WRITE A GREAT MELODY with this Formula | Sentence Form in Music Composition

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  • Опубліковано 31 гру 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 272

  • @darwinshamster
    @darwinshamster 2 роки тому +299

    I've been a violinist for over fifty years, never been a composer. With just the two videos of yours that I've heard, things make so much sense, and I realize that music doesn't have to be the mystery that it always has been for me. Even if I don't compose anything, your explanations are amazing, clear and satisfying.

  • @anatomicallymodernhuman5175
    @anatomicallymodernhuman5175 2 роки тому +5

    UA-cam kept pushing this vid at me until I watched it, and I'm so glad it did. I had composition classes in college and studied privately later. No one ever taught me the period-sentence distinction. It's more a design principle than a formula. Formulas are like cheat codes. This is more of a strategy. Super helpful.

  • @bobwerber2984
    @bobwerber2984 2 роки тому +16

    I'm a three chord country/garage rock songwriter who doesn't know what on earth a fermata is. But you explain this in a way that illuminates the possibilities of even very basic song formats. Thanks so much. Great lesson!

  • @ne0romantic
    @ne0romantic 2 роки тому +66

    Two thoughts about periods and sentences when you generalize. These forms can be nested in two ways, and if you want to look in a more general way, perhaps many already are nested. 1. Make a period out of two sentences. Your sentence does its thing and ends with half cadence, now repeat it and end with full cadence. Presto, it's a large period made out of two small sentences. There was a video a long while back by a different composer youtuber suggesting more to this relationship, suggesting something like all periods can be thought of as two sentences. Question and answer. 2. Make a sentence that starts with a period. You have your question, then your answer, but then it continue it with fragmentation. The initial question and answer are treated as the two statements of your basic idea and you move into a continuation, and round it off with a larger cadence. Now what was a period on initial hearing has turned into a sentence when looked at from a higher altitude. This may seem a stretch, but look at the Spirited away example. Just take the melody of the two basic idea statements. If you think in C major, the first one ending on D, the 2, can be thought of as a half cadence. The second one ending on C, the 1, can be thought of as an answer with a full cadence. This is not the long version I'm talking about, but already the first two statements can be thought of in this way as a "little period" nested into the beginning of the sentence.

  • @stephendonovan9084
    @stephendonovan9084 11 місяців тому +2

    My dumb ass listening to the form being explained with Beethoven and going "oh, it's Bob-Omb Battlefield"

  • @MiScusi69
    @MiScusi69 Рік тому +10

    I cannot believe I wrote a melody without knowing this, and yet adhering perfectly to this form you exposed in the video!

    • @jackdennis9286
      @jackdennis9286 Рік тому +4

      I find that stuff happens to me too. I think it’s because our ears are so cultured to these patterns that we subconsciously follow them ourselves when writing.

  • @suzannebracker4049
    @suzannebracker4049 Місяць тому +1

    I'll say this only once. You can repeat it 100 times. Your videos are the best, concise and most informative. Thank you!!!!

  • @MrTaykad
    @MrTaykad 3 роки тому +115

    I had stumbled upon your old tutorials a while ago. Nice to see you on UA-cam too. :) As for future topics, it’d be nice to see your take on how to communicate various moods in music and the harmonic choices behind them. I remember reading your tutorial on movement by thirds; it’d be nice to learn about other techniques too.

    • @RyanLeach
      @RyanLeach  3 роки тому +15

      Thanks Taylan, glad you liked the old tutorials and I appreciate the suggestions!

    • @shanalcordo7174
      @shanalcordo7174 2 місяці тому

      ​@@RyanLeachHiii what app did you use to write music at 10:55 ? My guess would be muse score but heheh I just wanna know.

    • @RyanLeach
      @RyanLeach  2 місяці тому

      @@shanalcordo7174 at the time I made this I think I was still using Sibelius, but I use Dorico now

  • @Yonikaii
    @Yonikaii 2 роки тому +12

    This type of content is some of the best (if not the best) I've seen in the past years, hands down. Really useful material for a self-taught "composer"!
    Extremely useful approach! I'll definitely be looking more into harmony stuff like more on cadences and sequences mentioned at 12:20 or stuff like that to add color to works! Really really like this content and definitely I'll be sticking around for a while!

