Posts tagged “melody”
Jun 22, 2026
How to make drift phonk: cowbell riffs, crushed 808s and drive
How to make drift phonk: write an ominous Phrygian cowbell riff, drive it with a crushed 808 and a relentless beat, then distort the whole mix.
Jun 19, 2026
How to make trap melodies: the five types every producer should know
Trap melodies are everything in the beat except the drums and 808. Learn the five melody types, from dark one-chord loops to call-and-response, without theory.
Jun 9, 2026
Melody writing like a pro: the AABA technique that keeps listeners hooked
Great melodies are engineered: a strong motif, AABA repetition with one varied phrase, and groove made by offsetting quarter notes. With playable examples.
May 24, 2026
How to write a counter melody that adds depth
A counter melody adds depth by contrasting your main line in rhythm, register and timbre. Six steps to write one that reads as a new layer, not a copy.
Feb 27, 2026
How to write memorable melodies
Four principles for melodies that stick: keep the range narrow, anchor big jumps to a home note, lean on the second scale note, and shape the line with tension and release.
Jun 16, 2025
How to use samples: creative use cases that go beyond flipping a loop
Samples do more than loop: flip one into a beat, read it as a chord map to compose over, hold a note as texture, match vocal chops to a mood, or build a whole arrangement from one.
May 6, 2025
How to make a pluggnb beat: jazzy chords, bells and bouncy plugg drums
Make a pluggnb beat: minor-key 7th and 9th chords, the one-semitone tension trick, bell melodies with grace notes, and sparse plugg drums that bounce.