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Playing Melodies

Melody: A single-note line that is either played or sung.
Staff: The five horizontal lines in standard notation that show a note’s pitch. A note can be placed on a line or in the spaces between two lines. The higher a note is placed on the staff, the higher the pitch is.
Augmented Notation: The same as standard notation but with three added features—letter names to notes, counts and parenthesis, and finger placement—to make pitch and rhythms easier to decode.
Finger Numbers: Numbers that each correspond to one finger and are numbered in the hand from left to right. In the right hand the thumb is 1, index finger is 2, middle finger is 3, ring finger is 4, and pinky is 5.
Finger Placement Numbers: Numbers next to noteheads that signify where to place the hand to play notes most easily. When a finger placement number is written, it indicated a position shift or a stretch.
Counts & Parenthesis: Numbers and parentheses that show the attack, sustain, release, and rest states of a rhythm. The first "count" (number) in a parenthesis is the attack. Every other count in a parenthesis is a sustain. When the parenthesis ends the rhythm ends or is released. Counts outside of parentheses are periods of rest.

Melody Reading

• Practice reading melodies with augmented notation.

• Be sure to follow the finger placement numbers and rhythms.

• Practice playing a bass line and chords using the chord symbols.

Practice Strategies: Break down the elements of a melody while practicing.

1. Find the pitches by playing only the letters.

2. Count and clap the rhythm only.

3. Count and play the pitches WITHOUT a steady beat.

4. Count and play the pitches with a steady beat, but at a tempo in which you can minimize mistakes.

5. Count and play the pitches at the indicated tempo.

Learn the melody for each line first before playing with the backing track. Even though it is fun to play with the recording, you can start to rely on the playhead to show when the play notes.

Melodies By Ear

The best way to write a melody organically is to play what you hear. There are three parts to writing melodies this way: creation, comprehension, and retention. The first part of writing a melody by ear is to hear a melody (creation). Play a chord progression on loop using a DAW or a piano and sing or play a melody on top of the progression until you find something you like. Sometimes, what you hear might be hard to parse out: slow the melody down so it’s easier to hear the individual notes (comprehension). When you hear a melody over a chord progression, try to remember it by playing it back in your head (retention).

Other ways to practice playing melodies by ear:

• Play along to songs you know.

• Try to play childhood melodies from memory.

• Sing a portion of a melody and try to play it.