Songwriting Lesson

Taking some songwriting lessons is something you won't regret. They are incredible.

You can learn songwriting online. One of the most popular websites for this purpose is SongU. It's quite expensive, $75 for three months but you're sure to learn a lot. There are some live lessons every week with some great instructors, including Robin Frederick (who wrote two of my favorite books, Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting and Shortcuts to Songwriting for Film&TV). You can also listen to the lessons later if you are unable to attend. You hear the teachers talking and you can ask questions real-time. These classes are usually one hour long. Sometimes they have a series of lessons on the same topic and you might get some homework. The most useful part of this website is that you can have your songs reviewed by professionals.

You could also join TAXI, which is an independent A&R company. They don't offer lessons but you can pitch your songs to various label and TV/Film listings and they review your work. The screeners are all industry pros so their feedback is a great songwriting lesson in itself.

Since constructive feedback is so invaluable, you might consider John Braheny's services too. He is the writer of the great book The Craft and Business of Songwriting . He offers custom-critique and his prices are not too high.

At NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) they also review songs for a fee. I've heard mixed opinions about them and I haven't tried their services.

Then there are the songwriting forums (scroll down for a list of forums) where you can get in touch with fellow songwriters. Some of these folks are professional songwriters so it's worth visiting these places once in a while.

If you would like to get instruction offline, you could go to songwriting seminars. They are not only great learning opportunities but also great for finding co-writers or mentors.

Beware of songwriting scams though. There are some websites that offer you songwriting instruction and a publishing contract if you do well. These are usually scams. If only it was that easy…

Songwriting lessons will not make you a Grammy winning professional overnight. However, they can really speed up the process of getting there. But there is no better way to learn than to write songs every day. You know the saying: "practice makes perfect". In songwriting, it's 100% true. If you get only a little better every day and your enjoy the process, you'll get to where you want to be in no time.

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Songwriting Secrets

On this page you will find some songwriting secrets that could be new for you. Sometimes we tend to think there is a code. A code that the successful songwriters have broken. Sorry to burst any bubbles but there is no code to break. If you ask the masters, they will tell you their songwriting secrets. What you'll read now is a collection of what most of them cited as their secret to songwriting.

Successful Songwriters Don't Know Better Than Us


It's one of the most important and little-known songwriting secrets. Famous songwriters are often asked how they know if a song is going to be a hit or not. And they all answer that they don't know this in advance. What they do is keep writing and sometimes a song or two become a hit. There is just some magic about them that their other songs don't have. What? It's difficult to answer.

Nobody can sit down with the idea that "now they are going to write a hit". It's daunting. If you think that you have to do something exceptional at this moment, the creative spark will never come. Creativity flourishes while you are working. And you usually don't know or feel that your work is something special until you finish it. Even then, you might be the only one who likes it. All you can do is keep practicing, writing and learning more and more songwriting secrets and about the business.

It Takes About 10,000 Hours of Work & Practice


You've probably heard the saying: "practice makes perfect". It's true in every field. Nobody becomes a great songwriter in a year. Research says that it usually takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to get exceptionally good at something.It might sound impossible to accomplish. 10,000 hours can take 10 years even if you practice a little every day. But don't just think of the kind of practice when you sit down and write. Reading, learning, and thinking about songwriting also count as practice. So this time may be a lot shorter for you if you take your art seriously and you're hard-working enough.

Now you might think of 16-year old people who are are geniuses at this young age. But in each case, these are kids who started practicing whatever they do well now at the age of 7 or 8.

A few people get a lucky break though. But they are the exceptions. And if you're not ready for success, it won't feel as good as it should. You'll be unsure about yourself and your abilities.

Everybody Has Stupid Ideas. More Than Great Ones.


Sometimes when two or more songwriters sit down to collaborate, they are nervous. Because when they write on their own, nobody judges how good or bad their ideas are (except themselves). And they might think that the other songwriters, especially the successful ones are full of amazingly unbelievable ideas. They aren't. Forget it. Just so you know, songwriters have much more stupid ideas than great ones. And those stupid ones have to come out to make room for the great ones. So don't be ashamed of you less than perfect ideas, they are things to be cherished.

About 1 Song In 10 Is Great


When we see a list of hits a famous songwriter has written, we tend to think that these songs are the only ones they have written. And the one they will write next is just as sure to be a hit as the previous ones. Wrong! Before they had even a cut (and not a hit), they wrote hundreds, or maybe thousands of songs. Some were great, most weren't. But they had to write those songs to practice. And when they become successful, the ratio of good-bad songs is still 1 potential hit in 10 songs they write. For most of the songwriters. So don't worry if you write a lot of crap. The masters also do.

Most of The Songs Don't Get Cut

This is one of the songwriting secrets few people know. Even if you write a hundred potentially hit songs, there's no guarantee that they ever become a real hit. You need so many things to get there.

