I want to write songs, can you brief me on the elements of song structure?
Requested and Answered by Dan on 14-May-2008 01:28 (2610 reads)
The bones of any song basically rests in its structure. Before I get into this, let me make it clear that there are no real rules here. Think about it this way – if every band relied on the same structure – music would get boring pretty fast. Considering the state of popular music these days you might think we've already gone way too far down the “formulaic” route.
Nevertheless, a song has to have some kind of structure in order to define it – even if it is loosely imagined. Let's cover a couple of basic concepts:
Intro – Songs often, but not always, start with a defined beginning. This could be anything, a guitar solo, an a capella voice arrangement (sung or spoken), a short piano or keyboard composition...or maybe even a smoking bagpipe melody! Some songs start with their chorus or even a whole verse.
Verse – Songs usually have verses that maintain the same form from verse to verse; however, the words are not repeated. Think about the verse as the story or the meat of the song. This is where you get your chance to speak to your audience. What is your message? What is your story? What is your point? Even when a song seems to be largely “stream of consciousness”, it will still revolve around some central idea.
Chorus – Also common in many songs is a chorus, which is a part of the song that is repeated. Both the words and form of a chorus usually remain the same through the song; however, tend to be simpler than the verse. For instance, your verses may have 5 lines each and your chorus may have 3 lines each and the words are repeated. Sometimes the each choruses will vary slightly to add interest or to move the “story” along. Think of the chorus as the “grabber”, the part of the song that makes the listener pay attention. Make it good because, unfortunately, this is what most people remember about a song.
Hook - In today's music environment, producers often talk whether or not a song is “hooky” or “has a good hook”, this basically means that the song has a part that the listener can identify and remember. The hook is a very simple, repeated theme or musical statement. The “hook” will often, but not always, appear in the chorus or in the last line of a verse.
Bridge – A number of songs include a bridge section that is different from the verse and the chorus. Typically it includes a key change that is related to the chords used in the rest of the song but adds a nice contrast. The bridge will usally contain an entirely new musical idea (lyrically and instrumentally) that compliments the ideas presented in the verse or chorus. Think of the bridge as a chance to give the listener's ear a break and increase the excitement or interest level. The bridge is where listeners often say “Listen to this – I love this part!”.
Chord Structure – This is the chord progression or progressions used in the songs. If you haven't committed yourself to any study of the “circle of fifths”, don't worry – just know that chords are related to one another. And certain groups of chords will sound better together than others. I will cover this idea in the next mini-lesson.
Melody – This is the single-note line that carries the song along. In a small arrangement, the melody is often sung. But it can be played by other instruments. The easiest way to develop a melody is the define the chords of the song and then utilize scales that relate to the chords.
Riff - Since you are a guitar player, you definately know about riffs! However, all other instruments play "riffs" as well - and singers sing riffs. A riff is basically a short melodic statement. Think of it like a "plug-in" to the melody. You can use riffs in the intro, the outro, during breaks, to fill gaps in a sung melody, to compliment and underlie the melody, really anywhere in the song that requires additional melodic movement and interest. Riffs are often repeated throughout the song.
Outro – Just like the intro – except at the end! It is a musical statement that defines the end of the song. It could be as simple as repeating the chorus or it could be a small musical statement that ties everything up into a nice package. Think of it as the resolution of the story you are trying to tell.
Now that we've discussed the basic elements, we can now put all of these ideas together to establish the song structure. As I've mentioned there are no established guidelines for this; however, here are some common examples.
AAA - Three verses (typical of the tradiional, folk, and blues genres)
AABA - Two versus, chorus, verse
ABAB - Verse, chorus, verse, chorus
ABABCB - Just like ABAB with a bridge and a chorus
ABABCAB - Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Verse, Chorus
AABABB - Verse, Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Chorus
Last week I challenged you to write something down and to label it as either a verse or a chorus. If you haven't done this yet, I would challenge you to go back to part 1 and complete the exercise. Looking at what you've written, do you still feel that it is a verse or a chorus? Start thinking about where this would fit the example song structures above.
