Many creators are wary of learning how songwriting actually works — as if understanding the elements of a song makes their music less genuine or “real”. We’d like to challenge that notion today; knowing why a song sounds the way it does lends valuable insights into the writing process, and helps guide your lyrical and arrangement decisions. What’s more, being able to communicate musical terminology will give you a leg up when you’re ready to work with collaborators.
So, let’s take a whirlwind tour of some of the more common terms you’ll encounter as a songwriter. Not all of them appear in every song, but the idea is to get you familiar with the basic building blocks of the song.
Intro
Think of this as a prelude to the actual song. It might be as simple as an instrumental bar or two of the coming verse, or it could be a longer, fully realized section employing alternate tempos and keys. Whether it’s intricate or plain, the idea is to set up a listener’s expectations of what’s to come.
Perhaps the most basic and familiar part of a song, the verse is where the song’s story — whether it’s lyrical or instrumental — begins to unfold. Musically, the verses will usually be identical to one another, while the story contained in the lyrics will play out over the course of several verses.
Refrain
This element typically replaces its counterpart — the more commonly found chorus. It’s a part of the song that repeats throughout, typically at the beginning or end of the verse, and the lyrics often contain the title of the song. Though similar to the chorus, it’s shorter and simpler, and it doesn’t diverge much from the verse musically. The line “the answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind” from the Bob Dylan song of the same name, is an example of a refrain.
Pre-Chorus
Another optional song section, but one that’s especially common in rock music. Think of it as a musical spacer between the verse and the chorus. Unlike a bridge, it’s typically repeated before each chorus in the song. Its role is to build up suspense or anticipation before the big payoff of the chorus.
Chorus
This is where you’ll find the biggest energy, massed voices (if they’re going to appear) and a sense of having reached the “payoff” in terms of what the song is about. Ideally, it’s also the catchiest part of the song — the part listeners will want to return to again and again.
Bridge
Think of this section as a “palate-cleanser,” interrupting the standard verse/chorus tradeoff by introducing new musical and lyrical content. There’s also a bit of tension or buildup implied, so that when the familiarity of the verse reappears, the listener feels a sense of reward.
Outro (or Coda)
Like the intro, the outro or coda is a section of song that takes us out of the song’s emotional landscape. It can be as simple as a bit of verse or chorus repeated several times, or it can be an entirely new section of music. The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” includes one of the most recognizable codas — the long “na na na na…. hey Jude” section — in rock.
Hook
While not technically a separate part of a song’s formal structure, the hook is an important element. As the name implies, it’s the catchiest part of a song, the repeated bit that grabs (or “hooks”) a listener. Confused? Imagine OutKast’s “Hey Ya!” or Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” without their choruses, and you’ll know what a hook is.
As a songwriter, it is vital to keep track of your song decisions; split and lyric sheets are two important documents that can help with that, and determining any royalties you may have earned. A lyric sheet captures all the relevant information about you and your song — if your song includes lyrics — that can help when pitching to music supervisors or labels. A split sheet is an agreement that identifies the ownership percentage each creator has in the song.
Whether you’re just getting started or have been writing for a while, having a healthy understanding of the parts of a song and the resources that help keep your publishing complete are vital to your success. Need help writing stronger lyrics, check out this helpful article to learn more.
The basic structure of a song includes the intro, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, bridge
bridge
In music theory, "middle eight" (a common type of bridge) refers to a section of a song with a significantly different melody and lyrics, which helps the song develop itself in a natural way by creating a contrast to the previously played, usually placed after the second chorus in a song.
A typical song structure includes a verse, chorus, and bridge in the following arrangement: intro, verse — chorus — verse — chorus —bridge — chorus — outro.
ABABCB (“verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus”) ABABCB is perhaps the single most common song structure used in modern commercial music, appearing in genres spanning pop, R&B, rock, and more.
Basic structure of a song. The basic structure of a song includes the intro, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, bridge, and an outro. These can be placed in different sections of the song or repeated depending on the type of song you are writing.
The basic structure of a song can include an intro, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, and bridge. Almost always, a song includes at least one verse and either a chorus or refrain. So one of the most basic song structures is Verse – Chorus – Verse – Chorus.
In music, a breakdown is a part of a song in which various instruments have solo parts (breaks). This may take the form of all instruments playing the verse together, and then several or all instruments individually repeating the verse as solo parts.
We might consider melody to be the single most important element within a song. In everyday language, this is the element we call 'the tune'. In technical terms, however, the melody is a series of pitches, or notes, that are organised to form a shape or pattern.
Getting started is often the hardest part of the songwriting process. Developing your song's main melody or central chorus is considered by some to be the best place to begin writing your next track. Once you've got your hook or key chord progression, you can build the rest of your song around it.
Rather than trying to perfect every aspect of a song, it can be more effective to focus on the most important elements and spend your time refining those. For example, you might spend 80% of your time working on the lyrics and melody, and 20% of your time working on the arrangement and instrumentation.
Using Voice.ai's Stem Splitter is super easy! Upload your audio file, select the elements you wish to isolate (vocals, instruments, beats, or basslines), and let it work its magic. In moments, you'll have the extracted components, granting you creative control to do whatever you want afterward.
The bridge is a musical passage that connects two sections of a song. For example, a bridge often connects the verse to the chorus of a song. It can also sit between the last two chorus sections to add variation. Think of it as a transitional section.
Arrangement in music production refers to the process of recreating a song's overall structure, including combining elements such as melody, harmony, and rhythm, building up the instrumentation and sonic layers, and expanding the harmonies established by the original composer.
Structure. The structure of Song of Songs does not have a rigid literary design. Rather, its eight chapters flow in a consistent stream of poetry without definitive boundaries.
Introduction: My name is Greg O'Connell, I am a delightful, colorful, talented, kind, lively, modern, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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