• You need an exceptional demo.
• You need to get the song into a decision-maker's hands.
• They need to love it and get the other decision-makers to love it too.
• The artist has to feel your song is something they could have written. (style, genre, range, their life story…)
• Your song has to be among the top 10 or 12 greatest songs for the album.
• The album has to be a success.
• It's good if they choose it to be one of the singles.
• The artist has to promote the song, etc.


This is a long list. You have to be very lucky to get to the end of this list. But dreams sometimes come true. All you can do is keep working hard and be happy about the positive things that come your way on your road to stardom. :)


Who You Know Is Important


"It's not what you know, it's who you know" is true in the music business. Partly. Because if you don't have the "what", you have little chance to get to the "who" part.


So collaborate with as many songwriters as you can. Network with people in the business. Go to conferences, seminars. Be present on songwriting forums. Go to concerts, etc. It's enough if you find one person to believe in you. This person should be in the right position to help you of course.

Collaboration Is the Key To Success


Look at the charts. Look at the top 20 songs. Out of those 20 songs, usually only 1 or 2 have been written by one songwriter alone. Some of the songs have been written by 5 people. What a surprising songwriting secret! (I was for me...) I know you might think that in that case 5 people have to share the royalties. That's true. But 1/5 of a lot of money is still better than zero money. If you co-write, you can make your songs much stronger. If people who come from different places put their heads together, miracles can happen.


Make the Best Demo Possible


Writing a potentially hit song is not enough for success. Another important songwriting secret is that you have to present your songs professionally. That's why you have to make a demo.These days home recording studios make it possible to create a broadcast quality demo for no or very little money. But some people have no idea about this technical stuff. If you're one of them, you still have some options for making a demo.


• Use your home recording studio. (relatively cheap)
• You can hire a demo service to record your songs. (might be risky and expensive)
• You can use a professional studio. (even more expensive)


So what if you can't do any of these? A golden songwriting secret: try to find a co-writer who - besides writing great music - is good at recording demos. You can post a "collaborator wanted" advertisement on one of the songwriting forums, for example.




As you can see, songwriting secrets are not really secrets. They are some very practical things to know. As for me, I like to know that the secret is not "being born a genius songwriter"! :)


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Songwriting Habits

There are some songwriting habits that most successful professionals apply. Sometimes these are not even habits, rather principles. Sometimes they are "principles about habits". Alright, let's start because I don't make sense anymore.

Making Yourself Write


You daydream about songwriting… imagine accepting all those Grammies… opening the mail and finding a million-dollar royalty check in it… Does this sound familiar? It's all achievable. But there is an important songwriting habit to apply first. Write songs!

If you are like most songwriters, sometimes (or most often) it's difficult to make yourself sit down and just write. There can be several reasons for this.

• It's hard-work.
• You're worried it's not going to be a hit.
• People around disturb you.
• You don't feel inspired.

And the list goes on. You can always find an excuse for not writing. But unless you make yourself write songs almost every day, you'll never get where you want to be.

Self-discipline is one of the most treasured songwriting habits. Without it, you don't stand a chance.

What can you do? Just sit down. Promise yourself that it will only be one minute, you just come up with a title. Next day, you come up with a line from the chorus… and so on. If you break it down to little steps, it seems much easier. And most often, if you sit down and do it for a couple of minutes, you'll want to continue. Because the ideas start coming and they just won't stop. And even if you write a song by coming up with one little section every day, it's still better than not writing at all.

It's Blood, Sweat and Tears and Amazing

I don't think there is a songwriter for whom it's "easy". Many of them say that they LOVE writing but they never say it's an easy job.

If you've written a couple of songs, you know that it isn't only "not easy" but can be incredibly difficult at times. Even if you manage to get yourself to write, you face all these problems. There isn't a proper rhyme for this word. I can't make up a chord progression that sounds "special". Everything I write sounds cliche…


Don't kid yourself. Although when you become a seasoned songwriter, it does become easier but never easy. But that's partly what makes this art-form so special. There is this incredible feeling of accomplishment and pride when you listen to the finished product. It's a little like a baby of yours. You sometimes ask yourself: did I really write this amazing stuff? While you are working on it, it's sometimes doesn't seem so amazing…

Appreciation Makes It All Worth It


Wait until you first hear your song on the radio. It's an incredible feeling. And when people write to you and tell you how much strength you gave them or how hard they were laughing when listening to your song… that's what makes it all worthwhile.


Daily Routine vs. Songwriting Habits


A consistent daily routine is one of the most powerful songwriting habits. What professional songwriters do is they set a couple of hours each day when they work. And that's all they do in that time period. No phone. No friends. No children. No TV. No internet. No games. Just songwriting.


If you can't write every day, choose a day or two when you know you'll have more free time.


If you don't decide in advance when you'd like to write, you'll always say I'll write a song tomorrow. And when tomorrow comes, you just can't find the time. There's always something more urgent to do. But no problem, you can make up for this next day. And you never do. Then you start feeling more and more guilt. Believe me, you don't want to go there. So set a time-period (for each day if possible) to make it work! You'll be glad you did.




