Hooks can be important contributors to good song structure. Here are 8 commonly-asked questions about hooks.
As you know, a song hook is any catchy bit that represents the most memorable part of a song. It’s often found in the chorus (“Born in the U.S.A.”), but can also be a song’s intro which then keeps repeating throughout the song (“Superstition”), a word or short phrase that recurs (“Ho Hey”), or even a song’s outro (“Hey Jude”).
In pop music, many think of hooks as indispensable; if you don’t have a hook, your song is going to fail. This is a myth, of course, as many songs don’t feature a prominent hook, opting instead for a motif as a major building block.
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There are other myths as well. Here’s a list of 8 questions that often come up when discussing hooks, with some concise answers:
1. Does my song need a hook?
A- Not always. Some songs work very well without a noticeable hook that stands above the song’s other elements. A good example: “The Fool On The Hill“. Lots of catchiness here, but not a hook in the traditional sense of that word.
2. Can a song have more than one hook?
A- Yes. Since a hook requires that it be a) recurring, b) catchy, and c) memorable, anything that has those three attributes qualifies as a hook. In Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”, the opening clavinet line is a clear and memorable hook. The line “Very superstitious, writing’s on the wall…” is an important hook as well.
3. Can a hook fix a bad song?
A- No. It can mask problems with a song, but when all is said and done, adding a hook to a bad song gives you a bad song with a hook. It’s far better to fix structural problems with songs instead of hoping to cure them with a hook.
4. Is there any musical genre that doesn’t use hooks?
A- No. Since a hook is simply anything catchy that recurs throughout a song, you’ll find them in any genre, including pop, rock, country, folk, jazz, classical, and all genres in between.
5. What’s the difference between a hook and a motif?
A- The difference is in how they are used. A motif, like a hook, is usually a melodic/rhythmic idea. A hook keeps recurring more-or-less in the same way, using the same (or almost the same) notes and rhythms each time. But a motif serves as an idea that develops into other ideas. A good example is the chorus of “Let It Be”, which keeps presenting those iconic words starting on different notes, changing direction, etc. That means that the chorus of “Let It Be” is a better example of a motif than it is a hook. (Read more about motifs here.)
6. Can I add a hook to a song that’s already finished?
A- Yes. In fact, adding instrumental hooks can happen in the studio as part of the recording process. It can help create a good, layered effect, where the song components operate on one level and the instrumentation adds a new, interesting layer.
7. Can songs be comprised entirely of hooks?
A- Yes. But that’s not to say that it’s something you want for every song you write. “We Found Love” (Rihanna and Calvin Harris) has several hooks, including the opening rhythmic synth figure (which also serves as a motif), and then of course the verse and chorus melodies.
8. When I write songs, I don’t give hooks much thought. I just try to write something that sounds good to me. Is that a problem?
A- Not usually. A song’s success comes from how the various elements communicate with and strengthen each other. Hooks are often used as a way to add cohesion and structure to music. But that can also be achieved by a good use of musical motifs. Hooks can add musically climactic elements to a song, so without a hook you still need something that makes your music memorable, singable and catchy.
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Written by Gary Ewer. Follow on Twitter.
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