  • @detlefkrystofiak3838
    @detlefkrystofiak3838 2 роки тому +3

    I watched both videos on period form and sentence form.
    For me, these are really very interesting approaches that no one has ever conveyed to me in this form in such an understandable way.
    Now it's up to me to try out these different approaches in practice in my compositional attempts.
    So it only remains for me to thank you for your effort, also in the other contributions on UA-cam.
    It's really nice to meet people like you who get it
    really teach you something.
    So thanks again!!!

  • @kenneth1767
    @kenneth1767 2 роки тому +3

    I always appreciate when content creators give references of where they've researched, so that one can also do ones own research.
    You can do any videos on Form and I'll be interested.

  • @xeztan
    @xeztan Рік тому +7

    Blinding lights by The Weeknd is the first example that comes to mind with this format of melody, crazy when music theory clicks in that way. Makes you feel empowered.

  • @ethankearney6370
    @ethankearney6370 6 місяців тому +1

    This was very helpful to me as a composer. I feel like I’ve had the lack of forward motion in my music. I always get stuck on how to properly reach the climax of my idea. This gave me more tools!

  • @HeavenestStCyr
    @HeavenestStCyr 2 роки тому +1

    6:36 Is a great visual to help one understand the difference between the two.

  • @scrummyvision
    @scrummyvision 2 роки тому +4

    instant subscribe. my music theory understanding is enough to get what you're doing but would never be able to think of on my own. can't wait to watch more and get to the next level!

  • @MrDavidSLewis
    @MrDavidSLewis 2 роки тому +43

    These videos are killer, Ryan. You manage to put a lot in here without over-explaining, so it really feels as though you're fostering creativity for those watching, as opposed to telling us "how to do it properly."
    Thanks, and please keep it up.

    • @Flewti2
      @Flewti2 Рік тому +1

      What is "over-explaining"? Shortcuts in the knowledge universe do not always effectively work for clarity's sake.

  • @RyanLeach
    @RyanLeach  3 роки тому +1

    So which do you prefer, the Sentence or the Period?

    • @ericgriffin120
      @ericgriffin120 3 роки тому +1

      Based on my research and score study, John Williams uses the Period 1st, Clause 2nd, Sentence 3rd in his themes, titles etc...

    • @RyanLeach
      @RyanLeach  3 роки тому +1

      @@ericgriffin120 Yea many of his themes are an interesting sort of period-sentence hybrid. A lot of times he uses the basic idea three times in a row with some variation before the cadence. And of course sometimes he uses plain old period or sentence (check out my video on the Dobby theme for a straightforward sentence from JW).

  • @ryanchain9746
    @ryanchain9746 2 роки тому +1

    bruh I just realised all my best and most catchy songs follow either the sentence form or period form. yeah Im subscribing

  • @brandoncooke6564
    @brandoncooke6564 2 роки тому +2

    I just stumbled across your channel, and you are an incredibly gifted teacher. My sister has this same skill set (though applied in conjunction with sports and coaching) where you really understand fundamentals of a certain subject and are really good in explaining those fundamentals in a way that a wide range of people, from beginners to professional musicians, can grasp what you are describing that makes it almost seem so silly that we didn't quite understand it so simply before. Thank you so much for this! This topic specifically is something I have really been struggling with in terms of melody and sound phrasing. There is a reason that popular music is popular, and as melody really refers to the vocals in pop music, this is the piece that I really have trouble with - kind of "bringing things home", or applying a pattern especially in a chorus that makes a song "easy" to listen to, but not necessarily boring or overly repetitive. Thanks again. Subbed.

  • @Daniel-lc6ol
    @Daniel-lc6ol Рік тому +1

    thank you so much for this lesson

  • @shanalcordo7174
    @shanalcordo7174 2 місяці тому

    I love that I've been instinctively making sentence form music. Period form kinda took me by surprise. The more you learn!

