Skip navigation

Using Musescore to compose your own music

Do you remember how we used Musescore for writing music? OK, this time we are going to compose our own melody. 

Here is the tutorial to refresh your memory, and the first three minutes will be enough for this first task. 

Artlejandra Musescore Licencia YouTube

TASK 1Get together with a partner, and compose a short melody!

- Use 4/4 time and eight bars, as in the example. 

- Write it in C major (as in the example): that means you don't need any sharps or flats. 

- Be sure to start and end it on C (this is the tonic note and a good way to begin to compose, because it helps the melody to "sound right"!)

- Listen to it often, maybe every two bars, to make sure you like how it sounds! Your teacher will help you to get it sounding right: composing isn't easy when you are just learning!

EXTRA TASK: For those of you who finished quickly (and if your teacher said your melody was good), and maybe for those of you who go to music lessons outside school, try composing a harder piece. First listen to some more of the video and then challenge yourselves: try sixteen bars instead of eight, and use a greater variety of notes to create a more interesting tune. 

- If you do that quickly too, then try composing a melody for a short video. Decide what mood you want it: funny, scary, romantic, sad....? Off you go, and if it doesn't work first time (which would be normal!), remember this English saying:

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again"!