◄UNIT 3: SIMPLE TIME SIGNATURESUNIT 5:MODERN AND TRADITIONAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS►

UNIT 4: COMPOSITION OF SHORT MELODIES

  • UNIT 4: COMPOSITION OF SHORT MELODIES

    Key Unit Competence: Be able to compose a melody with and

                                                    without musical notation.

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    Introductory Activity

    1. Differentiate a lyric from a melody
    2. Discuss the order of activities during composition of songs:
    Getting impressed, composing melody, composing lyrics, getting

    an idea, organizing the idea, being inspired.

    Composing a melody involves making up and then writing one’s own melody.
    The melody can be written using various note values, including semibreves,
    minims, crotchets and others. The notes are combined in various ways to
    make the required rhythms for the melody.

    Different pitches are used together with the rhythms to make up a melody.
    The composition is carried out in different keys and modes (C major, A minor,

    B minor, G minor, F major,…)

    4.1. Composing lyrics
    Activity 4.1
    a. Sing different songs of your choices. Then, identify and describe their
    parts.
    b. Describe the contribution of those parts to the quality of the songs.

    Lyrics are words that make a song. When writing lyrics, the composer must
    be impressed by a given situation that will inspire him/her an idea. Let us
    cross through the following five steps of writing lyrics.

    Step 1: Understanding common structures
    With this step, the following are considered:

    a. Understand the parts of a song.
    There are several parts of a song. Your song can include all of them or none
    of them. They include:
    i. An Introduction
    This is the section at the beginning which leads into the song. Many songs
    do not have an introduction, so don’t feel like you have to use it.
    ii. A Verse
    This is the main part of the song. It is usually fifty percent to twice the number
    of lines as the chorus but it does not have to be. What gives away a section
    of a song as a verse is that the melody is the same but the lyrics are different
    between the different verses.
    iii. A Chorus
    The chorus is the part of the song that repeats without changing: both the
    lyrics and melody are unchanged or nearly unchanged.
    iv. A Bridge
    The bridge is a part that exists in some songs but not all. Usually coming
    sometime after the second chorus, the bridge is a part of the song that
    sounds completely different than the rest of the song. It is usually short, just

    a line or two of lyrics, and will sometimes lead into a key change.

    b. Start with the AABA structure.
    The AABA structure is probably the most common structure of a song in
    modern popular music. In the study of song structures, A usually signifies a
    verse and B usually signifies a chorus. In other words, in this structure there
    are two verses, a chorus, and then a final verse.

    c. Experiment with other structures.
    There are of course, many different standard song structures. You can try
    AABB, ABA, AAAA, ABCBA, ABABCB, ABACABA...C usually signifies a
    bridge

    Step II: Getting inspiration
    a. Use stream of consciousness exercises.
    Stream of consciousness writing is where you just write and keep writing and
    don’t stop: just write everything that comes into your head. This will capture
    many ideas that change quickly but it can help you find ideas when you’re
    really lost. Come up with as many words as you can, without worrying if
    they’re interesting.

    b. Look at existing songs.
    Look at songs which are known for great lyrics to get inspiration. You can
    learn a lot from thinking about what makes a song good and what makes a
    song bad. Look for the kinds of things they talk about, how they talk about
    them, what rhymes they use, the rhythm of the lyrics, etc.

    c. Use your own opinions on what type of music you want to write, and
    figure out what types of lyrics you like and dislike.
    d. Look at existing poems
    If you’re hard up for inspiration but you want to keep practicing your song
    writing, try adapting existing poems.

    e. Be true to your style
    Don’t ever look at how others write songs and feel like you have to do the
    same; everyone has a different style.

    f. Keep writing to get to the good stuff
    Everyone has to make bad things on the way to making good things. Write
    as much as you can until you feel it is finished or ready to be set aside. To
    even write a single word or sound is an excellent start. Let the song ferment.
    Songwriting takes time! Keep everything. If you write a single sentence of a

    song down, it always leads to something else sooner.

    g. Write all the time
    Write about your feelings. Write about the world around you. Describe a
    person or a thing that matters to you. This is to help you find the words
    worthiest of a song.

    Step III: Finding your words
    a. Show, don’t tell
    The best lyrics, like any good writing, get us to feel emotions because they
    capture that experience, not because they tell us what to feel. Try to write
    about what it’s like to feel something, instead of just telling your audience.
    Brainstorm some ideas so you can see what you have and choose or even
    build off of an existing idea. It is probably best if you have an inspiration.

    b. Rhyme within reason
    You should avoid having all of your lines rhyme, and the rhymes that you do
    use should look natural. Don’t put weird phrases or words into your lyrics just
    to get a rhyme. Really, your lyrics don’t have to rhyme at all. Plenty of songs
    have non-rhyming lyrics.

