Topic: chords and melody

I've always been asking to myself a question : which is the relationship between the melody of a song
and the chords that I play while singing it?
Suppose I write a new song by myself, playing it with a finger on a piano. Then, if I ask a professional
or a skilled friend to find the chords that fit with the melody, how he or she will proceed? WHAT is the
criterion followed?

Re: chords and melody

I'm not really a theory expert or anything, but when I have a melody and want to find the chords I play the first few notes of the melody on the piano, and then play a chord that has similar notes in it. The melody will only sound good if most of the notes are the same notes in the chord. Hope that helped!

I'm a musician; I can [color=blue]Handel[/color] it!

Re: chords and melody

When I want to write chords to fit a melody, I look at the key the melody is in.  I need a key chart to do that.  If it has no sharps and flats I know it is in C key.  If it has one sharp, I know it is in G key...and so on.  These charts are simple and easy to find.

I know there are 3 main chords in each key.  I have to fit a chord to each melody note.  There are usually several melody notes with only one chord.  I have drawn a chart with these on it.  It is the 1st, [the root chord].  The 4th note  e.g.  in key C, CDEF...the 4th note is F, so the chord is F chord.  The next main chord is the 5th, and it is G, but it a 7th, so it is G7.  Then I have C, F G7, the 1st, 4th and 5th notes of the key are the root note of each chord.  This works in every key.  So key D is D, G, A7. 

If there is a minor sound, I try the minor after the root, so in C, I try Dm.  In D, I try Em.  I listen to see if it sounds right.  If that does not sound right I try the seventh, and instead of a seventh I play a minor, e.g. A7 becomes Am. 

I write the chord for each melody note which is one of those main chords which contains the note,  Sometimes the note is in 2 chords so I have to listen to them and choose the best sound.

Re: chords and melody

Your method looks easy and probably gives the best results. I'll test by myself. Your explanation was very
clear, for which I thank you because is a rare quality. Best regards Paolo.