Create Your Own Melodies with Jacob Collier 

Do you recognize the concepts Jacob explains in any other melodies? Which are your favorites?

11:13 I love how Jacob "uhms" in key - just brilliant

I’m a firm believer that great melodies aren’t ever composed. They’re instead discovered. And once discovered it’s impossible to imagine the world without them. It’s like revealing a part of the very fabric of reality.

That melody you sang was very reminiscent of Canon in D.

What a brilliant lesson. Imagining somebody else sing a melody to you is genius. What a powerful concept.

This is quite the acquisition for skillshare. Now I am seriously considering joining.

Okay, that "listen to someone else sing a melody in your head first" tip was actually something I had never heard before. And it seems SUPER useful. Especially for someone so "harmony first", like me.

This guy's pretty good. I think he could win a grammy someday if he works hard enough

12 minutes that felt like 10 seconds. His way of talking, of explaining complex concepts in the easiest way possible through how they make you feel, not how they look, he’s a brilliant musician but more than that, a soulful human being.

The elusive thing about melody is that you can analyse 100 melodies that most people consider good. Then write a new melody that has all the characteristics of the 100 good ones and there is no guarantee that it will be good. It will probably be OK but not necessarily as good as the ones you analysed. There is something elusive that makes a melody stand out that is hard to quantify. That's possibly why Jacob with all his skills still considers this hard and is still fascinated by this aspect of music.

11:13 I like how that 'um' is on pitch

My own personal trick to make a nice melody when I'm "out of ideas" is: First, make something "good" Second, make something "bad" You'll realise that the "bad" version is what you were holding from playing on the good version, and is what actually makes your song interesting and brings new ideas. But if you only try to make it bad, you'll start making random things and everything will sound ok. So it's nice to keep the quality in check and your brain working, but also allowing randomness. I don't know, it's kind of a balance

the way he is speaking in this video tells me he is getting wiser.

I'm probably not the only one but I could listen to this guy creating melodies for hours

Its easy to forget that singing is such an intuitive writing tool.

The Bob Ross vibe is undeniable.

Norah Jones's "Don't know why" actually starts with a major 7th. :)

Right from the start I knew he's going to mention Somewhere Over The Rainbow. That song is timeless

I think it isn't difficult to learn these concepts because they are in videos like this one. However, it seems like nobody teaches that melody also needs to follow the harmony. Once you know how non-chord tones work, it's like your melody and harmony are finally able to communicate with each other and you can adjust the melody to fit the harmony or the other way around. It's not the only thing that makes a melody sound good, but it's one of those things that pitifully don't appear in melody tutorials on RU-vid. Edit: I'm sorry if it wasn't clear enough, but you can make the melody first if you want to, the order doesn't matter. Try to do it the way that works best for you. This is more about them agreeing with each other.

This guy just made me connect more to "over the rainbow" 🌈....such a satisfying feeling.

Amazing how he visualizes the sound and manages to express it vividly, at such a young age had mastered a lot, good on u, old chap.

Wow!!! Impressive what a teacher you've got !!!

Hey all. Hey Jacob!!! Just to be clear... the lesson was about what you play on your instrument when searching for melodies.. and what you sing if you allow yourself to hear something.. and.. and here's the thing.. how different those two things can be. Why? Because when you play your instrument you can go into automatic pilot and your fingers do the walking and your creative ear stops working properly. So you can easily move into the digital pattern domain and not even realise it. So, take a breath and just listen and allow something to come to you. Even if the notes arn't quite right yet, you'll get some kind of natural organic rhythm that uses space and held notes as well as movement. There are many technical aspects also to writing melody, but this one has a natural, intuitive path, and works well alongside the more obvious methods of melodic curve, structure, repetition, etc etc. Stay safe and well in these troubled times.

So thankful I found your channel. You are wonderful. Many thanks for sharing with us.

Thank you! Absolutely beautiful lesson and explanation! Cheers!

Beautifully explained. Loved it

at 9:30 the melody he hums sounds like Canon in D.

Perfect way to recognize the intervals with popular song examples. You helped me a lot. Thank you. 👌

This is good. Not just theory, but following your gut.

