"I have very good relative pitch, I can play any melody I hear and am able to improvise all day long.
But, when trying to come up with a new melody, I usually either:
- can't get existing songs out of my head, and end up playing them instead of making anything new, or
- the opposite: try too hard to avoid anything familiar and end up with complicated, non-memorable melodies.
Am I just lacking inspiration, or can I make any practical change in playing which would increase chance of stumbling upon an interesting melody?"
1. WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW. This is the start of the creative process. Don't worry about how you notate your melody...this is the time for actual creativity, before it can be refined. As for a melody sounding overly familiar, don't worry about that yet either! Our brains seem wired to certain combinations of notes; consonances, dissonances, resolutions, etc. In fact, I was once told to develop my themes branching off from whatever I was listening to at the time, if only for inspiration. Keep fragments of whatever you write around; they might be useful someday.
2. WRITE WHAT YOU FEEL. This is what makes your music unique; the way you yourself deal with the emotions behind your music...everyone handles emotional impact in a different way. In every case, the way a composer or songwriter expresses their emotion through their work shows the listener who they are. Speaking of which...
3. FIND SOMEONE TO LISTEN. Anyone. Composers have to find a happy medium between writing purely for themselves and for public consumption. An audience, whether they are friends, family, experts, non-musicians, etc., will easily give you feedback on what they hear. A more diverse audience means more diverse feedback as well!
4. KEEP WRITING! As soon as you have a new idea, repeat these steps! Who knows? You might discover something that fits in your piece or you might decide to write a new one based around that idea! It's all up to you! All of these steps can be accompanied by studies in theory, form, arranging, and orchestration; these tools will help you on your journey to wherever your mind takes you! Have fun!
http://www.quora.com/Music-Composition/What-is-some-good-practical-advice-for-a-beginner-in-music-composition
2. WRITE WHAT YOU FEEL. This is what makes your music unique; the way you yourself deal with the emotions behind your music...everyone handles emotional impact in a different way. In every case, the way a composer or songwriter expresses their emotion through their work shows the listener who they are. Speaking of which...
3. FIND SOMEONE TO LISTEN. Anyone. Composers have to find a happy medium between writing purely for themselves and for public consumption. An audience, whether they are friends, family, experts, non-musicians, etc., will easily give you feedback on what they hear. A more diverse audience means more diverse feedback as well!
4. KEEP WRITING! As soon as you have a new idea, repeat these steps! Who knows? You might discover something that fits in your piece or you might decide to write a new one based around that idea! It's all up to you! All of these steps can be accompanied by studies in theory, form, arranging, and orchestration; these tools will help you on your journey to wherever your mind takes you! Have fun!
http://www.quora.com/Music-Composition/What-is-some-good-practical-advice-for-a-beginner-in-music-composition