how to make interesting dark melodies (fl studio trap production)

watch the video above for a demonstration of this method.

another method just dropped homie, let's get it 🤝

dark melodies aren't complex. 

but there's a little bit more to it than 'make a minor chord and use half steps'...

yes. you need a melody based on a minor chord like this (c minor natural triad):

the way to use half steps to build the melody is by understanding what each half step is doing.

it's easy.

first, understand the basic structure of the triad chord.

it's made of the 1, the 3, and the 5 in the key of a scale.

I have a tendency to build tension using half steps from the 1 and 3 tones.

this creates a feeling of tension and ominous atmosphere through musical dissonance.

but I'd been ignoring tension at the 5 tone until recently. 

my dark melodies are usually based on this structure.

(using tension at the 3, going down 1 semitone) 👇

one way to create a different emotion with the same amount of work is by using tension at the 5 instead 👇

(going up 1 semitone from the 5).

this creates a major chord (ew, I know).

but since it's technically the 6th chord in the minor natural scale of the chord it's contextually related to, it's sounds nice and dark - in an emotional way, instead of scary like you get with tension at the 3. 

and this can all be put together to make longer, more interesting chord progressions 👇

if it seems to simple, that's because it is.

but isn't too.

Pythagoras put in hella work to figure this out for us a few thousand years ago.

so we can just use the short hand to make bangers, and leave all the boring mathematical explanations for the nerds.

try using these simple half step movements in your melodies to make more interesting beats. 

🔑🔑(& pay attention to how they are used in tutorials, cook ups, and songs you like)

while 80% of producers will still be searching 'how to make good dark trap melodies' on every search bar they can find...

you'll be putting your mind to work in the trap 🙏

I hope this helps - peep this video to see one of my cook up reps with this method.

wishing you a productive start to the week homie.

blessings,

Chu

demonstration of method