At 11:10 his "um" is a perfectly tuned F, he just can't help it

Wow, you take me back to my childhood days! Those were among the first songs then that I learnt on the recorder and the glockenspiel ❤️ perfect man, you're my hero, love the examples! (and this one here again exemplifies why I think you're the truest embodiment of genius where I'm concerned)

Excellent demonstration of how melody works. I like how you chose good models and also created something from scratch. The enthusiasm you have for music is inspirational. Keep doing what you do !!

Great lesson. Thank you!!!

The story of his lesson had the best bit of insight. Thank you for that. It was very helpful to hear.

I've taught intervals a lot to students but never the way Jacob just taught me. What an incredible way of telling a story and imparting knowledge.

One thing about melodies I learned at piano classes (actually about improvisation) is that the best ones are the singable ones. That's why it's better to create a melody by singing it or imagining someone doing it. Sometimes it has to breath, it has physical limitations when it comes to intervals and range. That's why we often see skilled performers singing while they're improvising.

Ima download it thanks for sharing!!

I am just starting to learn how to play piano. I love your videos because hearing how you explain these concepts in songs is so beautiful. It really makes me look at music in such a new light.

Great video! Thanks!

Absolutely loved this!! Please consider doing a similar one about vocals! 💚

He truly loves music. He knows his purpose. ♥️

Thank you very much Jacob Collier and Mike Walkers! Great lesson and great ideas!

wow, honestly best music teacher i've listened to

You are a great musical story teller! Very inspiring.

This guy has that gift of explaining the musical feelings along with his deeply thought out analogies to aid that along, enjoyed this thoroughly... Firm handshakes big sir, top man... Ten hut

So humble, giving seeds to everyone… a gift to the universe… he is love, universal energy…!!! ❤

This is the most beautiful piano I’ve heard in my entire life. Life has been kind to me this day, and I am grateful for it

Awesome! So well explained that everybody could follow!

I like this lesson thank you! When I write vocal melodies I usually wait to hear it in my head, sometimes they're garbage and I trash them and wait for another moment, sometimes a different hour or different day. Then I listen back and decide what I like about it if anything and re-do what I don't like. On good day it just flows and most of it is a keeper on bad days the song goes in the trash. Writting songs is free, you only spend time which I guess isn't really free.

I've learned so much about teaching (my profession) just by watching JC deconstruct his own music elsewhere. Students of his class are so lucky to have him.

I like how his thinking noise just accidentally lined up with the key 11:13

Brilliant! Imagining someone else who is singing a melody leaves the door open for the image of that person to have created something. I get a specific impression of a person who I might imagine and I guess I can assume something about what they might sing to me. Instinctively, I want to imagine the environment they are standing in, their clothing, etc... to inspire a visual element. I never would have thought to do this. What a great idea!

Interesting to see that the last melody took inspiration from "Canon in D (Pachelbel's Canon)" with the form of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" 🔥🔥💯💯

9:07 Yes. Great technique. Story, imagery, setting, feeling, then witness it and repeat it.

JC is absolutely a brilliant musician. This vid is brilliant as well..More like this please. Thank you SkillShare.

Fantastic info!!

Brilliant, I find it very difficult to make a melody I feel comfortable with, and the way you explained it is more simple and comprehensible than other videos that focus on also important chord built melodies, but i like more your examples

I didn't plan on watching the whole thing, but this man can teach and keep you engaged. SUBBED

I love how he's a professional but still teaches with basic nursery rhymes

8:01 is the most important part of this lesson. If can only take one thing away from this video, this should be it.

love this guy, he articulates the ideas so well

Wow Jacob is such a good teacher, thank you!

OMG THANKS SO SO MUCH THIS HELPED!!!

I’ve been watching more cinematographers and the majority do prefer use a diffuser separately from the light to choose distance, angles e diffuser materials. I’m using more and more like this. Great to see one photographer who know this. The majority of photographers just talk about octaboxes. Good stuff!

Tks a bunch, mate! Personally, as a songwriter and composer, I definitely disconnect from theories, I mean, the do’s and don’ts, so I can feel free to be an artist in its real essence, which is creation. Music is the key. All the best!

❤ Awesome Jacob. Thanks

this is the best advice thanks!

IT WORKED, THANKS I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS FOREVER, BUT NO TUTORIAL COULD EXPLAIN IT AS YOU DID

Thank you for this

Wonderful!

