Melody is the true heart of music--the identity of a composition, the vessel that carries the lyrics, the tune that you keep whistling on your way home from a concert. Composing melodies is often thought of as a mysterious process--a lightning bolt of inspiration delivered by the songwriter's muse--but in fact melody is an art that can be learned, honed, and perfected. This book teaches that art in an engaging and thoroughly accessible fashion. Starting from basics, it covers the essentials--rhythm, intervals, scales, and harmony--and builds on these simple principles to offer a wealth of advanced techniques and tricks. Every musical example in the book is accompanied by a downloadable audio track, allowing songwriters to increase their understanding of melody through both sight and sound. How to Write Melodies is the only guide you'll ever need for demystifying and perfecting the art of melody writing.