Mel Bay's Creative Keyboard® Webzine | Gail Smith - How to Compose a New Song

How to Compose a New Song

by Gail Smith

How can you be inspired to compose a new song? What to do when ideas don't even come near your brain? Well, I have a new idea for you that will work every time. Here it is:
By taking a group of five numbers you assign a note to each number from 1 to 5 and the number sequence becomes a melodic phrase. There are 120 different ways to group five numbers (1-2-3-4-5.) I will give you all 120 number groups. Then you will select one group of five numbers and let the number 1 be the note middle C; the number 2 represent the note D; the number 3 represent the note E; the number 4 represent the note F; the number 5 represent the note G. Thus, if you pick 12354, as a melody it is - C,D,E,G,F. Give the melody a rhythm and instantly you have a lovely melody.

Here are all the possible ways to play five note numbers:

CDEFG - FGEDC - DCEFG - EGFDC - DCEGF - EGFCD - EFCDG - EFGDC

DEFCG - FECGD - ECDFG - EGDFC - ECFDG - FCDGE - DECGF - EDFGC

FEDCG - FGCDE - DEGCF - EFDGC - EGCDF - GCDFE - DGECF - GFDEC

DCGEF - GFCDE - FECDG - DFGEC - GEFCD - CGDEF - EDFCG - FGDEC

EFCGD - CDGEF - EGCFD - CEFDG - FGDCE - CGEDF - EFGCD - GEFDC

FDGCE - DGFCE - GDECF - DEFGC - DFGCE - CFEGD - FDCEG - EDGFC

DFECG - FDGEC - FCGDE - DFEGC - DFCEG - CFGED - FDECG - DGFEC

GEDCF - CFEDG - CFDEG - DECFG - GFCED - GEDFC - GDEFC - FCDEG

CEFGD - GCEDF - DEGFC - GECFD - CGEFD - EDGCF - CEGDF - GCEFD

CFGDE - GECDF - DGEFC - ECGFD - CGFED - FCEDG - ECFGD - ECGDF

CDFEG - DCGFE - FDEGC - ECDGF - GDFEC - DFCGE - FEGDC - DGCFE

CEDGF - GCFDE - FEDGC - DCFEG - CEGFD - GDCEF - EDCFG - FEGCD

CEDFG - FCEGD - EFDCG - FDCGE - CGDFE - FCGED - EDCGF - GCDEF

CGFDE - FGCED - EGDCF - GDFCE - CFDGE - GFDCE - DGCEF - GCFED

CDGFE - GDCFE - DCFGE - FGECD - CDFGE - GFECD - CDEGF - GFEDC

Every five-note sequence is different. It is amazing that there are that many different ways to play five notes. Now pick one group that you like and give it a rhythm then see where your melody goes. I hope you will start on a C Chord with your notes then go to another chord and transpose your number sequence to that chord…for instance take 12354 and on a G chord hand position it would be played: GABDC. Your hand just goes to another spot and plays the fingers thumb, second, third, fifth, fourth. Instantly a new melody sounds on each group of five notes. Play the same note in the bass with the left hand and you have a melody with a bass note or chord. You may put a left hand pattern under a note that holds.

I would like to have you send your best compositions (at least 16 measures to Gail Smith P.O. Box 9583 Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33310. We will share the best ones at another time.

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