  • @OlivierBourdin
    @OlivierBourdin 2 роки тому

    Thanks

  • @morefiction3264
    @morefiction3264 2 місяці тому +1

    I had no idea writing a melody was that easy.

  • @jimkangas4176
    @jimkangas4176 Рік тому +1

    Excellent. I'm a jazz guitar player exploring solo and the form is an important part of this for me for improv. I'd like to hear more about styles and which forms they gravitate toward (especially jazz). This makes so much sense now - thanks.

  • @johnmac8084
    @johnmac8084 2 роки тому +2

    Great presentation, no waffle, thanks

  • @davelanciani-dimaensionx
    @davelanciani-dimaensionx Рік тому +1

    This really simplifies things. Arrangement of notes is just as important as the notes themselves (or perhaps more important?). Thanks for this explanation.

  • @ShadokoComposer
    @ShadokoComposer 2 роки тому +7

    This youtube channel is a real gem for composers. Thank you very much for your videos. I have learn a lot with period and sentence form, I still wonder how you deal with this melody structure in regard of the main structure of a track. Is there any relationship between these structures or the track structure depends of the musical piece you want to write ?

  • @lawrencetaylor4101
    @lawrencetaylor4101 Рік тому +1

    I'm too much of a Newbie to compose, but this is great for understanding what's going on. Merci beaucoup.

  • @CarlineFrancois
    @CarlineFrancois 2 роки тому +2

    Thank you for this video on sentence form composing. I like this form, because it does help to move the music forward and gives you ability to write a new phrase. I also like the cadence at the end. Sometimes I let the music linger (in the mixing session) at the end or let come to a soft stop. Awesome! 🎶🎵🎶💕

  • @ontrada
    @ontrada Рік тому +1

    Fantastic video. I would love to see more videos on expanding the sentence form and going ape in the continuation sections. Thanks!

  • @ercumentturkses6041
    @ercumentturkses6041 Рік тому +1

    Mr. Leach, it gave me a very inspiring impulse for my stuck composition. Trying to work on it by benefitting from both period and sentence forms. Thank you for your efforts! Greetings from Turkey!

  • @av65
    @av65 Рік тому +4

    Thank you so much for this video, Ryan Leach.
    This is so powerful!

  • @lizziesmusicmaking
    @lizziesmusicmaking Рік тому

    I just took this video and the one on period form, and wrote an 8 bar section of each starting with the same first two bars. Interesting to compare and contrast the forms. Thank you. I think this will help me understand what I'm doing better.

  • @joshvanv5281
    @joshvanv5281 2 роки тому +1

    I’ve learned so much about music theory from just this one video. Definitely subscribing. I wanna see more

  • @vj7248
    @vj7248 2 роки тому +1

    I understood the basic idea for periods, but like you said i was feeling stuck. Thanks for breaking down the sentence form.

  • @Thepeopleofsyria
    @Thepeopleofsyria 11 місяців тому

    This is an extra super fantastic lesson , to help every musition to become a powerful composer, for seens in movies , TV and computer games.

  • @kirkraab9495
    @kirkraab9495 Рік тому +1

    Excellent content. Subscribed.

  • @DarthTingleBinks
    @DarthTingleBinks Рік тому +1

    As someone who has taken music theory 1 and 2 (and no further, because the program was removed the university I was supposed to transfer to), this was a good reminder of the cadences. I already knew what they were and how to do them, but it's a still a good reminder.
    However, I've always felt that deceptive cadences are not only much more tonally interesting than authentic cadences, perfect or imperfect, but they feel more resolved as well. But I guess that's just me.
    Edit: That is, the most common deceptive cadence, by using a first inversion vi chord, I find more resolved than authentic cadences.

  • @tedmorgan7037
    @tedmorgan7037 2 роки тому +2

    Hi, I'm a new subscriber and I am so glad I found you. You lay out your topics in a way that even a novice (like myself) at classical composition can understand. You are an excellent teacher. Very rare. Thanks for tutorials!

