Write
New Music for an Existing Song.
Here's a fun exercise -- find the lyrics to a song you've never heard (perhaps
a new release, perhaps an old classic that you've never had a chance to hear).
Write music for these lyrics. Once you are done, and only once you are done, listen
to the song with its actual melody. Pay close attention to how the challenges
of the song were handled by the melody writer -- including where words fall within
measures, what words are given special accent, the pitch chosen and the harmonies
used.
