Using Chord Progressions to Write Really Catchy Guitar Melodies
If you like it, make sure you follow. So this is really one of the best ways that I have found in my playing to really write cool melodic parts. The secret is to start by thinking about the chord progressions underneath.
My Process for Finding Melodies in Chords
When I’m trying to create a lead line or a melody, I don’t just start pulling notes out of thin air. I build it directly from the harmony that’s already there. Here’s how I do it.
Step 1: Start With a Basic Progression
Let’s say I have a very basic one. We’ll do it in power chords. This gives me the fundamental structure and movement of the part I’m writing. It’s simple, solid, and a perfect blank canvas.
Step 2: Add Some Color to the Chords
Now, the first course of action is to add some color to that. Plain power chords are great, but they don’t give us a lot of melodic information. We need to make them more interesting.
If you know me at all, you know I’m just going to have to add a nine. I might also do maybe one minor chord to change the feel. By swapping out the basic chords for more colorful versions, you’re essentially giving yourself more interesting notes to choose from for your melody.
Step 3: See How the Chords Lead Into Each Other
Once I have my new, more interesting progression, I start to look at what’s actually happening on the fretboard with the chords. I focus on understanding how they all lead into each other.
By visualizing the shapes of these colorful chords across the neck, I can see the specific notes that connect them. These connecting notes—the ones that are shared between chords or the ones that create a smooth transition from one chord to the next—are the perfect ingredients for a really strong and catchy melody. Your melody is already written for you inside the chords; you just have to find it.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is one of the best ways to write cool guitar melodies? Think about the chord progression underneath the part you are writing.
- Where should you start when writing a melody? Start with a very basic chord progression, even just power chords.
- How do you make a basic progression more interesting for melody writing? The first course of action is to add some color to the chords, for example, by adding a ninth (add9) or changing a chord to a minor.
- How do you find the melody from the chords? Look at what’s actually happening on the fretboard with the chord shapes and focus on understanding how the notes within those chords all lead into each other.
