Absolutely phenomenal.. not only do you go through your points for 20 minutes without messing up a word, you also not skip a beat when playing a piece from sight reading. You’re such a masterful teacher. Thank you. :)
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here th-cam.com/channels/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQg.htmljoin
one thing that has really helped me, is connecting music to speaking. music tells a story or makes a statement, same as when we speak or converse. naturally, when we speak, we take pauses (to reflect or think of what to say next), we sometimes linger on or either get straight to the point. we have commas, colons, dashes, question & exclamation marks. in music, this would equate to cadences, melodic lines intentionally working in & around a scale, etc. another way i like to think about it is... if we were to converse about music only, not about the weather, a vacation we just took, our job, etc.... that would be like writing melodic lines where the notes intently fall on the "right" beats, rather than having just any old note land anywhere. it would sound dysfunctional. so, if we were to converse about music only, we keep the talk music-related & not get off-topic, or allow the conversation to become dysfunctional.
A very helpful video. Sometimes one might also think of pitch and of the melodic line as a whole: where are the highest notes? Where are the lowest? How far apart are they? Of course you try to keep in mind the strengths and limitations of the voice or instrument you're writing for.
Very good advice! The planning stages are the least intuitive at first but it helps so much to think of the big picture more and more. As someone with ADHD and a million thoughts/possibilities, this helps to stay focused.
This is very good teaching. Before I came accross the Music Matters channel I have thought that I would never really undertand music theory. Thanks a lot
Very interesting video and lesson. I love that you mix both giving tips with examples AND analysing a well known music peice. Please keep this formula for more of the same type of content! I love it! As for melody, I just finished a new track and watching this video afterward, I notice the things I got instinctively correct and the ones I could improve. I usually go on with a melody I have in my head and figure out the harmony afterward but keeping in mind a structure is a tip I will apply from now on, as well as all the other ones in this video. Very helpful. Keep it up Gareth! Thanks
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here th-cam.com/channels/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQg.htmljoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.
I enjoy music composition as a past time.I find your video very encouraging.As you mentioned many of the difficulties that I have encountered. And ways to think more clearly as how to progress with a composition.
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here th-cam.com/channels/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQg.htmljoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.
Helpful as always - thank you! When you said, at the beginning, that you'd use a famous piece at the end, I was hoping you might use the slow movement from Beethoven's 5th piano concerto - just the opening orchestral section. What a beautiful melody that is... I'm glad you went for Beethoven anyway! :)
At least we were with your favoured composer! Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
Thank you so much for this. I am just scratching the surface of the realities and craft of composing. I want to incoporate Irish Traditional music tunes. I am entering my third year of music at the Cork School of Music in Ireland. I just finished reading the biography of Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. In it the author describes a bit about his process of composing. He mentions "sketching" out a piece. It is fascinating to find out how all the great music I have heard comes about. I may join your Maestro group or do a course on counter-point before long. Thanks, again.
Thanks for this good advice. I first heard Fur Elise while waiting from my music lesson, and wonder if I liked it how the left hand keeps running up into the right hand; only Beethoven could do it.
That was an excellent lesson. I'm not likely to write a great melody any time soon but this helps me to understand what makes those great pieces of music so great!
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here th-cam.com/channels/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQg.htmljoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.
Hi, Gareth. You may remember me, a few months ago I posted personal concerns about my lack of practice and commitment, I'm 18 years old (male), and I hope you'll be pleased to hear that I've increased my paltry average of 30% of days to 75% as of May, I'm happy to finally be more likely to practice than I am not to. haha. Still aiming for higher though.
Absolutely. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here th-cam.com/channels/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQg.htmljoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here th-cam.com/channels/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQg.htmljoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.
Your lectures are always interesting and packed with useful information and observations. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder (or listener, in this case), but do really beautiful songs share any traits in common...and if so, what are they?
@@MusicMattersGB Thank you. I thought you would say that...but I was hoping that if there were traits beautiful songs shared, I might eventually learn how to write something closer to beauty...even if I don't possess the genius to write something truly beautiful. Anyway, thank you for taking the time to answer questions. I will continue to listen to your lectures!
Have a look at our how to practise video. We also have a course on the detail of how to practise effectively. www.mmcourses.co.uk/p/effective-practice-course
Interesting! Usually I first come up with a melodic idea and if it's good, the whole piece turns out good for some reason... Otherwise no matter what I try the piece doesn't have the same punch you know?
Alan Belkin's textbook "Musical Composition" has 1 mention which says: "write a pregnant melody." (Without explaining that metaphor.) "Pregnant" melody, what the? 🍼🐣 Pretty much no material on 'great melody' or even 'good melody' in his text which unfortunate. Probably he is trying to play it too safe so as to not define anything a "bad" melody. 10:30 Tips #4, #5, #6 are much better ways of defining good melody. Now what would be revealing is if this same video were made for "What makes a great jazz melody?" and then compare-contrast the result. Music is music regardless of genre especially 21st century music, so the result should be the same, except, in academic circles especially, it is not.