Writer's Block


Have you ever been sitting in front of the computer (or paper) and feel like nothing comes to mind no matter how hard you tried? This is called a writer's block, my friend. Sometimes it lasts a minute, sometimes years. Luckily, there are ways to overcome this.


You could try all the songwriting habits on this page. If none of them works, just sit down and start writing. It doesn't matter what. It can be about your children, your dog, the trash, etc. You should do it in a stream of consciousness style. Don't stop to think, just keep writing. And before you know it, you'll come up with some phrases, topics or other kinds of ideas for your song. Just don't force it.

If you feel that it's difficult to get yourself to write, you could also read The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. It's an amazing book about the artist's life and how to spark your creativity. You'll learn how to overcome creative difficulties and enjoy yourself all the way. Since I read this book, I bought all the other ones by Julia Cameron. I've picked up several great ideas and methods regarding staying creative.One more thing. If you can get yourself to work on your songs a little every day, you won't even get familiar with the idea of writer's block. If you write ever day, it feels much easier and more natural than if you do it only once a week or even less often. Think of working out in the gym. Doesn't it get easier after a couple of weeks if you do it every day? You even miss it when you can't do it for some reason.

Trying On Different Habits


Don't just choose one of the songwriting habits on this page. If you want to be as productive as possible, try on all of them and see which ones fit your life-style. You may be surprised to know that those songwriting habits that seem to be the least meaningful are usually the best ones in your case.


Songwriting Time & Positions


Where do you usually write songs? In what position? Changing this habit can sparkle your creativity.


• If you usually write sitting down, try standing up. You can even try walking while you're writing.
• If you usually write in front of the piano, try using an iPod piano app or any other instrument.
• If you usually write in the morning, try writing in the afternoon or in the evening.


This can seem like small stuff but changing these songwriting habits can be powerful. Any change can bring things out of you that you have never imagined before. You never know…


Getting Into the Mood


Please, don't wait for the songwriter's muse to come to you! It very rarely does. Especially while you're watching TV, eating or just sitting on the couch.
To consciously "invite the muse" there is only one thing you can do. Start working! I swear it works. Every time. Inspiration comes while you are working and not at the beginning. If you're waiting around for great ideas, you'll finish very few songs in your life.


Write even if you're not in the mood. Sometimes that's the best time to bring out your deepest thoughts and emotions that your future listeners will really appreciate!


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Songwriting Techniques

The songwriting techniques on this page will help you in different stages of the songwriting process. But unfortunately, there isn't a perfect recipe for writing songs. Everybody approaches the task in a different way. However, most people start with either the lyrics or the music. :) I put down these songwriting techniques to give you an idea what to do. Along the way you'll probably invent some techniques of your own but until then, here are some of mine (and others'):

If You Write Lyrics First

• Your first and most important task is to find a great title for your song. This is one of the most important songwriting techniques. This title should be something that immediately grabs the listeners' attention. It should imply what the song is about but not tell the whole story. The title should be between 1 and 3 words long. There are exceptions to this rule, of course, but short titles are easier to remember. Your title should contain a/some descriptive and action words. For example, "Love" wouldn't be a very exciting title. But "Bad Romance" is a title that makes you want to find out what the song is about. You know the song is going to be about a relationship that didn't go well, still, you have no idea how, or why it's bad…


• Before you begin writing the lyrics, decide about the song structure that suits your theme the best then make a sketch of your song. Here is how to do it: Song Structure & Making a Sketch of Your Song. You could also make a collection of relevant words and phrases that you might use in your lyrics. Brainstorm some then look those words and phrases up in a thesaurus to find more options. My favorite way to do it is using Masterwriter. It's a great piece software made especially for songwriters.

• When you finally start writing the lines themselves, just let your creative juices flow. Because one of the best and less obvious songwriting techniques is: don't worry about rhymes, the number of lines, the number of syllables… just keep writing (more or less according to your song structure sketch). You'll have plenty of time to re-write your lyrics and make each line and each word as strong as possible. If you start analyzing and criticizing your song at this stage, you'll never get to the end. It will seem like an unconquerable process to finish a song. And the quality won't be as good either.

• Re-writing is your next step. It's something you will not do only once but probably each time you re-read your lyrics. Sometimes it can feel like there is no such thing as "finished lyrics". Read each line one by one and keep re-writing it until you feel that there is no way it could be stronger. The music business is very competitive, there are thousands if not millions of songwriters out there so you can't afford to have only a couple of great lines and fillers in your songs. There might be some cases when you get attached to some phrases but they somehow don't fit your songs. In this case, exchange this phrase for something more suitable and use it later in another song of yours.

If You Write Music First

• I think there are less songwriting techniques for those who like to write music first. It's because writing music can be less "structured". Most songwriters say that they start playing around on the piano or their guitar. They play some riffs or chord progressions. Then they hear something exciting (and accidental) and start expanding it, creating some variations and there you go, you have your song. In fact, I haven't heard about any songwriters who start writing music with some kind of "technique".