  • @GabrielBacon
    @GabrielBacon Рік тому

    You’re a great teacher & your music is on point

  • @billyvitale8994
    @billyvitale8994 2 роки тому +3

    This and your period video are extremely insightful and for me clarify much. Thank you. You asked for feedback on other topics to cover... what comes to mind is more about how one may use harmony and modes as key reference points to use in creating melodies using these 2 forms. Also now that the basics are provided.. can you show how you can do some of the things you mention.. expanding, shortening..how can you perhaps make something just as functional using a different number of Bars 10.12 or maybe even an odd number?.. (just for starters :-)) Thanks again.

  • @davidhepworthmusic
    @davidhepworthmusic 2 роки тому +1

    Your explanation is so much clearer than those I've found thus far in theory textbooks. I'm feeling that excitement you mentioned of understanding and new possibilities. Thanks for sharing

    • @RyanLeach
      @RyanLeach  2 роки тому

      That's awesome, thanks

  • @IfWhatYes
    @IfWhatYes 2 роки тому +1

    This is the video that finally filled the last bit of knowledge I needed to understand this. Thank you for the tutorial

  • @whatchrisdoinmusic
    @whatchrisdoinmusic 2 роки тому +1

    Absolutely love this topic and would love more videos on this! So interesting to me.

  • @raulbondarev1160
    @raulbondarev1160 Рік тому +1

    Ryan, you are awesome. Thank you!!

  • @darkopesevski9829
    @darkopesevski9829 3 роки тому +10

    Dear Ryan, I love the video! Do you have another videos where you go note for note analysis? -for example the note choice in the left hand in the second bar of G7, why the third is out etc. Also the voice leading, and how it connects to the other chords. Thank you very much, I am learning so much from your videos!

    • @RyanLeach
      @RyanLeach  3 роки тому +6

      Hey Darko, interesting question. You might like some of the stuff on my second channel where I go into much longer analysis and discussion, especially going through thought process as I'm writing. ua-cam.com/channels/xOWcx_NSZ4Hd6KaDmzphSA.html

  • @Ocidad
    @Ocidad 2 роки тому +1

    you are a great teacher

  • @jitterjive4711
    @jitterjive4711 2 роки тому +4

    Hi Ryan, I don't play piano or classical music. I play guitar. That being said, I love music theory and try to apply the things that I learn along the way to improve my playing. Your lesson on the sentence form has just opened my eyes to a whole new way of looking at songwriting. Subscribing to your channel is a no-brainer. I look forward to watching more of you instruction. Thank you. - Cheers!

  • @OnkelPanter
    @OnkelPanter 2 роки тому +2

    Hey, Ryan! I just recently found your channel and I'm finding it a godsend of easily digestible, concise lessons and presentations on compositional ideas. Thank you!
    I've particularly enjoyed your videos regarding period and sentence forms for creating melodies. I was wondering if you'd consider making a video about how to think when creating melodies where the basic motives are longer than 2 bars, and also when the structure doesn't conform to the standard 8-bar structure, like 6, 7, 9 or 12 bars, for example.

  • @nanob0zo
    @nanob0zo 2 роки тому +1

    First time to this channel. Love it. Subbed!

  • @turtletracks7657
    @turtletracks7657 Рік тому

    Awesome description and analysis!

  • @goldbond1034
    @goldbond1034 2 роки тому +1

    This is great, I do all this subconsciously already!!

  • @christopherheckman7957
    @christopherheckman7957 2 роки тому +3

    The sentence form reminds me of the 12-bar blues progression, where the last eight bars (5-12) have been compressed into four bars.

    • @RyanLeach
      @RyanLeach  2 роки тому +1

      That's a great observation, I really like that!

    • @bret6484
      @bret6484 2 роки тому

      I even heard a quote from WC Handy, a very early blues musician, that said the same thing, and they intentionally played blues in 12 bars instead of 16 so they wouldn't have to repeat themselves so much.