Now that you have the initial idea of the song either as a verse or a chorus, answer the following questions:
1)What is the songs message, point, or theme?
2)If you wrote a verse – where do you think the story is headed?
3)If you wrote a chorus – is it memorable and does it contain a hook?
4)What parts of the song are you missing?
5)Is your song complex enough for a bridge? (It doesn't have to be – many of the best songs just use the AAAA format!)
6)How many verses will you need to tell the story?
7)How many times do you want to repeat the chorus?
8)Am I trying to get to many ideas across in the song? Can I simplify it – or break up these ideas into separate songs?
There are probably lots of other questions you are going to ask yourself as you write your songs. Just remember, that the purpose of the song is to convey a musical message to someone – even if it is just yourself. Spend a little bit of time thinking about the structure of the song and you'll probably save yourself some grief.
For this week, I have two challenges for you.
1) Finish your song. Take the verse or the chorus that you developed in the last lesson, answer the above questions, and put the pieces together. Don't worry about the song being “stupid”, or clearly themed, or if you are going to make someone angry or sad. This lesson is not about stifling the creative process, rather it is about focusing it. Just like last week, don't be afraid to “color outside the lines”. Don't worry about getting the exact right word or sentence. Just write it down and shape it later.
2) List your three favorite songs. Go find the lyrics and the recordings of those songs. Play each song and think about how they are put together. Try to identify the song structure, the verses, the chorus, the bridge (if it has one), the intro, and the outro. Find the song's hook. What is the theme of the song? Can you identify why this song is one of your favorites?
Obviously this was a simplified, high speed lesson on songwriting. If you are into this kind of thing, you could probably spend multiple semesters in entire courses in “music appreciation” that would cover to the nth degree the various intracacies and history of song structure. For the rest of us, this should be enough to “get down the bones.” Great songs don't have to be complex songs. Stay simple, stay with your theme, focus your emotions, and write down the words in a way that has some structure (more or less).
In the next lesson, we'll discuss the idea of the “circle of fifths” and how to pick chords for your song that go together and how to vary them to make them sound more interesting.
Written by Daniel Halberg
www.guitargearheads.com
Copyright © 2008 Allen & Halberg Publishing, Inc.
GuitarGearHeads™ is a Trademark of Allen & Halberg Publishing, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Nevertheless, a song has to have some kind of structure in order to define it – even if it is loosely imagined. Let's cover a couple of basic concepts:
Intro – Songs often, but not always, start with a defined beginning. This could be anything, a guitar solo, an a capella voice arrangement (sung or spoken), a short piano or keyboard composition...or maybe even a smoking bagpipe melody! Some songs start with their chorus or even a whole verse.
Verse – Songs usually have verses that maintain the same form from verse to verse; however, the words are not repeated. Think about the verse as the story or the meat of the song. This is where you get your chance to speak to your audience. What is your message? What is your story? What is your point? Even when a song seems to be largely “stream of consciousness”, it will still revolve around some central idea.
Chorus – Also common in many songs is a chorus, which is a part of the song that is repeated. Both the words and form of a chorus usually remain the same through the song; however, tend to be simpler than the verse. For instance, your verses may have 5 lines each and your chorus may have 3 lines each and the words are repeated. Sometimes the each choruses will vary slightly to add interest or to move the “story” along. Think of the chorus as the “grabber”, the part of the song that makes the listener pay attention. Make it good because, unfortunately, this is what most people remember about a song.
Hook - In today's music environment, producers often talk whether or not a song is “hooky” or “has a good hook”, this basically means that the song has a part that the listener can identify and remember. The hook is a very simple, repeated theme or musical statement. The “hook” will often, but not always, appear in the chorus or in the last line of a verse.
Bridge – A number of songs include a bridge section that is different from the verse and the chorus. Typically it includes a key change that is related to the chords used in the rest of the song but adds a nice contrast. The bridge will usally contain an entirely new musical idea (lyrically and instrumentally) that compliments the ideas presented in the verse or chorus. Think of the bridge as a chance to give the listener's ear a break and increase the excitement or interest level. The bridge is where listeners often say “Listen to this – I love this part!”.