• There are some songwriting techniques, however, that can help you come up with or make your melodies stronger, more interesting and more commercial. For example, while you are playing your instrument, you could just start humming some kind of melody. Anything that comes to mind. But make sure that you keep some kind of audio recorder somewhere close. Because if you don't record this melody then and there, it will go away in no time, believe me.

• When you have a basic melody, you can make it stronger by expanding the range of the song a little bit. You could emphasize some words or your hook with higher pitches, longer notes or some pauses in unexpected places.

• If you have a great sounding chord progression, you have a song. In most of the current hits, all the songwriters do is use the same chord progression but in different variations throughout the song. Therefore you can get away with writing only one, short piece of music for your song and change it for the choruses, verses and the bridge. This is not only because songwriters are too lazy to write more music but because the song has to contain as much repetition as possible but without boring the listener. This way it will be much easier to remember and sing or play along your song. I heard Alicia Keys say something like this once: "A great song is three chords and the truth."

• I didn't mention writing about choosing a key for your song earlier. It is not one of the most important songwriting techniques. You can write all your music in the key of C if you want because you can transpose it any time. When choosing a key for your song, think about who you want to perform it, because your key should be in her or his range.


• Deciding whether your melody is going to be happy or sad is not really a songwriting technique, still, it's worth mentioning. Obviously, happy melodies are much faster, sad ones are slower. Many songs use minor chord progressions for more melancholic songs and major ones for delightful ones. So decide about the mood and tempo early in the writing process.




Putting Your Lyrics and Music Together


• Putting your lyrics and music together is called prosody. There are many things you have to pay attention to at this stage. The melody should naturally go together with the lyrics. It's as if they were born to be together. This is the point where you'll probably re-write your lyrics and melody even more. But don't get discouraged, your work will finally pay off. Change and shape your song as much as you need. Make someone people listen to it and ask them if they notice anything strange or out of place in your song. If it's all done, you can start making a demo.

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Song Evaluation

Doing a song evaluation before you submit or pitch your song to labels, music libraries or music business professionals is very important. Going through and answering these questions about your song will tell you if your song is a hit. Or rather a potential hit. Your song doesn't have to meet all criteria. There are several legendary songs that don't. But the more of the characteristics of a hit song you include in your work, the more likely you'll succeed commercially. It doesn't mean that you have to give up your creativity, who you are or anything like that. Sticking to the formulas that appeal to masses of listeners will just help you get your message to a higher number of people. It's good for you and music lovers too. So never forget to do a song evaluation before submitting your song somewhere. (Find out where you can submit your completed songs on the Songwriting FAQ page.)

The more questions you can answer with a "Yes", the more likely your song is a potential hit.

Song Evaluation - Melody

• Are all the song sections (Verses, Choruses, Pre-Choruses and Bridges) easily distinguishable from each other?

• Is the Chorus repeated at least three times?

• Does the Chorus have the same or almost the same melody each time?

• Does the Chorus have a more intense and/or higher melodic range and different rhythmic pattern?

• Is your Chorus melody less than sixteen bars long?

• Does the Chorus melody feel resolved at the end of the Chorus?

• Does your song have an original and memorable melodic hook?

• Is the melodic hook at the same place as the lyrical hook?

• Is the Verse melody eight bars or less?

• Does the Verse melody and/or parts of it repeat?

• Do the Verses have the same or almost the same melody each time?

• Does the end of the Verse melody lead you into the Chorus or Pre-Chorus?

• Does your song have a consistently repeated rhythmic pattern?

• Is your song's melodic range between an octave and an octave and a half? Except if you write for divas :)

• Is the melody easy to sing? (Not too fast, the singer has time to take a breath, etc.)

• Does the melody sound completed? (No awkward, out of place and not so clearly defined notes, etc.)

• Is the mood and message of the melody consistent with that of the lyrics?

• Is the melody memorable? Would it be relatively easy for listeners to sing along?

Song Evaluation - Lyrics

• Is your song about love or a related topic? (The majority of hit songs are about some aspect of love.)

• Does your song involve only a few (1-3) characters? (More is difficult to understand in a song.)

• Is your song about one single idea, emotion or event?

• Does the title summarize what the song is about?

• Do you have a really strong, interesting title?

• Is your song's first line interesting? Does it immediately grab listeners and make them curious of the story?

• Do you use easy, natural sounding grammar structures and contemporary language?

• Is the majority of your lyrics conversational? Could it be something one friend tells another?

• Did you delete any words that are not essential to understand the lyrics?

• Are there many action words, details and images describing the story?

• Is the lyrical hook obvious?

• Is the lyrical hook (which usually contains the title) at the beginning and/or end of the Chorus?

• Is your song general and realistic? Can average people emphasize with it? (Not many people feel for the singer in a "I'm rich & famous and it's SOOO difficult" kind of song.)

