Hey there, it’s been a while. First started my musical journey with Justin guitar books approx 6-7 years ago.
My guitar level has plateaued. I can strum most things and chord based but really struggle with melodies. Ie. picking notes, and finger style.
Luckily i make this up on piano which i started 4-5 years ago.
I like to think song writing is my strongest skill. As i still struggle with metronome and covers.
Would love to know what you think of my latest?
Hey Ali,
Listening to this song on Spotify as I write… very cool & relaxing vibe… good, enjoyable lyrics with the piano/guitar parts very well coordinated. I can imagine somebody like Ian Munsick singing this song! Thanks for sharing, got my workday off to a nice start!!!
Tod
Thanks Tod, enjoyed making this one. And wow massive compliment. Thankyou very much. I did a bit of work on the bridge to have a piano accompment which i like. So pleased you like it.
Enjoyed the song, well produced, Ali. The vocal style worked, liked the arrangement
Hey Ali.
Congratulations on a fully formed recording that has a great overall sound to it.
Creative and musical.
You may find this easier on piano if your guitar playing has hit a plateau.
For melody ideas, play your basic chord then seek to start your melody outside of the chord shape, a note above it say. Your melody here is comfortably, predictably within the triad note span. Take us outside for some spice and surprise.
Keep it up.
Good stuff.
Thank you David. Thanks for listening. Glad you liked it
Thanks Richard, Only just starting to improvise medlodies. The piano has taught me a lot here within keys and scales.
Im very much behind on guitar can barely play one scale. The piano is so simple to know where every note is. The alabete is easy to see and recognise Like learning English.
The riffs and melodies here i used in the studio on a keyboard. Komplete kontrol is amazing here and software instruments.
But i played my guitar for strumming.
The musical alphabets on guitar is like learning Chinese.
Im sure it’s easier to map if you keep playing scales though.
So an example lets say a c shape C E G is the chord. Play passing notes starting on a B which would be C 7th. To start the melody and dipping into and out of the chord traid?
Yes.
Exactly that.
The notes of the triad are always going to sound great. At home. They totally belong. And because of that can sound predictable. Consider arriving at a chord tone from the scale note one above or one below.
If you find your melody is based around the root note of the C chord while it is being played, arrive at that note from B (below) or D (above).
If you find your melody is based around the major 3rd note of the C chord while it is being played, arrive at that note from D (below) or F (above).
If you find your melody is based around the perfect 5th note of the C chord while it is being played, arrive at that note from F (below) or A (above).
And in the key of C it is very obvious to the eye as it is all laid out in liner manner on the white keys.
And so on for other chords.
Also consider introducing a mixture of intervals within the contour of your melodies.
Steps - where the melody ascends or descends in moves of one scale degree. The immediately adjacent note.
Jumps - where the melody ascends or descends by thirds, jumping over the immediately adjacent note.
Leaps - bigger then jumps.
Very nice Ali, loved the lyrics and your vocals were perfect for the song. Some nice playing too! 
Thanks Eddie, Very pleased you liked it.
Thanks Richard. This is very useful and totally makes sense. I will try that with my next tunes. I have gradually been doing some of this recently but not knowing what im doing. Again the piano has helped a lot here as I know most chord triads and what notes they comprise of.
In guitar which i started with i played chords but didnt know what was in a traid or chord. I mean I didn’t even know C was C E G or D was D F# A.
And minor and major is just the second note of traid up or down a semitone.
But scales and arpeggios, actually especially arpegoios have given me an understanding of the mixture of sounds in each chord.
Much like a pallet of paint you have a selection based on the key/scale that works well. But as you say if you just stick around the triad it’s a bit predictable. So i guess starting outside of the root or home note, gives it color. Like a journey going to and from home.
I will remember to test this out. Thanks again