You could be the kind of person who can come up with a new piece of music out of the blue and your friends are left wondering where you got that from. Over time, you have desired to write songs, but you don’t know how to go about it. This post is for you.
Song Structure
All songs have a structure, which basically carries the whole message that the writer intends to pass on. The right kind of structure will ensure there is a proper flow of ideas and that your listeners are able to catch what you’re really saying.
Songs have been written for years and years, so it’s basically not a wise idea to reinvent the wheel when it comes to songwriting. Not only will it make it difficult for you to write your songs, it will also give your listeners a difficult time trying to understand them.
Parts of a Song
The basic parts of a song are well known, and the following post describes them in detail, especially if you are playing an instrument as well:
Songs are made up of three basic parts:
Melody: The melody is the part of the song that is sung or played as a single lead instrument or voice. When paired with the song’s lyrics, people tend to think of melody as the main identifier of any given song.
Harmony: In the simplest of terms, a song’s harmony is the chord progression (or series of chord progressions) one plays to accompany the singer or solo instrument.
Rhythm: The rhythm of a song is the tempo and pulse in which the harmony is played.
While all three of these basic components are important, it’s best to focus on melody and harmony when it comes to studying song structure. Via Idiot’s Guides
Song structure as described in the post above takes into account the melody and harmony. The melody is made up of the lyrics of the song. The lyrics convey the message you want to pass to your listeners.
Looking into the parts of a song
For you to achieve your objective, you need to present them in a way that will be easy to follow, with the emphasis placed at the right moments. This will ensure the climax of the song occurs at the right place, thus avoiding premature climaxes.
The skeleton of any song structure includes the introduction, verse, chorus and bridge, and the arrangement varies from one song to the other. The purpose of each of these parts is as described by Jason Blume in the post below:
Verse lyrics tell the story, include action and details, and lead the listeners to the chorus and the title.
Chorus lyrics are usually a simple summation of the concept—a place to summarize the song’s essence in a catchy, easy-to-remember way. Choruses are intended to be the most memorable part of the song, both lyrically and melodically—the part people walk away singing.
The word most often invoked when describing the function of bridges is “departure,” and indeed, the most effective bridges depart both melodically and lyrically from the other sections of the song. Ideally, in this section a new lyric angle, new perspective, and/or new information is introduced.
A pre-chorus is a component of a song that occurs immediately before the chorus. Sometimes called a lift, a climb, a channel, a set-up, or a “B” section, its function is to connect and propel listeners from the verse to the chorus—both melodically and lyrically. Via Songwriting
The Golden Rule
If you follow these simple rules, you are bound to enjoy your songwriting journey. On the other hand, it is important to determine whether your song requires all the elements described above. Some of your songs may be simple, while others may be a bit more detailed. Carefully check out what your song needs before choosing a pattern of the song.
The following advice from Gary Ewer, an expert in songwriting, gives you a vital rule for songwriting:
No matter what you decide to do regarding song form, remember that simplicity almost always surpasses complexity. Adding pre-choruses and bridges should only be done if it doesn’t overly complicate the structure and purpose of your songs. Via Essential Secrets of Songwriting
Now you can get your pen and paper and write away. Simply ensure that you are as simple and exquisite as possible. Make sure to have fun while you’re at it!
Featured Image: Image Credit
Taylor swift writing a song about break up vs Calvin Harris, she deserved better you know @CalvinHarris pic.twitter.com/27T7bKgsNC
— belu -31 days! (@STAYBESIDEY0U) September 16, 2016
I’m only 17 years old and my work, music, song writing is being recognized by a lot of important people in the music world. #blessed
— Yashua (@Yashuacamacho__) September 22, 2016
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