Songwriting Tip #3 – Moving the Story Through a Timeline
A common problem that songwriters face is not knowing how to structure our verses. Through analysing Queen’s hit song “We Will Rock You”, we’ll learn one of the ways we can develop the storyline of a song.
Sometimes when we write songs, we’re simply describing a specific moment. In the case of “We Will Rock You”, they’ve instead opted to describe the different phases of a character’s life. Observe the first line of each of the verses of the song, as below:
Verse 1 “Buddy, you’re a boy, make a big noise”
Verse 2 “Buddy, you’re a young man, hard man”
Verse 3 “Buddy, you’re an old man, poor man”
From this, we can see that the verses take us through different stages of Buddy’s life. Verse 1 describes him as a boy, Verse 2 describes him as a young man and Verse 3 then describes him as an old man.
If you’d like to learn more about how you could plan your song sections out, click here to download a free “Song Map Template” PDF now:
The Effect This Has
This chronological storytelling approach evokes a sense of nostalgia and reflection.
By assigning each verse to a different era of Buddy’s life, this allows listeners to contemplate the various stages and challenges we all face throughout our lives. The lyrics suggest that despite growing older, Buddy’s circumstances and struggles remain unchanged, creating a sense of constancy and a never-ending cycle of hardships.
While “We Will Rock You” is often seen as a confident and empowering anthem, this storytelling technique adds depth and complexity to the narrative. It portrays a character who persists in the face of adversity, regardless of the challenges that life presents.
It’s to be noted that as with any song, interpretations may vary, and listeners may find their own meanings and connections within the narrative. This is just one of many potential interpretations, but it’s not necessarily the only one that there is.
Conclusion: Songwriting Tip #3 – Moving the Story Through a Timeline
“We Will Rock You” is a great example of the power of storytelling in songwriting. It’s important for us to learn from this song and remember that a song doesn’t necessarily have to be about just a moment, but can take us through the timeline of a story instead.
Turn your inspiration into beautiful songs with step-by-step guidance through two professional songwriting methods. By the end of this course, not only will your tool belt be stocked; you’ll have a plan and a method for finishing your songs – all of them:
Songwriter Habit #6 – Thinking Like An Anthropologist
It’s easy for us as musicians to say that we listen to lots of music. However, what differentiates the way we listen to music from the way popular songwriters listen to music? In this blog post, we’ll discuss what we mean by thinking like an anthropologist when listening to music, and why it matters.
In 2008, when I was given the chance to learn from John Mayer, he talked about something that stuck with me till this day. He said that on every day of the week, he listens to the Top 10 Hits. However, he doesn’t listen critically – instead he listens with curiosity and with the intent to learn from the song/ artist.
This is essentially what it means when we say to think like an anthropologist, in regards to listening to music. It means to listen to without judgement, and only with the intent to take things apart and learn. You don’t have to enjoy what you’re listening to. Instead, listen with an open mind and understand that it’s possible to learn something from anything.
If you’d like to discover more ways to enhance your creative process, download this free PDF eBook entitled “14-Day Songwriting Challenge”:
Question 1: Why Do Millions Love These Songs?
The first question that John Mayer asks himself when he listens to songs, is “Why do millions love these songs?”.
Music doesn’t just end up in the Top 10 because it’s had millions of dollars pumped into it. Rather, it’s because millions of people actually enjoy it that songs can become famous. While it’s easy to dismiss popularity as a product of mere marketing or trends, that would be a mistake.
Taking the perspective of an anthropologist allows you to think more about why these songs are loved by millions. Then, we can take what we learn and try to apply it in our own songs.
Question 2: How Can I Use These Elements in My Own Songwriting?
The second question he asks himself is “How can I use what I’ve learnt in my own songwriting?”
Learning from a song and using it in our own songwriting doesn’t necessarily mean that we should be imitating what we hear. Instead, we should be trying to understand the mechanics behind what makes these songs great.
For example, if you enjoyed a bass riff in a song, understand why you enjoyed that bass riff. And then, maybe use a bass riff in your own songs as well, but put it through the filters of your own style and aesthetic to truly make it yours.
Remember, the key is not imitation, but emulation.
Question 3: How Would I Improve This Song?
Finally, the last question John asks himself is “If I was the producer/songwriter of this track, what would I have done differently?”
As songwriters, it’s not sufficient for us to be able to say that we just enjoy the vibe or mood of a song. We have to be able to articulate exactly why we like the song. For example, ask yourself, is it the melody, chords or lyrics that you enjoy? Then, try to articulate the mechanics behind what makes that part enjoyable to you. If you can identify and articulate what it is that you enjoy, this will enable you to then emulate it.
