Emotionally Compelling Melody Lines

If the spaces between notes have a great deal to say, then so do the notes that surround and flow from them. Clearly, stringing notes together to produce beautiful or provocative melody lines is one of most challenging goals for any singer; this is especially true when one strives for original expression—as all authentic artists should. It is for this reason that many singers—even some of our most successful commercial artists—resort to gimmicks and vocal sleight of hand in order to disguise their artistic limitations.

Let’s isolate the two most common tricks:

It is fascinating to consider that a major drawback to being a gifted singer, with a capable voice, is that the temptation to over-sing is often too powerful to resist. In this case, singing sounds more like vocal gymnastics where a singer
performs many notes at high speeds and in difficult intervals; but, in reality, such displays are meant more to show-off a singer’s vocal prowess, or more often than not, to hide his creative infertility, rather than to communicate an emotional truth or message. R&B singers, in particular, are especially guilty of over-singing; just listen to one sing the National Anthem at a sports event, for instance, and you will hear how they take the simple and beautiful melody line at the end of the song, and transform it into a complicated and senseless vocal exercise. Indeed, over-singing could squeeze all the space out of the song and suffocate it to death.

Another tactic that some singers use to compensate for their failure to sing interesting melody lines is to sing with over-emotionalism. In this case, the singer’s hope is that excessive passionate expression will overwhelm the heart and mind of the listener to the point that he is unaware of the poor display of melodic choice or innovation.

The capacity to create appealing melody lines is both a gift and a practiced craft. It also requires understanding that the most attractive melodies are simple and uncomplicated—ones that give proper value to the spaces between the notes and allow for emotional moments to be created.

In 2009, I was in a recording studio with one of my students, Whitney Houston, who was there to record a song written by noted songwriter Diane Warren and produced by David Foster; Diane was also present in the studio. Whitney was supposed to learn the song by practicing with a CD, which featured the song “demoed” (performed) by a studio singer. Whitney, who had heard the song only once prior to that day, sat down with David Foster and me to rehearse the song. After hearing it only once Whitney exclaimed, “I got it.” She quickly walked behind the microphone, put on a headset, and proceeded to sing along with the vocally empty music tracks and compose her own melody lines—creative flourishes that, at first, concerned Diane. But after “living with” her spontaneously inventive and poignant melodic choices for a few moments, it soon became clear that they were the correct ones. Whitney had strung together a series of notes that were emotionally very compelling, and she did so as a natural, unforced reflex. It was fascinating for all of us to witness this master of melodic creation in action.

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