how to write a song
Website design By BotEap.comHave you ever wished that your song was the one that played on the radio? Could be. It’s not that hard once you know the formula. With a little creativity, a little knowledge, a little luck, and a good formula to follow, your song could be one of the next big hits.
Website design By BotEap.comWriting songs is easy for some and very difficult for others. In fact, I have written songs in my sleep, and immediately after waking up, I wrote them as fast as I could put the words on paper.
Website design By BotEap.comWhat I want to discuss here is popular songwriting, like the songs you hear on the radio. A good pop song, whether it’s rock, country, midway, is made up of two things: a catchy melody and good lyrics.
Website design By BotEap.comThere is a formula that most great songwriters use to write great songs. It refers to the structure used to write a song. Okay, it’s music and it’s art, so the rules aren’t hard and fast. But if you want to increase your chances of getting your song on the radio, it’s a good place to start.
Website design By BotEap.comHere is the formula. Verse, chorus, colada, chorus, bridge, chorus.
Website design By BotEap.comWrite it on a piece of paper leaving plenty of space between each word and this will be your script.
Website design By BotEap.comPour
Website design By BotEap.comThe verse is the part of the song that tells the story, the part that leads to the chorus. Each verse is usually different and tells a different part of the story or adds to it. It usually explains how you got to the things you sing about in the choir.
Website design By BotEap.comChorus.
Website design By BotEap.comThe chorus is the part of the song that is repeated after each verse. The lyrics are usually the same each time the chorus appears. The verse usually leads to the chorus, and the chorus is usually the reward for listening to the verse. Makes sense?
Website design By BotEap.comHere’s an example sheet (you didn’t think I’d give you my best work, did you?):
Website design By BotEap.com(pour)
Website design By BotEap.comMy dog is sick, he has a tick.
Website design By BotEap.comHe’s my best friend, don’t let it end
Website design By BotEap.com(chorus)
Website design By BotEap.comOh woe is me, can’t you see
Website design By BotEap.comAlas, will I ever be free!
Website design By BotEap.com(pour)
Website design By BotEap.comMy car broke down, just out of town
Website design By BotEap.comThey towed it away, but it broke again
Website design By BotEap.com(chorus)
Website design By BotEap.comOh woe is me, can’t you see
Website design By BotEap.comAlas, will I ever be free!
Website design By BotEap.comNow, if you would kindly stop laughing at my silly song for a minute, I want you to think about whether or not you get my point. Writing songs is telling stories. The verse tells the problems, the chorus expresses the results or emotions.
Website design By BotEap.comAlright, now that you’ve mastered that, let’s board the bridge. Ah yes, there is more to the song than pain and release. We need the distraction. That’s the bridge; is the deviation of the verse and the chorus.
Website design By BotEap.comThe bridge might have a slightly different melody, or it might even have a different beat or a different tempo (“Suspicious Minds” by Elvis did a great job with this technique).
Website design By BotEap.comLet’s go back to the lame song and add a bridge:
Website design By BotEap.com(pour)
Website design By BotEap.comMy dog is sick, he has a tick.
Website design By BotEap.comHe’s my best friend, don’t let it end
Website design By BotEap.com(chorus)
Website design By BotEap.comOh woe is me, can’t you see
Website design By BotEap.comAlas, will I ever be free!
Website design By BotEap.com(pour)
Website design By BotEap.comMy car broke down, just out of town
Website design By BotEap.comThey towed it away, but it broke again
Website design By BotEap.com(chorus)
Website design By BotEap.comOh woe is me, can’t you see
Website design By BotEap.comAlas, will I ever be free!
Website design By BotEap.com(bridge)
Website design By BotEap.comTomorrow is a better day, I have a new truck on the way
Website design By BotEap.comLooks like my dog just got a flea, so I’ll once again live my dreams.
Website design By BotEap.com(chorus)
Website design By BotEap.comOh woe is me, can’t you see?
Website design By BotEap.comAlas, but now I am free!
Website design By BotEap.comThe bridge offers a solution to the problems I was having. You don’t want to leave your listener on the verge of suicide, you want to give them hope.
Website design By BotEap.comNotice, I also changed the wording of the chorus. This was done to reflect my new found joy.
Website design By BotEap.comOne more thing about the formula. It can be anything you want, but most verses and choruses come in lines of 4. So instead of this:
Website design By BotEap.com(pour)
Website design By BotEap.comOh woe is me, can’t you see
Website design By BotEap.comAlas, will I ever be free!
Website design By BotEap.com(pour)
Website design By BotEap.comMy car broke down, just out of town
Website design By BotEap.comThey towed it away, but it broke again
Website design By BotEap.comcould be:
Website design By BotEap.comOh woe is me, can’t you see
Website design By BotEap.comAlas, will I ever be free!
Website design By BotEap.comMy car broke down, just out of town
Website design By BotEap.comThey towed it away, but it broke again
Website design By BotEap.comThe same goes for the choir. Again, if you’re creative, do it however you like. But for a new composer, this gives him some guidelines to scrape and start forging his new creation.
Website design By BotEap.comOne more thing, don’t make the melody notes so high that your fans can’t sing along. Certainly not all of us are Stevie Wonder.