The next part of this is understanding that we all have something to contribute to a song, based on our own experiences and knowledge. You should try and develop the mental flexibility to listen to a song and ask how you could make it closer to what you’d imagine it to be. Not be judgmental and simply brushing it off as being a style that you’re not a fan of.
Conclusion: Songwriter Habit #6 – Thinking Like An Anthropologist
In conclusion, it’s important for us to develop a non-judgmental attitude when we listen to music. This way, we’ll be able to learn from songs and provide ourselves with a larger toolkit to draw from when songwriting. If we listen judgmentally, then we deny ourselves that chance to learn and grow as songwriters.
Songwriting Tip #2 – Using the Voice as a Percussive Instrument
Usually when we write songs, we focus a lot on using a good amount of variation between our verses and choruses. This is so that we can create a build-up of tension, followed by resolution in the chorus. However, it’s entirely possible to place very little emphasis on pitch movement to create a release of tension. Here, we’ll discuss how Freddie Mercury uses his voice as a percussive instrument in Queen’s song “We Will Rock You”.
Similarly to a lot of great anthems, Queen’s hit song is largely about the refrain line i.e. the line that goes “We will rock you”.
So, the verses are there to take us on a lyrical journey and provide a build-up for the song’s narrative. This build-up in tension can then be released when the refrain line lands. The unusual thing about the lyrical phrasing in the verses of this song is that there’s very little emphasis on pitch movement and a lot of emphasis on rhythmic movement.
If you’d like to learn more about how you can build tension and release in a song, download this free PDF entitled “Functions of Chords in a Diatonic System”:
How Is this Achieved?
If we break-down the melody of the verses, we’ll notice that Freddy Mercury focuses on one repeated note that he hits in a short staccato rhythmic way, before then descending at the end of the phrase down the pentatonic scale. Take a look at the first verse of “We Will Rock You”, as below:
Buddy, you’re a boy, make a big noise Playing in the street, gonna be a big man someday You got mud on your face, you big disgrace Kicking your can all over the place
The sections highlighted in yellow are approximately where the melody starts descending down the pentatonic scale. From this, we can see that a large portion of the verse doesn’t have much melodic variation at all.
The Effect this Has
By limiting the melodic movement, and instead opting to focus on rhythmic movement, this creates a verse that’s extremely tribal in nature, as well as being easy for anyone to sing along to.
Even if we remove the lyrics, the melody line still feels like it’s driving the song because of the way it’s been phrased rhythmically. As a result, the verses feel punchy, and really help drive home the point of the song. This also has the effect of making the refrain sound like a huge event that we’ve all been waiting for, and further emphasises the release in tension that occurs.
Conclusion: Songwriting Tip #2 – Using the Voice as a Percussive Instrument
From Queen’s song “We Will Rock You”, we can clearly see how using the voice as a percussive instrument can be used to great effect. By limiting melodic movement and instead emphasising rhythmic movement, it’s possible to build tension in an entirely different way, thus helping us to create anthems that truly stand out.
Turn your inspiration into beautiful songs with step-by-step guidance through two professional songwriting methods. By the end of this course, not only will your tool belt be stocked; you’ll have a plan and a method for finishing your songs – all of them:
As musicians, we often fall into the trap of listening to things that we’re used to. After all, the familiar is safe and comfortable. However, this is actually something that might be detrimental to your growth as a songwriter. Here, we’ll discuss why listening to lots of music is one of the traits of a highly effective songwriter.
Listening to lots of music doesn’t just mean listening to things in a large quantity – it also means listening to multiple different kinds of music. As artists, everything we consume will eventually be turned into creative fuel that we use to write songs. So, listening to a large variety of music means that we’ll have many more sources of inspiration to draw from.
A great analogy we can use is how consuming music is similar to consuming food. If you only ate a diet of fish and chips every day, that would be extremely unbalanced. Eating a variety of food leads to better cooking and tastier food.
If you’d like to discover more ways to enhance your creative process, download this free PDF eBook entitled “14-Day Songwriting Challenge”:
Examples of Artists Who Listen to Lots of Music
Bruce Springsteen:
This legendary songwriter has talked a lot about how he’s in output mode when he’s making a record, and doesn’t really consume much material. However, outside of that and in between records, he tries his best to consume as much music, books and movies as he can.
Dave Grohl:
The Foo Fighter’s frontman and Nirvana drummer has mentioned how one of his top 10 albums of all time is “Yo! Bum Rush the Show” by hip-hop group Public Enemy.