Chord Structure – This is the chord progression or progressions used in the songs. If you haven't committed yourself to any study of the “circle of fifths”, don't worry – just know that chords are related to one another. And certain groups of chords will sound better together than others. I will cover this idea in the next mini-lesson.
Melody – This is the single-note line that carries the song along. In a small arrangement, the melody is often sung. But it can be played by other instruments. The easiest way to develop a melody is the define the chords of the song and then utilize scales that relate to the chords.
Riff - Since you are a guitar player, you definately know about riffs! However, all other instruments play "riffs" as well - and singers sing riffs. A riff is basically a short melodic statement. Think of it like a "plug-in" to the melody. You can use riffs in the intro, the outro, during breaks, to fill gaps in a sung melody, to compliment and underlie the melody, really anywhere in the song that requires additional melodic movement and interest. Riffs are often repeated throughout the song.
Outro – Just like the intro – except at the end! It is a musical statement that defines the end of the song. It could be as simple as repeating the chorus or it could be a small musical statement that ties everything up into a nice package. Think of it as the resolution of the story you are trying to tell.
Now that we've discussed the basic elements, we can now put all of these ideas together to establish the song structure. As I've mentioned there are no established guidelines for this; however, here are some common examples.
AAA - Three verses (typical of the tradiional, folk, and blues genres)
AABA - Two versus, chorus, verse
ABAB - Verse, chorus, verse, chorus
ABABCB - Just like ABAB with a bridge and a chorus
ABABCAB - Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Verse, Chorus
AABABB - Verse, Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Chorus
Last week I challenged you to write something down and to label it as either a verse or a chorus. If you haven't done this yet, I would challenge you to go back to part 1 and complete the exercise. Looking at what you've written, do you still feel that it is a verse or a chorus? Start thinking about where this would fit the example song structures above.
Now that you have the initial idea of the song either as a verse or a chorus, answer the following questions:
1)What is the songs message, point, or theme?
2)If you wrote a verse – where do you think the story is headed?
3)If you wrote a chorus – is it memorable and does it contain a hook?
4)What parts of the song are you missing?
5)Is your song complex enough for a bridge? (It doesn't have to be – many of the best songs just use the AAAA format!)
6)How many verses will you need to tell the story?
7)How many times do you want to repeat the chorus?
8)Am I trying to get to many ideas across in the song? Can I simplify it – or break up these ideas into separate songs?
There are probably lots of other questions you are going to ask yourself as you write your songs. Just remember, that the purpose of the song is to convey a musical message to someone – even if it is just yourself. Spend a little bit of time thinking about the structure of the song and you'll probably save yourself some grief.
For this week, I have two challenges for you.
1) Finish your song. Take the verse or the chorus that you developed in the last lesson, answer the above questions, and put the pieces together. Don't worry about the song being “stupid”, or clearly themed, or if you are going to make someone angry or sad. This lesson is not about stifling the creative process, rather it is about focusing it. Just like last week, don't be afraid to “color outside the lines”. Don't worry about getting the exact right word or sentence. Just write it down and shape it later.
2) List your three favorite songs. Go find the lyrics and the recordings of those songs. Play each song and think about how they are put together. Try to identify the song structure, the verses, the chorus, the bridge (if it has one), the intro, and the outro. Find the song's hook. What is the theme of the song? Can you identify why this song is one of your favorites?
Obviously this was a simplified, high speed lesson on songwriting. If you are into this kind of thing, you could probably spend multiple semesters in entire courses in “music appreciation” that would cover to the nth degree the various intracacies and history of song structure. For the rest of us, this should be enough to “get down the bones.” Great songs don't have to be complex songs. Stay simple, stay with your theme, focus your emotions, and write down the words in a way that has some structure (more or less).
In the next lesson, we'll discuss the idea of the “circle of fifths” and how to pick chords for your song that go together and how to vary them to make them sound more interesting.
Written by Daniel Halberg
www.guitargearheads.com
GuitarGearHeads™ is a Trademark of Allen & Halberg Publishing, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
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