Melody to chords

Question

Say you have a simple melody made up of the notes below, and you'd like to to structure chords around them but with the same feeling, as in similar in pitch. What is the best way to go about this?

Thanks.

e|--------------------------|
B|--------------------------|
G|---7---9---5--------------|
D|--------------------------|
A|--------------------------|
E|--------------------------|

Answer 1

If you are having writer's block, you could maybe get something going by remembering the 3rd and the 5th are the most distinct notes in most scales. So you can create chords based them.

For example, in your sequence your first note is D. That obviously would be a D chord (D-F#-A). Your 2nd note is E. E is the 3rd in a C chord (C-E-G). Your 3rd note in the sequence above is a C. C is the 5th in an F chord (F-A-C).

So try playing a D,C,F behind them. Please note, this "trick" is for composing. You won't stay diatonic if you try using 1 scale to improvise over it all. That F# in the D chord will clash with the F natural in the C chord - so be careful and never hit the wrong F when over those chords.

Re-arrange the notes in different order and you'll get 3 totally different chords again.

Melody to chords

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