Hum a Melody Over a Progression: Your First Original Phrase

① Pick a progression you've learned (1–5–6–4 is the most reliable); ② record it and play it on loop, or run a metronome and play it over and over slowly; ③ switch off the “find the right answer” part of your brain and just hum along however you feel; ④ the moment you hum a phrase that flows, record it on your phone; ⑤ start from “two notes” — hum just one or two notes per chord, repeating them as the chord changes; ⑥ repetition + a small variation at the end makes a phrase you can remember; ⑦ pick the most natural phrase as the chorus's “hook,” then work backward to the verse.

A melody's long notes are most stable landing on the current chord's “chord tones” (root / 3rd / 5th — the arpeggio tones from Stage 7); landing on non-chord tones creates tension and works well for passing through. Get your long notes landing solidly first, then connect them with passing notes — this puts to use exactly the arpeggio and improvising knowledge you've learned.

“Chords first” (the approach above) has the lowest bar and a safety net; “melody first” (hum the melody first, then fit chords to it) more easily produces a good melody. Start with chords first, and once you're comfortable you can try melody first.