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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 8,574
JPF Mentor
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OP
JPF Mentor
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 8,574 |
What's your favorite melody? You, know, the one you always whistle, or the one you first play when you sit down at the piano or pick up the guitar, or strap on the Sembgambian nose flute. If you want to post a link to a song, and specify a phrase, I'll analyze it. Now I'm not going to write the Bohemian Rhapsody out in numbers, but I'll do a four or six bar phrase Then give my thoughts as to what makes that melody memorable.
You've got to know your limitations. I don't know what your limitations are. I found out what mine were when I was twelve. I found out that there weren't too many limitations, if I did it my way. -Johnny Cash It's only music. -niteshift Mike Dunbar Music
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,384
Serious Contributor
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Serious Contributor
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,384 |
I'm primiarily post punk and post eighties rock, at least with the handfull of recordings I am not trying anything else on. But some of the melodies that stick in my mind are the ones I have the most in the back of my mind. Many with harmony vocals.
Right now, Ambrosia's "Holding On To Yesterday", springs to mind. A long melody with the fitting song stucture, which is not seemingly easy to pull off.
Another song that came from a Roxy Music album (Avalon) titled "While My Heart Is Still Beating". I thought of an outline for a recording I did the first few months I was on the net with that, without copping it of course. It was about having to wonder if I would live through the night in an urban dwelling with a freak on the loose when I was with a one night stand, and finding out she was more than that. The song that insipred it was about life dwindinling in a famine.
But melodies and events seem to play off each other too.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 8,102
Top 25 Poster
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Top 25 Poster
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 8,102 |
1. "Somewhere Over The Rainbow"
Octaves for the first two notes! (What a great start!)
From there, because the playing field has been opened right up, it allows for musical ups and downs. AND, on the 8th note used, it even dips below the 1st note, from which there are other beautiful uses of up and down musical, flowing melodies all their own!
As magical as the film.
2. "Yesterday" Brilliant example of a brief, concise, and greatly effective melody. Great setups for the quick resolve. No wonder this was Lennon's favorite Paul song. "Imagine" that?! This is as close to the effectiveness as Happy Birthday as it gets, and without being corny! Try to write one in the time frame of Yesterday, and have it be as musical and structure sound? THEY all are still trying, and nothing as of yet, since it came out in the early mid 60's. That alone says what we all know, that less IS more. How much less can you get with the notes of Yesterday, YET get so much out of it? I don't get it!
I tried with 2LT and with "We Just Gotta Be Friends". Not even close! I would have chop them up a lot just to have something similar, and would be obvious that something is missing. But, with Yesterday, it sounds like there is nothing missing and a LOT in there! (I don't get it!).....If I could tell Paul one thing, it wouldn't be about the Beatle stuff or anything. It would be, "You were so thrifty with your total notes for Yesterday, that it's a good thing you didn't remember ALL the notes that where probably there in your dream when you drempt it"!
Sometimes, it's good to forget parts of dreams.
3. "Stars and Strips Forever". Just hum it and you'll hear why?
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,814
Top 100 Poster
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Top 100 Poster
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,814 |
Fairy tales, can come true, it can happen to you, if you're young at heart...
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 692 Likes: 1
Top 500 Poster
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Top 500 Poster
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 692 Likes: 1 |
Well, I don't know if I have a favorite, but some songs really play on the guitar well ( melody with chords ) and I always warm up on Stars Fell On Alabama, in G. After that I'll play a bossa nova entitled Manha De Carnaval which is a beautiful melody that one cannot forget, once you hear it. Another favorite of mine is Besame Mucho, and then the lovely Here's that Rainy Day. There are so many, though. Ok, if you want to analyze something, try this: http://www.musicxray.com/xrays/420368 It's a jazz piece, so have fun !
Last edited by pathardy; 01/24/12 10:56 AM.
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 7,412
Top 30 Poster
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Top 30 Poster
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 7,412 |
Aw Humm, When I pick up the Guitar I start picking RED RIVER VALLEY. Old Public Domain song as far as I know. A song that is pretty familar is DETOUR also UNDER THE DOUBLE EAGLE. Even BLUE EYES CRYING IN THE RAIN. I need to think in a different era!
Ray E. Strode
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,845
Top 100 Poster
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Top 100 Poster
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,845 |
It's a funny one, it's and old thing called the "Scandinavian shuffle" by the Swe-Danes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csRUYiZvB70 (first song in the video). It's suited for all kinds of improvisations and variations It's not neccesarily a favourite, but for some odd reason it has conquered a spot in my memory, and I find myself using parts of this all the time when humming around at home..
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,589 Likes: 1
Top 40 Poster
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Top 40 Poster
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,589 Likes: 1 |
All my favorite melodies seem to be 1960's McCartney...he was unstoppable on melody back then--"Yesterday", "Eleanor Rigby", "For No One", "Here, There and Everywhere", "Hey Jude", "The Long and Winding Road", "Penny Lane", "Mother Nature's Son"...they all sound wonderful with or without backing music. Just plunk the notes on a piano and they still sound compelling.
I'm also a huge fan of Ray Davies' "Waterloo Sunset"...what a gorgeous melody.
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,788
Top 40 Poster
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Top 40 Poster
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,788 |
The melody the robins sing At just the very hint of spring For there’s no other timeless tune so sweet The winter has it’s final thaw The wait for spring so worth it all No other melody can quite compete!
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 576
Top 500 Poster
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Top 500 Poster
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 576 |
The melody to I Want To Know Your Plans by Say Anything is just...gah. I love it. I don't know if I have a favourite, but that one is a good guess.
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 6,114
Top 40 Poster
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Top 40 Poster
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 6,114 |
Well, I don't play this phrase on the guitar, but it's up there as far as memorable melodies that stay with me. The piano intro in the second half of "Layla". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw9fsAP9GkQ
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 12,082 Likes: 1
Top 10 Poster
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Top 10 Poster
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 12,082 Likes: 1 |
I like a lot of the Beatles melodies mentioned. And yes, Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
Couple of others: Moon River and Never My Love. And God Only Knows by the Beach Boys.
Scott
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 7,712
Top 30 Poster
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Top 30 Poster
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 7,712 |
My favorite melody is from an Italian song called "Al Di La." It was featured in the 1962 film, Rome Adventure. Al Di La http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uv1xL2wdHIMost romantic song ever!
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 9,003 Likes: 1
Top 20 Poster
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Top 20 Poster
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 9,003 Likes: 1 |
"WHAT'D I SAY" RAY CHARLES
"POLK SALAD ANNIE" TONY JOE WHITE
"RAINING IN MY HEART" SLIM HARPO
"THE IN-CROWD" RAMSEY LEWIS TRIO
"LOVE IS BLUE" PAUL MAURIAT
"MATCHBOX BOOGIE" CARL PERKINS
"HARD DAY'S NIGHT" BEATLES……..
WELL………..THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY……………
Mackie
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,890
Top 100 Poster
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Top 100 Poster
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,890 |
I would love to hear you analyze the viola part from this wonderful Brian Eno/John Cale song: "Lay My Love"And, if that is too easy, this Slapp Happy song intrigues me, too. I do love it so: "The Drum"
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