One of the most common struggles for songwriters is crafting a vocal melody that feels natural, expressive, and memorable. A lot of aspiring artists force words into melodies in a way that sounds unnatural or awkward. But when you understand the rhythm of spoken language, the relationship between melody and chords, and the natural flow of a song, your vocal lines can feel effortless.
This guide will take you through two different approaches to melody writing:
Starting with lyrics and creating a melody that fits.
Starting with melody and fitting lyrics to it.
Vocal Melodies That Feel Natural & Catchy
Hey, I’m Bun, and it’s my mission to help artists become more confident in their writing, production, and creative process. Through my mentorship, I guide artists step by step to bring their ideas to life.
Today, we’re diving into how to craft vocal melodies that sound natural and catchy! Let’s get into it.
Step #1 - Finding Your Chord Progression
Before diving into melodies, you need some kind of chord structure to work with. This doesn’t have to be complex, but it’s important to set the emotional tone of your song. If you’re unsure how to create a good chord progression, don’t worry—I’ll cover that in a separate article!
Step #2 - Writing a Melody Based on Lyrics
If you already have lyrics and need to create a melody, here’s how to make it sound natural:
#2.1 Pay Attention to the Rhythm of Speech
When you speak a sentence normally, some words naturally stretch out, and some are quick and sharp. If you try to squeeze words into an unnatural rhythm, the melody will feel forced.
For example, if you take a phrase like:
"Days go by, you're so dramatic."
Say it out loud and listen to where the natural pauses and stresses are. Now, when you create a melody, keep that same rhythm so the words flow naturally.
A common mistake is trying to force all words into a fixed bar length, which leads to awkward phrasing. Instead, start by speaking your lyrics in rhythm over your chord progression until it feels right. Once that feels good, then move on to adding pitch.
#2.2 Choosing the Right Notes (Pitch)
Once you have the rhythm, the next step is to choose the right pitches for each syllable. To do this, you need to understand:
What key your chord progression is in.
The scale that fits over that key.
Start by singing or playing your lyrics in rhythm on an instrument, experimenting with different notes within the scale. A great trick is to listen to how your spoken sentence rises and falls naturally—this often gives clues for a melody!
For example, let’s break down how spoken pitch influenced my melody in Days Go By:
"Days" naturally rises when spoken (D → A → S slightly down)
"Go" sounds lower than "Days"
"By" sounds higher than "Go"
"Dramatic" has three syllables: Dra (higher), Ma (same), Tic (rises)
By following these natural pitch movements while staying within the song’s key, you create a melody that sounds intuitive and easy to sing.
#2.3 Jamming and Refining
Loop your chord progression and sing or hum over it.
Try playing the rhythm on an instrument within the scale.
Adjust the pitches based on natural speech inflection.
Experiment with varying note lengths to create tension and release.
Keep tweaking until it feels effortless.
Step #3 - Writing a Melody First (Then Adding Lyrics)
If you don’t have lyrics yet, the approach is slightly different. Here’s how to find a strong melody first:
#3.1 Jam Over Your Chord Progression
Record your progression and loop it.
Start humming or singing random melodies.
Don’t overthink it—just improvise!
If something catches your ear, repeat it and refine it.
#3.2 Turn the Melody Into Words
Once you have a melody that feels like a hook, start putting words to it.
A great exercise is to let your subconscious guide you. Often, the first words or phrases that come naturally are the best ones.
For example, when I wrote Days Go By, the melody came first. I felt the hook was strong, and the phrase “days go by” naturally fit the rhythm and emotion. From there, I built the lyrics around that idea.
#3.3 Expand the Idea Into Lyrics
If your first line feels good but you're unsure where to go next:
Ask yourself: What could this phrase be about?
Think about different scenarios that fit the phrase.
Write a second line that either answers or contrasts the first line.
For example, with Days Go By, I could have interpreted it in different ways:
Is it about me being dramatic?
Is it about someone else in my life?
What’s the emotional response to that phrase?
This kind of questioning helps guide your lyrics without forcing them.
Step #4 - Exploring Scales, Modes & Emotional Impact
To go even deeper, understanding scales and modes can take your melodies to the next level. For example:
Major scales create uplifting, happy melodies.
Minor scales add a melancholic or dramatic touch.
Modes (like Dorian or Mixolydian) give unique emotional flavors.
A great way to practice this is to take a simple melody and alter just one note to hear how it changes the emotion.
I'll be covering this topic in more detail in a dedicated video/article for those who want to dive deeper into music theory!
Tip #5 - Final Thoughts: Bringing It All Together
🔥 Key Takeaways:
✅ If you start with lyrics → Use natural speech rhythm to build your melody.
✅ If you start with melody → Let subconscious words form, then shape lyrics around them.
✅ Always consider the scale of your progression to keep the melody feeling cohesive.
✅ Record everything! Loop your progression and keep improvising until something sticks.
✅ Experiment with different scales and modes to expand your melodic creativity.
What’s Next?
Melody writing is just one piece of the songwriting puzzle. Another huge factor is your chord progression—because the right (or wrong) progression can make or break a melody. In my next article/video, I’ll break down how to create chord progressions that inspire strong melodies!
🎥 Want a deeper breakdown? Check out my full video on this topic where I walk through these techniques step by step.
If you want a more personal approach to improve your songwriting and production, I offer a mentorship program where I help artists refine their music from melody and lyrics to full production. Check out the details here, and let’s make your songs the best they can be!
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