Hopefully as the video unpacks ‘structure’ you feel happier. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
@@MusicMattersGB you are very kind. I don’t even know what you are talking about. But I honestly have felt all my life.... the last decade...an intuitive longing to understand the structure of music
@@pattysherwood7091 Try not to overthink it. To me, structure is what makes a song feel solid, complete and professional, with a good sense of direction. Even a piece like The Rite of Spring has good structure and a sense of direction. At least this is how I process the term.
@@johnwest6690after learning to read Ancient Greek I’m sure I can learn the language of music. Thanks for the encouragement. I’m thinking I’m so old I may not have enough time left!😆
Learn Music Online - Check out our courses here!
www.mmcourses.co.uk/courses
Absolutely phenomenal.. not only do you go through your points for 20 minutes without messing up a word, you also not skip a beat when playing a piece from sight reading. You’re such a masterful teacher. Thank you. :)
You’re very kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
I will always think of this lesson now every time I play fur elise. Thank you for a wonderful lesson!
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here th-cam.com/channels/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQg.htmljoin
one thing that has really helped me, is connecting music to speaking. music tells a story or makes a statement, same as when we speak or converse. naturally, when we speak, we take pauses (to reflect or think of what to say next), we sometimes linger on or either get straight to the point. we have commas, colons, dashes, question & exclamation marks. in music, this would equate to cadences, melodic lines intentionally working in & around a scale, etc.
another way i like to think about it is... if we were to converse about music only, not about the weather, a vacation we just took, our job, etc.... that would be like writing melodic lines where the notes intently fall on the "right" beats, rather than having just any old note land anywhere. it would sound dysfunctional. so, if we were to converse about music only, we keep the talk music-related & not get off-topic, or allow the conversation to become dysfunctional.
Very helpful thoughts
I usually either think of a melody in my head or it arises from a chord sequence. I then refine it after listening to it.
Great plan.
A very helpful video.
Sometimes one might also think of pitch and of the melodic line as a whole: where are the highest notes? Where are the lowest? How far apart are they? Of course you try to keep in mind the strengths and limitations of the voice or instrument you're writing for.
Absolutely
Very good advice! The planning stages are the least intuitive at first but it helps so much to think of the big picture more and more. As someone with ADHD and a million thoughts/possibilities, this helps to stay focused.
That’s great. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
Haunted by the genius of that simple but amazing key progression In Fur Elise. 🙏🙏🏿👍🦄
Yes it’s great. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
A great melody is the one that you hear once and remember forever...
😀
I think great melodies are ones that are new but you feel you've heard them before...but havent
@keithparker1346 😀
This is very good teaching. Before I came accross the Music Matters channel I have thought that I would never really undertand music theory. Thanks a lot
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
Great lesson ! Other teachers tend to avoid discussing melody and leave it to the muses. I like this balanced approach.
Thank you. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
Very interesting video and lesson.
I love that you mix both giving tips with examples AND analysing a well known music peice.
Please keep this formula for more of the same type of content! I love it!
As for melody, I just finished a new track and watching this video afterward, I notice the things I got instinctively correct and the ones I could improve. I usually go on with a melody I have in my head and figure out the harmony afterward but keeping in mind a structure is a tip I will apply from now on, as well as all the other ones in this video.
Very helpful. Keep it up Gareth!
Thanks
That’s most kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
Wow. So 90 % plane and 10 % inspiration. Thank you very much for sharing this.
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here th-cam.com/channels/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQg.htmljoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.
I enjoy music composition as a past time.I find your video very encouraging.As you mentioned many of the difficulties that I have encountered. And ways to think more clearly as how to progress with a composition.
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here th-cam.com/channels/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQg.htmljoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.
Thank you Gareth ,your lessons (& Beethoven’s) are very much appreciated . 👍
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
Helpful as always - thank you! When you said, at the beginning, that you'd use a famous piece at the end, I was hoping you might use the slow movement from Beethoven's 5th piano concerto - just the opening orchestral section. What a beautiful melody that is... I'm glad you went for Beethoven anyway! :)
At least we were with your favoured composer! Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
Thank you so much for this. I am just scratching the surface of the realities and craft of composing. I want to incoporate Irish Traditional music tunes. I am entering my third year of music at the Cork School of Music in Ireland. I just finished reading the biography of Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. In it the author describes a bit about his process of composing. He mentions "sketching" out a piece. It is fascinating to find out how all the great music I have heard comes about. I may join your Maestro group or do a course on counter-point before long. Thanks, again.
That’s great. You will be very welcome to our courses and to Maestros. Good luck with your studies. Enjoy!
Thanks for this good advice. I first heard Fur Elise while waiting from my music lesson, and wonder if I liked it how the left hand keeps running up into the right hand; only Beethoven could do it.
Absolutely
That was an excellent lesson. I'm not likely to write a great melody any time soon but this helps me to understand what makes those great pieces of music so great!
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here th-cam.com/channels/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQg.htmljoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.
Best video ever on explaining melody 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Glad it’s helpful
Hi, Gareth. You may remember me, a few months ago I posted personal concerns about my lack of practice and commitment, I'm 18 years old (male), and I hope you'll be pleased to hear that I've increased my paltry average of 30% of days to 75% as of May, I'm happy to finally be more likely to practice than I am not to. haha. Still aiming for higher though.
