WRITING THE SONG - Part 15

A working knowledge of rhythmic patterns is extremely necessary when composing a melody to fit a lyric. Although it is possible and often advisable to make some slight changes in the lyric to accommodate the tune, the lyric actually provides the rhythmic pattern which the melody should follow. The exact process of synchronizing word accents and musical accents will be explained in detail further on. However, for the moment, we can see that a simple line of poetry could be scanned in the following manner:

These are the things that do not count

It is a fairly simple matter to substitute note values for the scanning marks and then to divide the beats into four measures. Here is one of several alternative patterns.

These are the things that do not count

Once this step has been accomplished, one merely has to devise a melodic phrase that will fit the rhythmic pattern and conform to the meaning of the words. For example:

4. The Melody Must Be Simple Enough to Be Played, Sung and Remembered by the Average Person

In our discussion of the melodic theme we have found that the theme in a successful popular song should be relatively short and that it consists of a progression in which one or more familiar melodic patterns are used.

This simply means that the composer is limited by space, time, and material. He must, in other words, inject novelty, distinction and appeal within eight measures, using melodic patterns and progressions that have been used, time and again, in other songs. He cannot attempt to use a note combination or progression that is too bizarre or novel, for he is restricted to musical material that must be pleasing to the ear. On the other hand, many of the melodic progressions or patterns that he might be tempted to use have appeared in so many songs that they have become trite and uninteresting.