  • @ili626
    @ili626 2 роки тому +2

    i think i tend to do this when casually improvising

  • @musicjst
    @musicjst 3 роки тому +1

    Such a wonderful simple explanation, I'd heard of both of these forms but never quite understood till now. Thanks!

    • @RyanLeach
      @RyanLeach  3 роки тому +1

      Great to hear! Next in this series will be some more detail on how they compare.

  • @orchestrain88keys
    @orchestrain88keys Рік тому +1

    No doubt.. Very valuable material. Thanks a lot!
    At present, I am trying to learn Chopin's Op 69 no 2 waltz. It would be great if you could throw some light on this piece.

  • @rebeccaleek3852
    @rebeccaleek3852 Рік тому

    Absolutely fascinating. Checking out Caplin's book, too. Thank you, Ryan!

  • @tracker87
    @tracker87 2 роки тому

    thank you so much for all the information you are putting up. Changed my life for ever. Thank you. Grateful.

  • @danielgreen4484
    @danielgreen4484 Рік тому +1

    Staying within the literary references to sentences and periods, are there other forms such as questions or paragraphs?

  • @Ronin42069
    @Ronin42069 2 роки тому +1

    Are you available for individual lessons over zoom?

  • @TheBoglodite
    @TheBoglodite 2 роки тому +1

    This was super helpful! Please make more videos on melody!

    • @RyanLeach
      @RyanLeach  2 роки тому +1

      One coming on Wednesday this week!

  • @Q24G
    @Q24G 2 роки тому

    Thank you thank you thank you! I was stuck for a long time and this video was exactly what I needed

  • @sandrofischer3959
    @sandrofischer3959 2 роки тому +2

    super cool video, you are really helping me out thank you so much

  • @maxjohn6012
    @maxjohn6012 Рік тому

    This was extremely useful, and very well presented - thank you! I came across this concept a few months ago in another video, but it was so badly explained that it turned me off. I'm very pleased I'd seen some of your other videos and was confident that you'd explain it clearly, or I might have missed it all together!

  • @NoahNCopeland
    @NoahNCopeland 2 роки тому +2

    Cool cool!
    I was taught Sentence form like this,
    Idea A, Idea A variation,
    Fragment, Fragment,
    Cadence
    Thinking of the "continuation" as a two fragments, can be helpful. That section often has a truncated version of the main idea. Imperial March is a good example. But obviously this is not always the cause.

    • @moo639
      @moo639 Рік тому

      A very basic form that explains both the limerick at one extreme and the opening of Beethoven's Fifth at the other.

  • @midasthehighest
    @midasthehighest Рік тому +1

    Amazing work. Thank your for this!

  • @aaronaragon7838
    @aaronaragon7838 Рік тому

    Wow. I learned a ton in just 15 minutes...thank you.

  • @martijnvanbeek4387
    @martijnvanbeek4387 2 роки тому +1

    Great info. I guess that if you make the piece longer you can for example start bar 9 with the continuation of bars 6 and 7? Or repeat the start of course.

  • @mavaction
    @mavaction 3 роки тому +1

    Mendelssohn Octet starts like this... exactly fitting your description.

  • @MrRelax3737
    @MrRelax3737 2 роки тому +2

    Ryan, I just found your channel. Y O U are an E X C E L L E N T teacher and composer. Top notch !!
    Thanks for all of the useable composition tips. You are appreciated!
    doug gemmell in LV

  • @mr88cet
    @mr88cet Рік тому

    Really-excellent illustrations! Thanks, Ryan.

  • @balbino4
    @balbino4 Рік тому

    Very very very very good!
    Thank you very much!

  • @LP-music
    @LP-music 2 роки тому

    Corso Vittorio in Rome at 14:15 🥰. Thanks for the great video lesson btw

  • @songwright
    @songwright 2 роки тому +1

    "So you can see we're staring here with a blank page, which usually is just the worst thing ever ..." Yes, I've been there.

  • @winterrain870
    @winterrain870 Рік тому

    Yes continue the form.