• Are the pronouns consistent? Do they point to where you want them to?

• Did you rewrite and substitute clichés with more creative lines?

• Are your lyrics easy to understand for average people? (No obscure literary references, for example.)

• Did you delete those lines that sound like you're trying to lecture or boast about something?

• Are the rhymes natural-sounding?

• Do you give a little more information in each Verse and make the story go somewhere? (You might even include a punchline.)

• Is the mood and message of the lyrics consistent with that of the melody?

• Do the lyrics of the Bridge summarize and intensify the emotion/message?

Song Evaluation - Arrangement

• Is the Intro (if you have one) very short (10-15 seconds)?

• Do chord changes represent the changes in the contents of the lyrics?

• Do the sections contrast?

• Is the song between 3 and 4.5 minutes?

• Do you get to the Chorus in less than 45 seconds?

• Does your song belong to one very specific genre?

Even when you've done the song evaluation, it's advisable to come back to your song a day or a couple of days later and listen to it with fresh ears. You'll be surprised. Usually positively :) But you might notice some mistakes, inconsistencies you didn't before. It's still better to correct them at this point than realizing them when you're sitting in an office and an A&R person is listening to your song…

To find out how to do a song analysis in more detail, I suggest reading Robin Frederick's book Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting. It's a MUST read if you are serious about songwriting!




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Song Critique

A song critique is something that all songwriters will and should get sooner or later. Sometimes it can hurt (and it will hurt) to hear the truth about your precious songs.

Family and friends always say what you want to hear. And it's not because they don't want the best for your but because they don't want to offend you. They usually don't lie you about your songs. But since relatives are not professional songwriters, they are unable to give you an unbiased review. In addition, even if they think that your song stinks, they don't want to be the ones to break the news to you.

When should you get a critique?

A song critique is due when you finish a song. And not just a sketch. You should feel that it's as good as it can be. All the lines in the lyrics are strong and in the right place. The melody is dynamic. The vocals are catchy. The sound samples sound fresh.

However, you don't need to have a broadcast quality demo done at this stage. Just make your song as great and complete as you can. Then if you get some encouraging critique, you can go on to make a more professional sounding demo.

Who should you turn to for song critiques?

There are plenty of possibilities to get a song critique. Some are more professional than others.

If you want a professional, seasoned songwriter or industry pro to review your songs, you'll probably have to pay a little (or much) money for it. But in return, you'll get song critiques by real songwriters and music business professionals, who know what they are talking about. And because these experts don't know you, they can remain objective and review your song in a way that will be tremendous help for you now and in the long run. Some of the best professional online services (in my opinion) where you could have your songs reviewed are:

• TAXI: TAXI is an independent A&R company. They give you real opportunities to showcase your songs to publishers and music industry professionals who are actually looking for songs. The membership for the first year costs $299. If you renew your membership, it's "only" $199. Plus there is a fee of $5 dollars for each submitted song. TAXI screeners usually send you the review in about a month.

• SongU: SongU provides online songwriting courses, song feedback, coaching, etc. by professional songwriters. It costs $25.95 a month or $75 a quarter.

• John Braheny: John Braheny is the author of the incredible and huge :) songwriting book, The Craft and Business of Songwriting. So believe me, he knows what he is talking about. If you send him your songs, he offers you an assessment of your melody, lyric, structure, dynamics, style or answers any other questions regarding your song. His fee is $125 per hour or $25 per song.

Some people send their songs directly to publishers. It's not too wise because you never get your CD back and they won't review your songs. IF they listen to it at all, publishers will either contact you because they think your song is a work of genius (it doesn't happen very often) or your CD lands in the garbage can. That's why you should find a way to have someone review your songs. And only when they are as good as they can be, you should find a way to get it into a publisher's hands (it usually doesn't happen directly but through A&R people, managers, lawyers, etc).

Beware of song critique services where they tell you that they guarantee you'll get a publishing deal if you pay this or that amount. It never works that way. If only it was that easy. Getting a deal is more about learning, hard work, networking and luck together.

Once you get a review of your song, remember not to take it to heart. What one critic thinks about your song is not something you should take dead seriously. Even professionals can be wrong. But what you should do is accept constructive criticism but don't forget that it's just one person's opinion. Some people are just genetically not wired to review art. Even if they are right about it, they might not be able to put it in a way that could help the songwriter. So get as many people as you can to listen to your song.

Another thing you can do is attend songwriting conferences, workshops, etc. One of the most popular ones is the TAXI Road Rally, which is held once a year in Los Angeles. At these events, you can network, find co-writers, attend seminars and lectures, get song critiques and even pitch your songs to industry pros.

