As a general rule, effective melodies rest at frequent intervals on chord tones. Using chord tones on strong beats creates stability. However, at times you may want to avoid this stability and emphasize the tension of a non-chord tone before resolving to the current chord. Balancing the desired shape of your phrase with an awareness of the chord tones — whether you align with or avoid them — is the key to creating a solid melodic phrase.

It can help to think of the chord tones as providing a skeleton for your melody, but it is the use of other notes which surround and fill in the gaps that makes it come alive.