The Best Melodies

It is easy to understand that the best melodies are going to be different for each person; the concept of something being ‘the best’ in almost any instance is entirely subjective. Unless you are ranking a melody on the most money generated etc (something that is very hard to accurately determine!), then this will always be the case. 

Today we will be talking about the best melodies, how we can classify this with our own personal set of rules, some examples of what I think are some of the best melodies that I have heard and why some of my choices might surprise you.

Mood

The songs we choose to listen to may reflect our mood more accurately than we realise, or help us reach a desired state of mind. Sometimes, the energy behind a song may make us drive faster without realising, calm us down or give us energy. For myself, I like to listen to some fast-paced heavy metal tunes when lifting weights in the gym, or when I’m working on improving my time on the treadmill. It makes sense then, that if you are choosing a melody based on how it makes you feel, your answer will change depending on when you ask. 

One of the most effective songs that I can think of is from Toy Story 2. ‘When She Loved Me’ by Sarah McLachlan is a masterfully written piece that accompanies a scene of abandonment – just the melody itself is so sad and heavily weighted it brings my wife to tears within the first few notes. I’m not too far off then myself too!

Memory

The proof of a how impactful a melody can be is how easily it can be remembered. Whilst this is not necessarily a question of complexity, that still has a part to play. Naturally, simpler melodies are easier to remember due to the fact that there is less to remember and patterns might be more typical of a particular genre. Something that is well written will stick in your mind regardless of how tricky it is. 

As part of my job as a guitar player I have learned countless melodies, riffs and chord progressions. Some of them are easier to remember than others, and others are so bland they simply fade into nothing after I do not need to play them anymore. A great example of this is ‘How Deep Is Your Love’ by the Bee Gees – I think it would be nearly impossible for me to forget the melody throughout the whole of that song; I can instantly recall it even if I can’t do the same for the lyrics or the chords. 

Nostalgia

Each of our senses can instantly transport us back to a different time. Sound is no different, and it is amazing how a simple melody can make you feel like you are somewhere completely different. 

As I will discuss later on, some of the most powerful compositions are to be found in the musical score for movies or video games, they tend to have the ability to conjure up images brilliantly. When I was 11 or 12 years old, my grandfather introduced my cousin and I to a game called Fable: The Lost Chapters by the since dissolved game developer Lionhead Studios. The game was actually the expanded version of a game released not too long before that. Obviously, the music is nothing short of a masterpiece otherwise I would not be talking about it here, but just listening to it instantly reminds me of that day we sat and watched the hero character on the screen. 

To further this point, I often use the aforementioned soundtrack when teaching students about songwriting, and I ask them to describe the scene that each song accompanies. They are correct every time. Have a listen to this song called ‘Bowerstone’ and think about what scene it might be found with.

Fun fact, legendary composer Danny Elfman composed the title track to this game. Elfman is famous for other scores such as Spider-Man, The Simpsons and Mission: Impossible.

Complexity

Earlier on in this blog post I mentioned complexity when referring to memory and remembering melodies. I want to expand on this topic a little further by talking about some melodies that are, conventionally at least, considered quite complex and why they are still great melodies. 

Complexity could encompass the speed or rhythmic choices, or it could be that the notes are displaced in an unusual way or use musical ideas like counterpoint.

I think the melody to ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ is hard, yet many people are familiar with at least the general shape the melody takes. Many of Allan Holdsworth’s compositions use unusual scale formulations, and then the notes that present themselves in his melodies are somewhat confusing unless you are familiar with his style. Check out the opening melodies found in his song ‘The Drums Were Yellow’ from the Sixteen Men of Tain album – no crazy speed, just less common note choices. I liked the way this tune was put together, and the melody always stuck out to me.

Final Thoughts

Ask yourself the following questions:

• What mood am I in? Do I want to change that?

• Do I want to hear something new, or something comforting that I already know?

• Do I have the brainpower to properly listen to something quick or overly complicated?

• Would it be a good idea to conjure up specific memories?

If you are struggling with what to listen to, answering those questions will help you narrow it down. I think you will be surprised about your choices if you do this!

As mentioned before, the best melodies are those that conjure up a specific image in your mind, and I gave a great example before. Many times, a composer will be given a draft screening or a sneak peek at some gameplay to give them an idea of the world their music will exist in. Whilst having a lesson with a tutor of mine and good friend the legendary Steve Smyth, he described the thought behind write the riff to his tune ‘The Afterlife’ by The EssenEss Project. He described what he was thinking when we wrote the song, and that was a bunch of people on the deck of a ship in a storm, running about like crazy – granted that the rhythm and riffs in this all work, but the concept is the same.

Part of the beauty of songwriting is also how the melody can interact with harmony, be affected by the rhythm with which it is played or how it reacts with other melodies to produce harmony. Even a basic melody can be elevated to dizzying heights with the right accompaniment. 

What is your favourite melody? You might find it hard to pin down your favourites, but that is entirely normal! Make sure to ask your teacher about their favourite melodies too – they will be different. That is one of the great things about music!