Hi ,I do not find it difficult to build chord progressions and melodies .

However, I usually find it very difficult to write a counter melody.

Suppose I have a chord progression played by an acoustic guitar, over it plays a flute.
Then I would like for example to introduce the hook from the beat to bring another melody into play for example from a violin.
In 90 percent of the cases, however, I do not succeed in writing this counter melody, because then, for example, the violin clashes with the flute.

I know that you can do a lot with mixing and frequency separation, but it must also sound good unmixed.

Do you have any tips on how to make counter melodies better?

 

Learn counterpoint. Even in it's most basic form it will be useful to you.

 

listen for counter rhythm

 

This is one of those topics that can't be condensed into a couple bullet points. You'll have to read a book/take a course.

~90 min video series: Jacob Gran's "Species Counterpoint".
If you prefer reading: Music Theory for the 21st Century Classroom

 

Use your chord progression and hold on for dear life,

 

Be sure to check the frequency range if you played a flute the countermelodys main frequency should not be in the same range you can try pitching the violin one octave up or down and Check if this works.

Also EQing out some frequencys can be useful.

Also leaving some space while Creating the Main Melody can be a good idea.

 

Mixing and frequency separation has absolutely nothing to do with composing melodies! Bach wrote 2 and 3 part inventions without a mixing table and EQ?

Basically, writing melody and filling it with counter melodies has to do with mirroring the main melody and filling the gaps with 2nd,3rd en even 4th voices based on those melodies. Some people can hear these voices naturally and can compose pieces using their natural feeling of how voices fit together. Most have to study it for years. That's why counterpoint is a very serious study within music.

So unfortunately there is no easy answer to your question.

 

Last edited: Oct 25, 2023

If two instruments are clashing I always solo them both together and identify the notes that don't work together, then simply move them until they work. I don't believe you need to overthink this from a theory point of view during the creation process, that's a rabbit hole that will disrupt your flow.

 

Agreed, if only two instruments are clashing it's fairly easy to make choices and corrections. But what if you discover inconsistencies within the voicings of four instruments each playing their own melody? How will you determine what voices are correct and what voice(s) needs to be adjusted/corrected?

 

If there's no desire to dive into a boring theory, listen to this song first, and then I'll tell you what can you learn from it for your projects:

 

CCR is actually the only band I intensely hate from that period! Just can't deal with the stupid simple harmony/melodies and this irritating voice of John Fogerty! Sorry, just not for me!

 

Consider the "spectrotone chart" (orchestration) to avoid frequency clashes, but apart from that, learn counterpoint as mentioned. The concept of counterpoint is maintaining independent voice leading. (this is why parallel motion of block chords ("planing") or power chords on a guitar doesn't actually violate counterpoint rules, simply because those chords are treated as a single voice with a chordal timbre.)

 

Ouch, you're, maybe, one hater against millions those who like CCR...
still, if you'd like to learn it, here you are:
look at the lyrics of that song:

Long as I remember the rain been comin' down
Clouds of mystery pourin' confusion on the ground
Good men through the ages tryin' to find the sun
And I wonder, still I wonder, who'll stop the rain?

The red text is “call” and the green one is “response”
Then we have a melody repeat with different words,
And again red – call, green – response
And at last brown text is a resolution.
And now a bit of theory, that is enough:
“What is a call and response in blues?
In music, call-and-response is a compositional technique that works similarly to a conversation. A “phrase” of music serves as the “call,” and is “answered” by a different phrase of music. These phrases can be either vocal, instrumental, or both.”
How could you use the lesson above? The song is very simple, so, upload it into your DAW,
then play melody line (red text) with piano, for example, and green text with another instrument, and the orange text with both instruments (2 voiced harmony)
That's it

 

Last edited: Oct 25, 2023

That's where your skill and judgement come in. Which is the most important element, the chord progression or the melody? If it's the melody start by correcting that and any other melodic/harmony lines then when you add the chord track and it sounds wrong then it's the wrong chord.

 

Jocob Gran definitely worth watching even as a refresher.

 

Sorry, but you're trying make something special about a song that's entirely not special!

Take for instance a well know ancient children's song 'Father Jacob'' with question and answer. This called a 'Canon'. A form of fugue:

Father Jacob, Father Jacob
Do you still sleep? Do you still sleep?
All the bells are ringing, all the bells are ringing!
Ding dong ding, ding dong ding.

You can do the same and load this song into your DAW and get the same result.

So this stupid song of CCR is not so exceptional after all!

Just because you and millions of other people like you like it doesn't mean it's very special!
It's mainly because the melody and harmony is so childish and simple that most people will dig it!

 

hold the liineeeee, cha na na náaaa, love isnt always on timeeeee

 

Did I say it was special? On the contrary, I gave a simplest example to understand the basics...
But, if it's not your cup of tea, then consider this example of orchestral score, you'll find there
some tips:

 

Nice attempt, but I don't want to hurt your feelings so I'll restrain myself from further comment on this.

 

Ouch, I found, my 1st reply was to BenniTheBlockbuster, the topic starter, but he disappeared...so, you're here instead him?