  • @深夜-l9f
    @深夜-l9f 2 роки тому

    i also get excited over musical forms! 😊

  • @twoscoops2
    @twoscoops2 2 роки тому

    I really enjoyed this video and will be trying some of it right away. I too can come up with 8 bars that I like but sometimes get stuck with it getting boring and as you said "not going anywhere". Your explanation on these two forms was really enlightening.

  • @andrewolivetreemixing
    @andrewolivetreemixing 2 роки тому +1

    I know it's not really the same, but this kinda feels good in the way that AABA stuff feels good

  • @nanaandbump.
    @nanaandbump. Рік тому

    Cool stuff, very good job explaining things! Thanks for the vid

  • @baloothedrummer
    @baloothedrummer 2 роки тому

    Yessss!!!!! I Also love musical forms i think your vídeo is súper clear and interesting, i loved it

  • @nathancurtis6846
    @nathancurtis6846 Рік тому

    More videos on the sentence form please.

  • @gavinleepermusic
    @gavinleepermusic Рік тому

    Thanks for this one, Ryan!

  • @RafikCezanneTV
    @RafikCezanneTV Рік тому

    Excellent tutorial. Thank you~!

  • @robertmueller2023
    @robertmueller2023 Рік тому

    How many general rules did Fux provide? About 5-6 of them? Stepwise is better than leaps? Never leap more than a 3rd out of an arpeggio? Always reverse direction after large leaps?

  • @papa.funcake
    @papa.funcake 2 роки тому +1

    Hey great video! Could you please let me know what software do you use to paly the piano and insert the information and work with the digital music sheet? Thanks!

  • @wernervannuffel2608
    @wernervannuffel2608 2 роки тому +1

    That's what I was looking for to make music with 8 bars, including motivs, a certain form (period or sentence) to generate together a musical ''phrase''. In all this, where do you localise the ''musical theme''?... Or is the theme 16 bars long?
    Can you make a video about all this musicle ''particles''?
    And where they fits in all of this? With ''they'' I think about sequences, riffs, ostinato etc....
    And can you compare this ''musical particles'' (or little musical units) with ''verbal vocabulary'', ''idioms'', ''grammar'' etc? Just a couple of questions.🤔😓😃🙏..

  • @thirdjaruda4202
    @thirdjaruda4202 2 роки тому

    Exactly my problem right now! I'm stuck, but this gave me a some ideas! Definitely will watch more of your videos and you got a new subscriber!

  • @KandMe1
    @KandMe1 Рік тому

    I got a lot from this. Thank you.

  • @correametal
    @correametal 2 роки тому +1

    This is such an excellent video! Now I have another approach I can try to write better melodies and solos. Thank you so much, you are great Ryan!

  • @Jvaldes609
    @Jvaldes609 2 роки тому +2

    Well this was helpful.

  • @syberyah
    @syberyah 2 роки тому

    This knowledge seems like it would be useful for improving at the piano (or another instrument), too

  • @Krieghandt
    @Krieghandt 2 роки тому

    After seeing how to linger (Pink Floyd- Wish You Were Here) I didn't really see how to get going again. This method is perfect, linger into the first 4 measures, continuation, cadence, and move on.

  • @3clrdsqrs
    @3clrdsqrs 2 роки тому

    Wonderfully presented material. Thank you!

  • @danielhornbeck6588
    @danielhornbeck6588 Рік тому

    Very well done, super helpful

  • @danielharris9403
    @danielharris9403 2 роки тому +1

    That's the BLUES mannn!

  • @andrewkratz226
    @andrewkratz226 2 роки тому

    Great knowledge in a well done video- thanks for sharing

  • @zlodr9369
    @zlodr9369 2 роки тому +1

    Как хорошо ютуб мне выдал ваш канал, сразу подписался)
    Очень интересно рассказываете и показываете

  • @kappabravomusic2101
    @kappabravomusic2101 Рік тому

    Very interesting and informative. Thanks again!🎉

  • @JanPanCygan
    @JanPanCygan 2 роки тому +1

    Super, thank you