Write Away Magazine - Issue No1

Info

<strong>Write</strong> <strong>Away</strong> Understanding Song Structures To write song lyrics successfully, you need to understand the function of different parts of a song. There are several sections that turn your lyrics into a song. Your song might include all of them, or one of them. It really all depends on you. There are standard layouts of these parts that are used in most songs however, so in order to understand how most songs sound, you'll need to understand the parts. They include: Introduction - this is the section at the beginning which leads into the song. Sometimes it might sound different from the rest of the song, might be faster or slower, or it might not even exist at all. Many songs do not have an introduction, so you don't need to feel like you have to use it, but it’s an option you might like to experiment with. Verse - This is the main part of the song. It is usually between fifty percent to twice the number of lines as the chorus, but it does not have to be. What gives away a section of a song as a verse is that the melody is the same, but the lyrics are entirely different between every additional verse. used repeatedly throughout a chorus Post-Chorus - A less common, semi-independent section that appears after the Chorus. It serves as a link back to the verse. A post-chorus differs both musically and lyrically from the verse, the pre-chorus and the chorus, but nearly always appears in conjunction with the Verse. On occasion a post-chorus may also double as a lyrical and musical intro and/or outro. Using the lyrical post chorus is also optional. Bridge - The bridge is a part that exists in some songs, but not in all. Usually coming sometime after the second chorus, the bridge is a part of the song that sounds completely different than the rest of it. It is usually short, just a few lines of lyrics, and will sometimes lead into a key change. It can be as long as you need it to be, it does not have to be short. Pre-Chorus - Within a verse, there may also be a pre-chorus, which is a two or four line section, rarely exceeding four bars musically, immediately preceeding the chorus. It is crafted to propel the listener, both melodically and lyrically, into the chorus. The pre-chorus is also optional, but well worth considering when you are constructing your song lyric. Chorus - The chorus is the part of the song that repeats without changing: both the lyrics and melody are unchanged or almost unchanged. This is usually where you try to fit the catchiest part of your song, the hook. The hook is a word or phrase often | 04 www.writeawaymagazine.co.uk
Lyric Writing Tips Practice. Just like any other creative process such as playing guitar or programming synth sounds, lyric-writing is a skill that can be learnt and improved upon. Don't be disheartened if your lyrics aren't perfect on the first draft. Many professional writers will rewrite a song's lyrics dozens of times before they make it onto record. Persevere. More often than not, lyrics aren't born, they're created and sculpted. Don't expect a lyric to arrive fully formed; they sometimes take time and you'll need to work at it. If you can't quite figure out how to say what you want within a particular line, jot down the gist of it and move on to another part of the song - you can come back to it later. That way, you won't spend hours wrestling with one small line that might turn out to be insignificant in the wider context of the song. Jane on Lyrics Use perspective. For example, a classic songwriting trick is to describe an event in the first verse, and add perspective by describing how it affected you or made you feel in the second verse. Another viewpoint can put an interesting spin on an otherwise straightforward point. Choruses require a different approach to verses, especially if you're writing pop. They often need to be more 'plain' and easy to remember. A common trick is to write the 'setup' during the verse, and the emotional 'payoff' in the chorus. Experiment with rhythm within a line. A line can have its own rhythmic bounce or flair and still fit in within the overall rhyming scheme. Use light and shade. Contrasting the happy and positive with the sad and downbeat within a song can be very powerful. Context is everything: a joyous chorus after a more solemn verse can make the chorus even more uplifting. Try to have a clear idea of what the song is about. You should be able to sum up the essence of the song in one sentence. Analyse other songs. Try to pick out the differences in lyrics between your favourite songs and your own, and apply any lyrical techniques you learn to your own work. Make sure the song has a clear structure and progression. This is particularly important in narrative songs (songs that tell a story). A quick test is to read the finished song through from start to finish, asking yourself "does this make sense?" www.writeawaymagazine.co.uk 05 |
Page 1 and 2: Wr te Away Issue No: 1 | January 20
Page 3: Welcome to Write Away A Word From T
Page 7 and 8: Jane on Lyrics band compare themsel
Page 9 and 10: Daryn Wright song recorded. Why try
Page 11 and 12: John Lennon John began to record as
Page 13 and 14: Ütä|á UtÇw Jimmy Travis Band Ly
Page 15 and 16: Lyric Writing Tips Trevor Dimoff Ho
Page 17 and 18: Ben Robinson Pilgrim Child is an ap
Page 19 and 20: www.writeawaymagazine.co.uk 19 |

Write Away Magazine - Issue No1

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?