Dance Music Production - Fundamental 4: Music Theory - Melody

Fundamentals are our range of video tutorials that are dedicated to the ‘fundamental’ production techniques and procedures that all practicing EDM producers should be completely versed in. Covering topics such as drum programming, music theory, formal structure and ear training techniques, our fundamental series are our best selling products.

For the fourth edition of the Fundamental series, we continue to discuss the music theory and practices that form an integral part of any dance musicians production skills – this time we examine the theory and composition of melodies, motifs and hooks.

Almost every record every made will make use of a melody in one form or another, whether its particularly exotic as with uplifting trance or a simpler style of motif or hook as typically heard in main room, house and even the bass in tech-house and techno. Melodies form the fundamental element to almost every form and genre of dance music and the more memorable they are, the better. However, composing memorable melodies is far more difficult than it initially appears and requires a good understanding of the theory and plenty of practice.

Beginning with an in-depth discussion on the music theory behind melodies, this 4 hour course examines how they are typically conceived and composed including a detailed look at how we can use the circle of fifths to determine keys. Throughout the tutorial, theories and techniques such as balance, counterbalance, contour, energy, drive, dynamics and motifs are all discussed in detail before we move on to examine some of the techniques you can use to create your own melodies alongside a look at some of the synthesis and processing methods for leads in dance records.