23.6Intro from the melody itself

Another excellent strategy:

Take the first few melody notes.

Play them:

• more slowly,
• in another register,
• reharmonized,
• fragmented.

Then begin the actual tune.

Suppose melody begins:

G G A G

Your intro might only hint:

G – A – G

with spacious Cmaj9 harmony.

Then the full melody enters.

This creates thematic unity.