes of a C major chord

3. Passing notes = notes in between the notes of a chord
Step 1
Here is an example,
I have composed one bar of music
There are four beats in a bar
And because it’s in the key of C major it starts on a C, uses notes of the tonic chord (C and G) and uses some passing notes (A and F)
Passing notes = notes in between the notes of a chord C
G AGF C
= notes of the chord
= the passing notes of the chord

4. Notes in the C major chord
Step 1
= 2 beats
= 1 beat
= ½ beat
= ¼ beat
Write out a melody that lasts for one bar (four beats), using the notes of the C major chord and some of the passing notes.
Notes in the C major chord
Passing notes
E F G A B C D E F

5. Step 2
An easy way of making the melody longer is to repeat the bar and change the last note
Repetition = to play something more than once
Develop = change and improve your ideas
C G AGFC C G AGFG

6. Step 2 Write out your first bar twice and change the last note.
= 2 beats
= 1 beat
= ½ beat
= ¼ beat
Write out your first bar twice and change the last note.
Ask your teacher to play it to check it sounds good.
E F G A B C D E F

7. = the passing notes of the chord
Step 3
For the third bar, write a new melody this time using the notes of an F major chord and some of the passing notes. Eg.
= notes of the chord
F A G CDC BA B E
= the passing notes of the chord

8. Notes in the F major chord
Step 3
= 2 beats
= 1 beat
= ½ beat
= ¼ beat
Write out a the next bit of the melody. It should last for one bar (four beats).
Use the notes of the F major chord and some of the passing notes.
Notes in the F major chord
Passing notes
E F G A B C D E F

9. Step 4 To finish of the 4 bar-long phrase, use your idea from bar one.
You may have to change the final note if it doesn’t sound finished when you play it
Phrase = a musical sentence
Structure =
different sections of music
C G AGFC C G AGFG F CG CDCBABE C G AGFC A A1 B A
The structure of the melody is A, A1, B, A

10. Step 4 = 2 beats = 1 beat = ½ beat
Write out the whole 4 bar-long phrase using Sibelius (or by hand neatly).
Listen to it and adjust notes if they don’t sound quite right.
When you’re happy with this, print it off and put it in your folder
E F G A B C D E F