Bruce Springsteen’s classic tune “Thunder Road”, from his 1975 album “Born To Run”, is a great model for study if you’re trying to get a handle on writing a song that doesn’t use a chorus. Though the song steers clear of the standard verse-chorus-bridge format typical of so many songs in the popular music […]
A climactic moment makes music memorable, and adds energy and excitement. _______________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and build your audience base! _______________ Songs usually have several so-called climactic moments, but the moment that usually counts as the most significant is the one that happens in the chorus. In a way, a […]
Simplicity is one of the most important characteristics in powerful music. _______________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle: Songwriting instruction that’s powerful and effective! _________________ Kathleen Edwards is a Canadian singer-songwriter, and her most recent album, “Voyageur”, has a beautiful song called “House Full of Empty Rooms“. Every once in a while, I […]
By working backwards on a song, you’re identifying goals first, which makes songwriting a lot easier. ______________ Since songs move in one direction only, it seems logical to write the song that way: from beginning to end. You compose a verse, follow it with a chorus, then repeat that a couple of times. At that […]
Here are some key differences between verse and bridge sections of your song. Similar structure, but different duties. In songs that use verse-chorus formats, there’s a relatively predictable way the structure works: things tend to alternate between ambiguous and clear. When you compare verse and chorus melodies, for example, you’ll often (though not always) find […]
In the process of songwriting, many songwriters actually start with the chorus. That’s because the chorus tends to use shorter, stronger (and simpler) chord progressions, hooky melodies that use repeating ideas, and emotional lyrics. By comparison, the verse can be a bit more of a challenge. You need lyrics that describe people and/or situations, and […]