Finally, there are some songs that nobody seems to love except you. If you're the only one who thinks your song is great, and you really, truly believe in it, then listen to your gut instinct and keep pitching it. Hopefully you'll meet a publisher one day, who will see your song the way you do. But also remember that one of the most important rules of songwriting is: Don't fall in love with your songs. Songwriters who fall in love with their songs believe that their work is perfect the way it is, no change is necessary and religiously insist that everybody else like it. They are wrong 99% of the time. So if you fall in love with your songs, you won't be able to progress, change it if needed. And you probably won't be able to succeed in this business, where you have to be as flexible as possible.

More on How To Write A Song 

Writing Song Lyrics

Writing song lyrics is one of the most important part of songwriting. I'd like to give you a little help for making your lyrics outstanding. If you can achieve that, you're half-way there!

Song Structures in Modern Popular Music

You song's structure may depend on a lot of things: how much you have to say, how long you want the song to be, the genre, etc. However, most songs on the charts follow a structure like these:

Verse 1 / Chorus / Verse 2 / Chorus / Bridge / Chorus

Verse 1 / Pre-Chorus / Chorus / Verse 2 / Pre-Chorus / Chorus / Bridge / Pre-Chorus /Chorus

There are some variations. For example, when writing song lyrics, some songwriters include an intro or an outro. Sometimes these are not even sung but spoken. You can also leave out a pre-chorus or two. Or add a third verse after the bridge. Or write a kind of reprise, a section at the end of the song, which has either a different melody or different lyrics than the other sections.

Don't put too many or long verses or choruses next to each other. The best songs contain a lot of contrasts. If your listeners have to listen to one kind of section for a long time, you'll lose them pretty quickly.

If you stick with the song structures above, you can't go wrong.

Where & How To Get Lyric Ideas


When you're writing song lyrics, the most important thing is that you carry with you some kind of a notebook at all times. It can be digital if you want. When you start writing songs regularly, you'll notice that titles and lyric ideas just start to pop up in your head in unexpected places. You'll always think that you'll still remember the words when you get home but 90% of the time you'll forget them, no matter how great they were. That's just the way it is. So trust me, carry a notebook or dictaphone with you.

If you need a great idea for a song, you don't have to go far. Before writing song lyrics, watch films and TV shows, read newspapers, news sites and books. While you're watching, try to catch a phrase or two that could make a good title.

When you are writing song lyrics, you can also try to coin some unexpected words together to make a theme or title. Either open a dictionary or go to a website like SongName.net which automatically generates song titles. Some don't make any sense but others are surprisingly good. Some examples it has just come up with: "Eternal Stories", "Kill You With Imitations" and "Circus of Regrets".

Theme


Most songs on the charts are about love. I guess about 99%. The songs deal with all aspects of love, from falling in love, through jealousy to break-up. If you want to get on the charts, you'll increase your chances with a love song. When writing song lyrics, try to pick a theme then find an angle that no-one has ever though of. The next most important thing is that you write from your heart. That way you'll make sure that you'll create something truly unique that nobody else could have written. But if there is a theme other than love that you are interested in, don't hold back. There are some popular songs about social issues, motivation, family relationships, religion, etc.

Title


A title should summarize what the song is about. It should also be unique, convey an unusual image or action. The best titles don't say it all though. When you hear them, they make you think about what the song could be about. Let's take Born This Way by Lady Gaga as an example. This title raises a lot of questions, like "born what way?" "born in a good or in a bad way"?

Titles that contain only one word can be especially powerful. But most consist of 2 to 5 words. More than that is too long. Don't worry if you choose a title that someone else has probably already chosen. Titles usually can't be copyrighted so if you write a completely different song from the other one with the same title, you'll be fine.

Make a Sketch


When you're writing song lyrics, a sketch will make your job much easier.

Once you have a great title and you know what the song is going to be about, it's advisable to make a sketch of your song. Decide what section you would like to include: verses, pre-choruses, choruses, bridge. Then take some notes about what every section should be about. This way you won't find yourself having written the whole story in the first verse and nothing to say in the second verse, the chorus and the bridge. A simple example for a sketch like this could be:

Verse 1: we see a man entering the bar, being lonely
Chorus: the man always goes home alone and lonely
Verse 2: he starts up a conversation with a woman who doesn't want to talk to him
Chorus: the man always goes home alone and lonely
Bridge: he can't take this anymore, he knows he has to change his life
Chorus: the man always goes home alone and lonely

You could also make a list of the expressions you might use in your song. Brainstorm some words and phrases then brainstorm even more that are somehow connected to those. This way you'll have a good list of words and phrases ready when you're working on the details.

Verse


The Verses (2 or 3 in most cases) tell you a story. In Verse 1 you usually introduce the scene, the characters and the vibe. Verse 2 (and maybe 3) then go on developing the situation. In each Verse, we get more and more new information. The Verses usually don't get repeated.

Pre-Chorus


The Pre-Chorus is basically a transition from the verses to the bridge. It's very popular nowadays, you can find it in almost all songs on the charts. Lyrically, the Pre-Chorus takes the listener from the verse into the Chorus.

