Page 89Maximising a Melodic Phrase
A melodic phrase can be transposed by the same interval with which a chord sequence is moved up. In other words,
when you change chords, simply sing the same tune but higher by the same distance. This way of developing
melodic material is called "sequential repetition". You can hear this in the climbing bit of the verse in 'Now I'm
Here', in 'Good Vibrations' and in the chorus of 'California Girls'.
Reharmonizing
The same melodic line will sound different if you use different chords underneath it. In the verse of 'Yes It Is', the
same melody is used for two lines of lyric. The first time it is harmonized I IV II V, the second time I IV bVII V.
The third chord, F#m in the original key of E, is replaced by a chord that is major, D. The switch from minor to
major makes the melody sound different, even though its notes are the same. (The vocal harmony changes in
keeping with the substituted chord.) In the first and second verses of 'If You're Going To San Francisco', the first
four bars are:
VI IV I V
Em C G DIn the last verse, this is reharmonized as:
VI II IV I III V
Em Am C G Bm DThe additional minor chords add a poignant twist. Other examples include the choruses of 'Paradise By The
Dashboard Light' and Bryan Adams' 'Cloud No.9' where the chorus contains a substitution of VI for chord I (Bm for
D).
Counter-melody
One of the most powerful devices for making a song commercial is the counter-melody. A counter-melody is sung
by a second voice (or backing vocalists), sometimes using different words. A good counter-melody can not only
liven up the repetition of a verse but introduce devastating strength to the chorus by effectively multiplying the
number of hooks. This can be heard on 'Jesamine', 'You've Got Your Troubles, I've Got Mine', 'Help', 'Near Wild
Heaven', 'Fall On Me', 'It's The End Of The World As We Know It' ch, 'I Get Around', 'If Paradise Is Half As Nice',
'My Name Is Jack', 'Fox On The Run' (last ch) and 'Hello Goodbye'. The early R.E.M. albums have many inventive
shared vocal parts.
One individual can happily sing the tune of a hit song. But not so with a hit that has a counter-melody – a single
voice cannot sing both parts at once. Therefore, the only way of satisfying the need to hear the song is to play the
record again.
Personal Style in Melody
Singers and songwriters often develop, sometimes unconsciously, certain melodic, harmonic and rhythmic habits,
which lend their compositions a certain "fingerprint". It could be a favourite tempo or chord sequence or key change,
or a habit of building the tune around certain notes. If you've been writing songs for a while, can you identify any
things you tend to repeat? Do these fingerprints create a strong musical identity? Or do they make all your songs
sound the same? If so,