Wow, what a great person you brought! I'm going to register rn to see this haha

"How satisfying is that " how beautifully poetically put into words

Very informative video

Beautiful

I love it, thank you, Jacob!

Thank you!!!

When he was talking about how is friend was teaching him how to make a good Melody it really reminded me of how that was my problem as a kid I always wanted to make music I had some interest in it but everyone kept trying teaching me the rules, like there is 4th 5th and if you weren't to understand how chords work and didn't work hard enough you probably aren't going get anywhere. But when he was talking about when just letting it come to you, that's something I just recently discovered and I full on understand him completely and I wish someone had told me something like that sooner. If someone told me as a kid you just had to enjoy it you just have to enjoy making music - that probably would have changed my perspective completely and I probably would have made so many songs back then but it's because even though I have a good ear I still in my mind believed that since I don't know what chords are and I don't know what A fifth is and all this stuff I don't know the notes on the keys my song is not legit and not good enough and there's no way that could be a proper Melody because I had no clue what I was doing instead of just listening if it sounded good or not. Now since I've come to that conclusion I started working on music more I'm now 20 it's taken me that long to realize that and because I'm enjoying it and I know that I have a good ear and I know what a good Melody sounds like just from listening I've actually learned how to play the piano just by practicing I now know what notes are on the keys without even really teaching myself! Since I don't have that in my head that I don't have to work hard I just have to enjoy it it's open up such a big path for me now, I'm making so many songs and they actually do sound good I understand that like knowing the fundamentals really help with making music, but I feel like some people who are like me as long as you have a good ear, fundamentals can be learned after, and along the way while you are making me songs! I'm understanding what fifth is, it's so freaking simple, the piano is actually incredibly simple maybe not when you come to classical bloody songs where you break your freaking fingers, but yeah obviously you got to have fun and if you're enjoying learning, obviously when you work hard if you're enjoying it of course you're going to work hard, if it's something you love. If someone told me this sooner, I would have called myself a musician. But now I can finally say so. I remember some of the melodies I created when I was seven but of course I didn't think it was a good Melody because why would it be I didn't know shit, but now I'm improving it and making it into an actual song because it deserves recognition finally. Thank you so much for this lesson this is absolutely beautiful💖

I really love the fact that we dive into what I would call his "personal area" where he just shares what he is currently thinking by a melody, directly from his mind without any embarrassment or else. Also he shares stories of his and I admire him because he is such a great artist , yet is still "learning" as he told and very humble. Thanks for sharing !

Muy bueno !!!! Gracias !

I like to think of melodies all day cause they help me relax

thank you ❤

Thank you

I think, it is not an good friend I am listen to. I am carefully listening to my Inner Child. It's us together: My Inner Child, my Inner Adult - and other parts of me. Having good Conversations, mostly about Love. The universal love. My music is very simple. I am not a professional Musician. But, in the moment I play "my" music, (for me) the whole world lies in it. 🌈

The greatest ever explaining how to think abput melody. Priceless

LOVE, Love Jacob Collier! Brilliant musician, all around 🎹

I don’t have a musical bone in my body but still loved this.

aight skillshare.. now i'll think about it

Such a good video

Fantastic.

OMG! This is insane!🤯

Thanks !

There are always the same examples in those “Intervall videos”. But nice to see that he goes a step further and explains why those melodies work so good.

I love it how Jacob eventually leaves theory and ends up in just how it makes you feel as the main important factor.

Could be I'm just in a receptive mood but I found I learned more in this video then I have in last two years of melody composing.

Tbh this video is all you need. When you learn theory you approach music like it's engineering (atleast I do), when it's an art form. Listen to the music in you and transcribe it into reality :)

great piano sound, by the way.

ace ventura of music

Good video! 👏✨ As a person with Perfect Pitch, I've never had many problems figuring a melody (not only the intervals but Key included). That's because I can visualise it in my mind as clear as I could visualise a drawing before painting it. I want to make a melody that sounds like Spring? I just think about songs I remember which sounds like Spring to get some inspiration, I figure it in my mind and I start directly playing the piano (because I already know more or less what notes must be played) like if it was a pencil colour to draw. Of course, I often make mistakes due to skill issue playing piano. 😅 As I said before, great video! 👏✨🎶

Still awaiting jacobs metal album...

Best ad ever. Jacob is good.