Chorus


The Chorus is the section which is repeated several times (usually at least 3 times) throughout the song. In most cases, it stays the same. Sometimes there are little variations. The Chorus usually contains the title of the song, which is often repeated more than once. In most cases, the title is either at the beginning or at the end of the Chorus. This section summarizes the consequences or emotions of the song. It's the part your listeners are going to sing along to most often.


Bridge


The Bridge is often the most emotional part of the song. It usually introduces a different angle, an intense emotion or a punchline. The lyrics and the melody are different from any other section of the song. The Bridge doesn't get repeated.


Hook


Songwriting Hooks are images or phrases in your song (usually in the chorus) that immediately catch your attention the first time you hear them (if they're working well). It's the part the listeners will most easily recall.

Click Here for more information about Song Structure 

Rhyme


In most popular songs, there are plenty of rhymes. They are usually not perfect rhymes but that's not a problem. This way they sound more natural. Rhymes help listeners remember the song. They also give them a feeling of satisfaction. They are usually at the end of the lines but sometimes in the middle. How much rhyming you include in your song is your call. There can be too little or too much of them. When you find when your writing song lyrics that most of your lines end in some kind of a line, you can't go wrong.


Number of Syllables


Some songwriters take syllable-counting very seriously. For example, if the first line of their verse consists of 7 syllables, it has to be true for all lines. But most songwriters don't take it that seriously. You can even play with the number of syllables to make your song more interesting-sounding. The last line of the verse could be half the number of syllables as the other lines.


Images, Action Words and Phrases


When you are writing song lyrics, include several images, action words and phrases. Just describing a scene - as it is - is boring. Nobody wants to listen to a song which says "then the guy went up to the girl, he said he loved her, then the girl rejected him". It's essential that when writing song lyrics, you use some images, acton words or phrases in your title and lyrics to make them more attention grabbing. Think about titles like Alanis Morissette's "Head Over Feet". It's not only a great phrase but she also twisted it in an interesting way. Another great example could be from Christina Perri's song: "… running 'round leaving scars, collecting your jar of hearts…" How great does that sound?




How To Write Rap Lyrics


The information above is true about most genres of music. However, if you'd like to write rap lyrics, there are some differences you should be aware of. Click here to learn how to write rap lyrics.


The more of these little tricks you apply when writing song lyrics, the better chances your song has to get on the charts.

More on How To Write A Song 

Song Structure

Fortunately, song structure is something that's easy to understand. There aren't many types of it. You're probably already familiar with it to some extent. The more often you listen to chart-topping songs, the easier it is to internalize the successful formulas. For example, if you look at the current songs at the top of the charts, you'll find that most of them are between 3:30 and 4:30 long. Longer songs are not suitable for the radio.

Before you start writing your song, I recommend that you decide about the type of song structure you'd like to use. You can always change it later. But if you plan ahead, it's less likely that you'll get confused and tell the listeners everything you have to say in the first verse, then sit there thinking about what you should write in the second one. So do yourself a favor and make a sketch of your song.

What parts do songs consist of?

Verse

• There are usually 2 or 3 Verses in a hit song.
• The melody doesn't change (or sometimes it does but only a little).
• The words are different in each Verse.
• The role of the Verse is to tell you the story. In each Verse, you should add a bit more information about the characters and the story.
• At the end of the song, you might also include some kind of a punchline.
• It's very important that the Verse should flow logically. Your listeners don't know the background therefore all the information they get is what you write about. For example, don't include more than 2 or 3 characters because otherwise it's impossible to follow who is who in the story. So make sure that your Verses are clear. You could have a friend read it and check if he or she understands what your song is about.
• Verses are usually 8 to 16 bars long. All of them are the same length in most cases.
• Example: from "Do you ever feel like a plastic bag" to "'Cause there is a spark in you" in Firework by Katy Perry.

Pre-Chorus

• The Pre-Chorus is a transition between the Verse and the Chorus. More and more hit songs contain this section.
• They build emotional intensity and gradually increase the tension before the listeners get the "satisfaction" i.e. the Chorus.
• The melody in the Pre-Chorus has the same role. It builds anticipation.
• Pre-Choruses usually contain a rising melody line.
• 32% of today's top ten songs contain a Pre-Chorus.
• They are usually 1 to 4 lines long.
• Example: from "You just gotta ignite…" to "… like the 4th of July" in Firework by Katy Perry.

Chorus

• The Chorus is repeated 3 or 4 times throughout a song.
• In most cases, it contains the title.
• Usually, the Chorus melody is what makes people remember your song. Therefore it should be as catchy as you can make it.
• The melody doesn't change when you repeat the Chorus (maybe a little sometimes).
• The Chorus lyrics give the emotional summary of the song. If you read the Chorus in itself, it should be clear what the whole song is about.
• In the current top 10 songs, the first Chorus comes in at around 0:36.
• Choruses are usually 8 to 14 bars long.
• All of them are the same length in most cases.
• Example: from "'Cause baby you're a firework" to "You're gonna leave them falling down" in Firework by Katy Perry.