That is fabulous news. Well done!
Really interesting and insightful enabling inspiration through planning and structure.
Glad it’s helpful. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
Hello Sir, respect from India 🇮🇳
That’s most kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
@@MusicMattersGB Joined with respect from AUSTRALIA (Half a world away!) Jeff 🇦🇺😀
Great to have you with us.
Thank you Gareth! Always a pleasure :)
That’s kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
Nice trick using the tritone to make your voice leading point, Gareth! 😉
Glad you like it.
Awesome descriptive narration while the music is progressing.
That’s kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
I find a story relating to a piece helps to give to give it some form.And some idea as to what volume content it should have .
Absolutely. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here th-cam.com/channels/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQg.htmljoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.
Beautiful video thank you so much.
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme. If you value this channel and would like to help us continue to share and develop the content please consider supporting us as a level 1 Maestro by clicking here th-cam.com/channels/8yI8P7Zi3yYTsypera-IQg.htmljoin Alternatively you can express your support for the channel by clicking on the Super Thanks button beneath any of our videos. Thank you.
Great tips! Thank you!
A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
Your lectures are always interesting and packed with useful information and observations. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder (or listener, in this case), but do really beautiful songs share any traits in common...and if so, what are they?
Good question. Beautiful songs are always well crafted musically but usually have that stroke of genius injected.
@@MusicMattersGB Thank you. I thought you would say that...but I was hoping that if there were traits beautiful songs shared, I might eventually learn how to write something closer to beauty...even if I don't possess the genius to write something truly beautiful. Anyway, thank you for taking the time to answer questions. I will continue to listen to your lectures!
😀
Really great tips Gareth!
Thank you.
I love your channel!
Thank you. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk
Thanks!
A pleasure! Thank you very much for your generosity and support for the channel!
The best melodies come in your dreams, as Sir Paul would attest.
😀
Good tips - but do you have any advice for atonal compositions? Is that a totally different game?
One can consider the balance of conjunct/ disjunct movement plus the level of dissonance but in other regards the same principles apply.
Wonderful stuff Gareth, ding dong...ding
😀
Very useful cues for formatting structure 🙏👏👏👏👍🎩🦄
Glad it’s helpful. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
I’ve been playing piano for 50 years and havnt really improved much since I was 12. How do I get better? I practise a lot
Have a look at our how to practise video. We also have a course on the detail of how to practise effectively. www.mmcourses.co.uk/p/effective-practice-course
Interesting! Usually I first come up with a melodic idea and if it's good, the whole piece turns out good for some reason... Otherwise no matter what I try the piece doesn't have the same punch you know?
That’s often the case
Really interesting.
😀
nice man really helped me out !
That’s great. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
Nice lesson
😀 Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
Thank you!!
A pleasure
I totally agree!!! It’s much easier to do number 2 after you’ve done number 1 💩😂 6:37
😀
GREAT Video
That’s most kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
Hi, i write music for flims, songs , i struggle with expression , communicating sertain emotions (which i have to ) in music
Have a look at our’inside the mind of…’ series for inspiration
Thank you so much sir. Great video.
That’s most kind. Hope you are well.
@@MusicMattersGB Yes sir. We are fine. Thank you. Hope you are fine. Take care.
We are doing fine thanks. You take care too.
@@MusicMattersGB sure sir.
😀
Happy birthday Mr Garrett
😀
* serialists have left the stream
😁
😀
Hasn’t some of the greatest music anywhere been created using your steps in the opposite direction?
Sure
I know the answer its Btob
😀
Alan Belkin's textbook "Musical Composition" has 1 mention which says: "write a pregnant melody." (Without explaining that metaphor.) "Pregnant" melody, what the? 🍼🐣 Pretty much no material on 'great melody' or even 'good melody' in his text which unfortunate. Probably he is trying to play it too safe so as to not define anything a "bad" melody. 10:30 Tips #4, #5, #6 are much better ways of defining good melody. Now what would be revealing is if this same video were made for "What makes a great jazz melody?" and then compare-contrast the result. Music is music regardless of genre especially 21st century music, so the result should be the same, except, in academic circles especially, it is not.
Agreed that great music is great music regardless of genre.
I just knew when you said “structure,” I would be lost.
Hopefully as the video unpacks ‘structure’ you feel happier. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk including details of our online courses and of our exciting Maestros programme.
@@MusicMattersGB you are very kind. I don’t even know what you are talking about. But I honestly have felt all my life.... the last decade...an intuitive longing to understand the structure of music
Have a look at this online course that will get you moving with it all. www.mmcourses.co.uk/p/music-theory-grades-1-to-5
@@pattysherwood7091 Try not to overthink it. To me, structure is what makes a song feel solid, complete and professional, with a good sense of direction. Even a piece like The Rite of Spring has good structure and a sense of direction. At least this is how I process the term.
@@johnwest6690after learning to read Ancient Greek I’m sure I can learn the language of music. Thanks for the encouragement. I’m thinking I’m so old I may not have enough time left!😆
The out of tune makes the melody
😀