TIP#5 - Top tips on how to write a song

TIP#5 Structure

When it comes to song structure, in a sense there are no rules. But there are rules..!

What do I mean? Well in once sense you could say there are no rules in music, but when my 18month-old happily bashes the piano with a breadstick whilst shouting/singing, I think we’d all like a bit of order.

Many songs have a verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus structure (known as ABABCB structure). But that said, there are no hard and fast rules ! Each song is different, and its likely even if you have a fantastic chorus, you’ll need to structure the song to keep it interesting, and tell a story.

In addition to your verse and chorus, you might consider the following too:

Pre-chorus: I find I use pre-choruses a lot, to create a tension and spring board so that when you reach a chorus its a bit of a “ta da” moment.

Bridge: can serve as an excuse to take you away to something different, before bringing the listener back in into the main chorus.

Link: I don’t even know if this is a recognised device in song-writing (!) but I use links where I need to join sections together but not with a chorus, verse or bridge. They might be instrumentals, or could have some ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ in, of which I’m a big fan.

Intro: Think about your favourite albums and tracks - do they have an introduction different from the rest of the song? I think these can be really effective and draw the listener in. Jeff Buckley, one of my favourite songwriter’s starts ‘Lover you should have come over’ with a bit of organ that could be a busker under a bridge, before dropping into the gentle strumming rhythm of the song. Its very different to the rest of the song but creates atmosphere and makes you lean in to hear the rest.