Other Melody Thoughts…
Writing Melodies for Verses
Keep your melody for your verses simple. The purpose of the verse is to be the primary building block of the song, so you don’t want to lose your listeners at the very start. Use the melody of verses to set up the listener for the payoff in the chorus. To use a boxing analogy, lead with your verses so you can unload with your knockout chorus!
Pre Chorus Melodies
The purpose of the pre-chorus melody is to melodically link your verse with your chorus. It usually ascends to the chorus, but rarely goes higher than the chorus. You also want to make sure that the pre-chorus doesn’t outshine your chorus. Remember that most songs don’t have pre-choruses, and only use one if your song needs one.
Chorus Melodies
In most songs, the chorus is the main event. Usually the melody goes up in the chorus to provide more drama, and often ends up on the V chord of the key. (More on this in the next chapter.) It’s often what the song is all about, and for that reason you want your most memorable melody to be in the chorus.
Bridge Melodies
The purpose of bridges in general is to give the listener a bit of relief from the chorus and the verses. Please keep in mind that often songs don’t need bridges, but if yours does, try making the bridge melodically related to the verses and choruses without being too similar. Easier said than done, I know, but with practice you should be able to get the hang of it. Try using related chords to the chords used in your verses. (Once again, more on this later.)
Easy to Sing
Try to keep your melodies easy to sing. That way they’ll be more memorable. A common beginner’s mistake is to overwrite both melodically and lyrically. Try to write songs so others can sing them.
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Jim Bruno's Songwriting Class 