    c. Try non-standard rhyme schemes
    If you do want to make your rhyming stand out a bit more and avoid sounding
    cheesy, you can experiment with different styles of rhyming
    Step IV: Keeping music in mind

    a. Understand music notation.
    Learn about how music notation works (bars, measures, notes, rests, etc.)
    so that you can make sure your lyrics fit in with the music.

    b. Start with a melody already written
    When you first start songwriting, if you’re doing it on your own it’s best to
    start with a melody already written. This is easier for most people than trying
    to create a melody which matches existing lyrics.

    c. Stay in a single range
    When you come up with a melody, keep the notes within a reasonable range
    so that someone can actually sing it. Think about your singers.

    d. Add in parts for the singer to take a breath.
    Singers are human too and they need to breathe. Put an extra two to four
    beats here and there that allow the singer to stop for a second to catch their

    breath. This also gives the listener a chance to take in what you are saying.

    Step V: Wrapping up
    a. Read what you wrote
    What is the bigger picture? Does the song form a narrative, a declaration,
    or a description? Is it a call to action, a set of directions, or a greeting?
    Is it philosophy or a reflection? Is it genuinely nonsensical? Does it have
    multiple forms? Start moving around words and changing them so they fit
    in with the rest of the lyrics. Think about how you want to come across and
    how that balances with what you want to say. Do you like the placement of
    the vowel and consonant sounds? Does a line have multiple meanings?
    Does a particular phrase stand out? Do you want to repeat a line or word?
    Remember the first time an audience hears a song; they only hear the parts
    that stand out the most.

    b. Rewrite
    Who says you can’t change what you have written? If you like the original,
    then keep it. But most lyricists need to play with the song a bit to get that
    perfect sound. A good song can be written in one draft, but more often it
    takes a while. Even move around entire verses so the song has continuity.
    Sometimes, a song takes on a whole new meaning.

    c. Consult with others
    Once you’re done with your song, it can be a really good idea to share a test
    version with others. Even if they’re just reading your lyrics, they may be able
    to find places where the rhythm is off or where the rhymes sound strange.
    Of course, Music by committee is a bad idea but if they catch something and
    you agree it’s wrong, fix it!

    Application activity 4.1
    Following the steps of writing lyrics, compose lyrics relating to the
    following topics:
    a. Patriotism
    b. Unity
    c. Hard work

    d. Integrity

    4.2 Composing a melody

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    Activity 4.2
    1. Using the lyrics written in the activity 4.1, divide the words into
    syllables respecting the nature of rhymes.
    2. Mark the accented syllables and choose the time signature to be used.
    3. Work out a tune that captures the theme and spirit of the lyrics.
    4. Set the words to the tune by writing each syllable directly under the
    notes for which it is meant.

    In writing melodies to given lyrics, the following steps should be followed:
    i. Interpret the words to get the themes and spirit
    ii. Recite the words in speech rhythm, to be certain of the syllables. This
    should also be an indicator as to the note values to be used.
    Example: inkokô ya Nkuusi differs from inkooko ya Nkuusi
    iii. Divide the words into syllables using dashes (-). Note the number of
    syllables as it may assist in deciding the time.
    iv. Mark the accented syllables. This should indicate the position of bar
    lines.
    v. Work out the appropriate time signature
    vi. Work out the appropriate rhythm, which should lead to choice of

    notes values to be used.

    vii. Work out a tune that captures the theme and spirit of the lyrics. If it
    is a happy theme, the melody should accordingly sound bright and

    inspiring

    viii. Set the words to the tune by writing each syllable directly under the
    notes for which it is meant. Remember there should be a note for
    each syllable. If a syllable takes two or more notes, a slur should be

    used to ensure their smooth performance to that one.

    Example of composing a song
    Given the topic: “Unity or Ubumwe”
    Umuco nyarwanda ipfundo ryacu
    Ururimi rwacu ni ubukungu
    Turabusangiye ntiducurane
    Ubumwe bwacu tububumbatire
    Tujye mu mugongo w’ubunyarwanda.

    By composing lyrics:
    U-mu-co-nya-rwaa-nd’i-pfuu-ndo-ryaa-cu
    U-ru-ri-mi-rwaa-cu-n’u-bu-kuu-ngu
    Tu-ra-bu-saa-ngi-ye-nti-du-cu-ra-ne
    U-bu-mwe-bwaa-cu-tu-bu-bu-mba-ti-re
    Tu-jye-mu-mu-goo-ngo-w’u-bu-nya-rwa-nda.


    Then composing a melody, the result is:

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    Finally, matching the melody composed with lyrics:

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    Application activity 4.2
    Following the application activity 4.2, compose melodies to match the

    lyrics composed.

    End unit assessment 4
    1. Describe different steps of composing lyrics
    2. Discuss the main parts of a well composed song
    3. You are invited in a graduation ceremony and you are asked to
    compose a song just to please the guests. Compose a song that
    you would compose and perform it before the peers

    ◄UNIT 3: SIMPLE TIME SIGNATURESUNIT 5:MODERN AND TRADITIONAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS►