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Home "Composing music" Structures of successful songs
Author: Alexander Shulgin
As you know, there is a limited number of song structures that are used in most hits.
These structures can be learned and then used effectively.
In addition, you can take an idea born from the heart and express it within one of these structures, without losing the sincerity of the idea and the meaning of the song.
There is a theory that songwriting is based on the art of communication and expression.
The use of the most common song structures is similar to the use of punctuation marks in a sentence and allows the listener to better understand and feel what the author is trying to express.
Learning to use song structures is not the most exciting, creative or interesting part of the songwriting process, but, nevertheless, it is a very important part of it.
With rare exceptions, most of all hits written by authors who are not simultaneously performers of these songs, producers and are not otherwise involved in the project, use one of the following structures or their variations: Verse Chorus Verse Chorus Chorus Chorus Verse Chorus Bridge Chorus Chorus Verse Chorus Bridge Chorus Chorus Verse Chorus Chorus Verse Chorus Chorus Verse Chorus Chorus Verse Chorus Chorus Verse Chorus Bridge Chorus Verse Commercially successful songs are built from a combination of the following elements: Verses, Choruses, Choruses, Breeches Each of these components has its own task in the song.
Before trying to assemble them into a song, let's look at each of these components of it.
Verse
The main task of the verse is to convey information that will lead the listener to the name of the song.
The verse tells a story and sets an emotional mood.
The verse contains the plot, details and action.
Each verse of the song has the same melody and new words.
In the first line of the first verse, it is desirable to have the same number of syllables as in the first line of the second and third verses (if there is one).
The same rule applies to all other lines of verses.
Small variations may occur, but if there is a large difference in the length of the corresponding lines in different verses, it will be impossible to sing all the verses with one melody.
Most often, a verse consists of eight lines, which are expressed in eight or sixteen bars.
Some hits have verses consisting of four, six and twelve lines.
It is acceptable if the number of lines in the first verse is twice as large as the number of lines in the following verses (for example, the first "double" verse consists of sixteen lines, and the next – of eight).
In songs with a chorus, the name of the song usually does not appear in the verse.
Pre chorus
There may also be a "pre chorus" inside the verse - two or four lines, lasting no more than four bars, which stand immediately before the chorus.
The pre chorus is used to prepare the listener for the perception of the chorus with the help of melody and words.
The use of a pre chorus is optional.
If the first verse includes a pre chorus, then, as a rule, all other verses will also contain it.
All the pre choruses in the song have one melody.
For each pre chorus, it is permissible to have the same words, or new ones each time.
Chorus
Melodically, the chorus is the repetitive and most" catchy " part of the song, which first of all you want to sing along to.
From the point of view of the words of the song, the task of the chorus is to express the whole idea of the whole song and express its name.
Ideally, the words of the chorus should be written so that they sound natural when they are repeated after each verse or bridge.
The chorus should be such that it can be quickly remembered.
There is no need to introduce any new information, new details in the chorus, there are verses for this.
Regarding the structure of the song, there are usually four or eight lines in the chorus, which are usually expressed in eight bars.
Songwriting is not an exact science, it is, first of all, feelings, so there may be and there are hits where the chorus consists of twelve or sixteen lines.
Each chorus in the song has the same melody, and, as a rule, the same words.
It is desirable to voice the name of the song in the chorus.
There are no strict rules in which place of the chorus the name of the song should sound – it can be in the first, first and second, in the first and last lines of the verse.
In some cases, the verse may begin with the title, repeat several times in the chorus, and end with the title.
The chorus may consist entirely of the repeated title of the song, with the exception of the last line.
The title can also be heard only at the end of the chorus, then all the preceding words in the chorus should be strong enough, catchy enough to support the listener's attention throughout the chorus.
And finally, there may be no other words in the chorus other than the name of the song.
Bridge
The bridge in the song is used as a kind of digression from the main theme, a small respite.
It can consist of two or four lines, and four or eight bars.
Bridge's task is to transfer the song to a new dimension, take it to the next level, and also give the listener the opportunity to hear the chorus and the name of the song in a different way.
When a structure involving verses and choruses is applied, the only place for bridge in the song is between the second and third choruses (Verse Chorus Verse Chorus Bridge Chorus).
When the structure A A B A is applied, the bridge will be between the second and third verse.
(Verse Verse Bridge Verse).
In terms of words, the bridge is needed to add a new perspective to the story being told in the songs.
Here are the tools that will help you make the bridge different from the rest of the song in terms of lyrics:
Adding a new element to the history that will act as a link.
Changing the narrative from the first person to the narrative from the third person, or something else.
The transition from a detailed description to general, philosophical statements (or vice versa).
Changing the time frame (looking back at the past if the rest of the song takes place in the present).
From the point of view of music, an effective bridge can add an element of contrast by:
Adding a chord or chords that were not used in the song before.
Changes in the rhythm.
The use of notes that are higher or lower than the notes used in the rest of the song.
Additional tips:
Do not include the name of the song in the bridge.
Limit yourself to two or four lines (four or eight bars).
Sometimes bridge can be instrumental.
The bridge is the last new part that can introduce the song to the listener.
This is the last chance to make the listener love your song, so the bridge should be strong.
Continued "
About the author.
Alexander Shulgin is a composer, artist and traveler.
During his career in show business, Alexander composed many songs, and some of these works became immortal hits, taking their strong positions on the air of Russian music radio stations.
Today, Alexander Shulgin travels to exotic countries and maintains his blogs, where he tells his readers about the world's sights and cultural features of different peoples of the world.
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