In this thesis the author´s aim was to create new music using folk melodies as an inspiration and during the composition process explore the correlation between an intuitive and a rational approach. From beginning creating music at an early age, the author has always had a strong connection with the intuitive approach which, during the years in the bachelor program in composition, has been challenged in different ways. Besides a curiosity about the correlation between the rational and the intuitive approach, a wish to incorporate folk melodies in new music became a background to this thesis project. The method consisted of composing two scores, each according to a pre-planned method, for both string quartet and string orchestra where two different folk melodies were chosen for each composition. By composing music according to the methods, combining both folk melodies and different compositional tools, the author discovered how the rational and the intuitive approach effected the composition process. One discovery was the importance of allowing the intuitive approach during the first stadium of the composition process which made it easier to adopt the two methods. Through the discoveries that were made the author deepened the knowledge in using different approaches to develop the musical language.