Writing a Composition--Major and Minor Melodies

by Hayly
(United States)

I'm supposed to write 2 eight measure melody..one in minor and the other in major...and i don't know how to do that! i need help....must include a harmonic analysis...primary chords as well...i never understood what the heck they are...if you can help me that will be great..thanks so much.

ANSWER

Hi, Hayly--

You can start with either the chords or the melody. If you start with the melody, choose a major scale--the key of "G" would be simple.
Try to write a nice melody that ends on "C" in the 4th measure and has the notes D,F#, or A and C in the 7th measure. The last note can be G in the 8th measure.

Then start the 1st measure with the G major chord and in subsequent measure, choose from the chords
Am Bm C Em and D7, whichever sound good with your melody notes. Be sure that the 7th measure uses D7 and the 8th measure uses the G chord.

Alternately, you can make 8 blank measures and fill in the chords first. Make the first measure a G chord, choose Am, Bm, Em in any combination for the 2nd and third measures, use C for the 4th.
Then for the 5th and 6th, choose from Am, Bm and Em. Use D7 for the seventh measure and then G for the eighth measure.

Then go back and write a melody which sounds good with the chords you have written, Use only notes in the G major scale.

For the minor melody, try writing a chord progression with just Am Dm and E7. Then use the A harmonic minor scale (A B C D E F G# A) for the melody, being sure to use the G# only when you use the E7 chord.

For in formation about chord progression analysis, please see:

Major Chord Progressions and Minor Chord Progressions

Hope this helps. Please let me know.

Best Wishes,
Lynne