Bridge
• When you've repeated the Verse, the Pre-chorus and the Chorus two times, it would get boring to hear these sections all over again. That's why Bridges are created.
• Around two-thirds into the song, this is the section that has a different melody and different words from all the other sections.
• The Bridge is the emotional peak of the song that expresses the strongest feelings about the subject of your song.
• Example: from "Boom, boom, boom" to "And now it's time to let it through" in Firework by Katy Perry.


Hook
• A Hook can be one or two memorable lines in your songs.
• Most often, the title is the Hook or it's in the Hook.
• Your Hook should be as memorable as possible, it's a vital part of your hit song structure.
• Example: "Baby you're a firework" in Firework by Katy Perry.
• For more information on Hooks go to Songwriting Hooks.

Other possible parts of a song

Intro
• Some intros are instrumental. Others contain speech or singing.
• An intro is not a mandatory part of the song structure. Include one if you feel it's important for setting the tone of the song.
• About 73% of top 10 songs contain an intro.
• Don't forget that you shouldn't make the intro too long. Most intros are not longer than 15 seconds.
• Example: from 0:00 to 0:15 in Firework by Katy Perry.


Outro
• The outro can also be either instrumental or contain speech or singing.
• About 36% of top 10 songs include an outro in their song structure.
• Like the intros, they are not too long, about 18 seconds on the average.
• Example: from 5:07 to 5:25 in This I Love by Guns N' Roses.


Instrumental sections
• These days there are less and less purely instrumental sections in hit songs. People want "motion", they want to hear the singer and the story. Therefore few artists can afford to include a longer instrumental section.
• They are more common for some genres but not so much in popular music anymore.
• Only 5% of the current top 10 hit songs contain a solo.
• Example: from 1.28 to 1:47 in This I Love by Guns N' Roses.


Reprise
• I love when songwriters include a reprise in the song structure! :)
• Almost always, the melody is taken from the Chorus or the Verse and tweaked a little bit.
• In most cases, the lyrics are completely new and represent some kind changing of your mind, making a decision about the problem, etc.
• Reprises are not used that often but when you do them well, they can become the audience' favorite part in your song.
• Example: from 4:35 to 5:07 in This I Love by Guns N' Roses.

Current Hit Song Structures

✓ Verse / Chorus / Verse / Chorus / Bridge / Chorus: There can be some variations of this song structure, for example, some songs contain another Verse after the Bridge, two Choruses at the end or (rarely) a longer Outro. Example: Please Don't Leave Me by Pink.


✓ Verse / Pre-Chorus / Chorus / Verse / Pre-Chorus / Chorus / Bridge / Chorus: This song structure is probably the most common nowadays. By adding a Pre-Chorus, you make the "ride" even more exciting for the listeners. This way, your can create more tension and therefore more satisfaction when the Chorus finally arrives. Example: Your Love Is My Drug by Kesha.

Transitions Between Sections

From Verse to Chorus
▪ You could write a line that transfers the listeners from the Verse into the Chorus so that the Chorus lyrics logically follow the contents of the Verse.
▪ The space between these sections should be as short as possible. Today's listeners don't like to wait around for the interesting parts. They expect instant gratification all the way through the song.
▪ You could also blur the transition from Verse to Chorus by starting the Chorus lyrics with a word or two when you're still in the Verse.


From the end of the Chorus to the Verse or the Bridge
▪ After the Chorus the listeners might expect a little pause. It can be instrumental only.
▪ This pause, however, shouldn't be long. It's almost never longer than 4 bars, most often it's 2 bars.
▪ However, in the current hit songs, sometimes there isn't any break at all. It's especially true for up-tempo songs.


Transition from the Bridge to Chorus (or rarely a third Verse)
▪ It's very important that you clearly set the Bridge apart from the section that follows it.
▪ If your Bridge was very intense and emotional, try starting the next part softly, so there is a lot of contrast between the sections.
▪ If your Bridge wasn't that emotionally intensive, make the Chorus as bold and loud as possible.

How Do You End A Song?

How you end your song is an important part of your song structure plan. You should decide about it well ahead. There are three main ways to end a song.• Fading out: It's when the song doesn't really "end" but rather the volume decreases more and more until you can barely hear it. This is a common and easy way of ending the song. Example: I Want To Know What Love Is by Mariah Carey


• Button ending: I prefer button ending over fading out. Why? Because it's much more satisfying to me. It's clear when the song is over. Example: Perfect by Pink.


• False ending: This is a very smart kind of ending. You end the song and don't end it at the same time. This kind of ending doesn't give the listener a feeling of complete satisfaction at the end of the song. It basically finishes the song it the middle of a section. This makes the listener want to start listening to the song all over again. Example: Wannabe by Spice Girls.

Analyzing Hit Song Structures

To learn more and master how to use hit song structures, I suggest that you analyze some of your favorite songs. Hit song analyses are the best way to find out what works.

More on How To Write A Song