David Bowie:
He’s a huge fan of minimalist composer Steve Reich’s work, particularly the composer’s album entitled “Music for 18 Musicians”. In addition, he has talked about how Kendrick Lamar and other similar contemporary artists have influenced the ≥making of his 26th and final studio album, “Black Star”.
Bob Dylan:
Prolific songwriter Bob Dylan said “Anyone who wants to be a songwriter should listen to as much folk music as they can, study the form and structure of stuff that has been around for 100 years.”
Some other amazing examples are Lady Gaga who loves Iron Maiden, Lana Del Ray who is a huge Eminem fan, and Miley Cyrus having an obsession with Radiohead.
Conclusion: Songwriter Habit #7 – Listening to Lots of Music
As artists, it’s our job to ensure that we widen our pool of experiences to draw from, so that we can create amazing songs. To that end, we should be sure to listen to lots of music, thus, broadening our creative palette greatly.
As songwriters, we try hard to distinguish ourselves and create memorable songs. Unfortunately, many songwriters often feel as if things need to be complicated in order to stand out – this is inaccurate. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the power of simplicity through studying Queen’s classic rock anthem “We Will Rock You”.
“We Will Rock You” begins with the drums playing a classic rock groove, predominantly using the kicks and snares. However, what differentiates this groove and really makes it stand out, is that the kicks and snares are being accented with foot stomps and claps.
Although all of this sounds extremely simple, it’s actually very difficult to execute it well because the reality of it is that simple is hard to do. The fewer elements there are, the harder those elements have to work to stand out. Otherwise, the simplicity of it could backfire and instead result in the song sounding boring. As Chopin eloquently says, “Simplicity is the final achievement”, and in the case of “We Will Rock You”, simplicity equals powerful.
If you’d like to learn more about how you could plan your song sections out, click here to download a free “Song Map Template” PDF now:
Why Does this Work?
The drum groove that is created feels tribal and primal. Even though it’s so simple and uncluttered, it still manages to drive the song forward from that very first beat because the general arrangement of the song is so sparse. When Freddie Mercury’s voice comes in, we’re hyperfocused on his delivery because of the very few elements that are in the mix in the first place.
This is where the power of simplicity really shines, as it allows us to draw the listener’s attention to a few specific elements and really make those elements land emotionally with the listener.
How Is this Achieved?
This powerful groove couldn’t have been achieved without layering the kicks and snares. There are a few ways we could go about this:
Get other people to join in: You could record other people stomping their feet and clapping, and then use those recordings to layer with the kicks and snares. This creates a really cool natural variation to the layers.
Record yourself: If you aren’t able to record other people, you could always record yourself stomping and clapping. This way, you’ll still be able to create a more natural feel, even without recording others.
Using samples: You could also layer using different samples of people stomping and clapping. There are loads of free sample libraries online, and even Logic Pro X’s stock library has ample amounts of samples to work with. Through manipulating these audio files, you’ll be able to create lots of different layers and textures without needing to record anything live.
Conclusion: Songwriting Tip #1 – The Power of Simplicity
In conclusion, “We Will Rock You” teaches us that simplicity can be a potent tool in songwriting. By focusing on a few key elements, you can create a powerful impact and draw your audience’s attention to the core message of your song.
Turn your inspiration into beautiful songs with step-by-step guidance through two professional songwriting methods. By the end of this course, not only will your tool belt be stocked; you’ll have a plan and a method for finishing your songs – all of them:
It’s one thing to be able to write a great song. However, it’s an entirely separate thing to be able to write great songs consistently and be a great songwriter. In this blog post, we’ll countdown what we think are the 7 traits of highly effective songwriters.
Effective songwriters recognize the importance of diverse musical influences. They don’t just listen to a lot of music – they consume a wide array of genres and styles.
Just like how a varied diet leads to better cooking and growth, listening to different types and eras of music fosters creativity. Bruce Springsteen has talked a lot about how he’s in output mode while he’s recording material, but consumes as much music, books and movies as possible in between the records.
Further examples of artists who drew inspiration from surprising sources, are Dave Grohl and David Bowie. The Foo Fighter’s frontman and Nirvana drummer has said that the album “Yo! Bum Rush the Show” by hip-hop group Public Enemy is one of his top 10 favourite albums of all time. On the other hand, David Bowie was a huge fan of minimalist composer Steve Reich, particularly his album “Music for 18 Musicians”.
Habit #6: Thinking Like an Anthropologist
A piece of advice that I was given back in 2008 when I was lucky enough to spend a week with John Mayer, was to listen to the top 10 on every day of the week. However, instead of listening cynically, he listens to them with curiosity instead. The 3 questions that he keeps in mind as he’s listening to these songs are as follows:
Why do millions of people love these songs?: It’s easy to dismiss a song’s popularity by saying that it got famous by having millions of dollars pumped into it. But the reality is that songs only get popular when there are a lot of people who actually like that song. As songwriters, it’s our job to question why and learn from it.
How can I use that thing in my own songs and songwriting?: This doesn’t mean that we should imitate what we’ve learnt from these songs. It means that we should think about the mechanics behind something and try to implement that in our own songs, using our own aesthetics and style. The key is emulation, not imitation.
What would I have done differently, if I was the songwriter/ producer of that song?: Asking this question involves realising that we all have the ability to contribute to songs in our own way and style. We as songwriters should be able to listen to a song and articulate exactly why we do or don’t enjoy it – whether it’s the rhythm, melody, lyrics or anything else. Once we articulate that, the next step is to try and recreate it in our own songs, with our personal style.
Habit #5: Stepping Away
The creative process isn’t solely about sitting at a desk or playing an instrument – pounding away at that line or phrase you can’t solve. Walking, driving, and engaging in non-musical activities can also inspire breakthroughs.
For example, Sting has mentioned in an interview on Sodajerker about how walking helps him when he gets stuck with a problem. Tom Waits has also talked about how he likes to go for long drives as part of his creative process, as it puts his mind in a completely different state. Even songwriters from long ago have practiced stepping away as part of the creative process.
Famous composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart has been quoted saying “When I am, as it were, completely myself, entirely alone and of good cheer – say, traveling in a carriage or walking after a good meal or during the night when I cannot sleep – it is on such occasions that my ideas flow best and most abundantly.”
If you’d like to discover more ways to be creative, download this free PDF eBook entitled “14-Day Songwriting Challenge”:
Habit #4: Getting Feedback
Highly effective songwriters understand that feedback is crucial for improvement. Sharing work with a trusted network of friends, collaborators, and mentors can provide valuable insights and guide song selection.
As an example, John Legend in a Hollywood Reporter Roundtable discussion talks about sharing his collection of songs that included the song “All of Me”. At the point in time he shared it, he had no idea that “All of Me” was going to be the song he’d release as a single. However, all of the people he shared it with came back and unanimously said that this was the song, which is how he chose which song to develop further.
Dua Lipa has also previously talked about how Levitating was constructed via a sort of round-table feedback session with some of her long-time collaborators. Meanwhile, Sting often starts a song solo, before bringing it to the band. His rule is that if the band can’t make the song work within 30 minutes, then the song gets thrown out. In both of these examples, we can see that sometimes the lines between collaboration, co-writing and feedback blurring.
All-in-all, the important part is that we try to find people that we’re comfortable enough to share our songs with and obtain feedback from.
Habit #3: Collecting Everything
Capturing ideas as they occur is an essential practice for effective songwriters. Using a variety of mediums like notebooks, voice memos, or smartphone apps ensures no inspiration is lost.
Bela Fleck – a Grammy award-winning banjo virtuoso – talks about how he used to call his house phone and leave voicemails whenever ideas popped into his head because cellphones didn’t exist then. Meanwhile, Taylor Swift captures every idea as it’s happening in her phone and uses it as a library of ideas to come back to for inspiration.
Even Britney Spear’s world-famous song “Hit Me Baby One More Time” came about as a result of producer Max Martin suddenly having an idea at 1am that he woke up and mumbled into his phone. The key here is to understand that ideas could happen at any time, and to ensure that you’re prepared to record them in some manner.
Habit #2: Revising Your Songs
Great songs are rarely born fully formed. Country singer R.C. Bannon is famously quoted as having said “Great songs aren’t written, they’re re-written”. From this, we can see that songs don’t just come as a flash of inspiration that is then poured onto the page. Songs come from songwriters having developed systems and processes that involve discipline and perseverance.
A popular example is the story of how Paul McCartney wrote The Beatles’ hit song, “Yesterday”. Although the media often portrays him as having just dreamt up the idea like a miracle, what they don’t often explain is that the lyrics came initially as “Scrambled eggs oh my darling how I love your legs”. It then took him a year to refine the lyrics into the version that we know today.
Highly effective songwriters revise and refine their work diligently. They’re not content with initial versions; instead, they see the value in reworking lyrics, melodies, and arrangements to uncover the song’s true potential.
Habit #1: Writing Daily
Effective songwriters understand that consistent effort, even in short bursts, yields remarkable results over time. This means acknowledging that not every day will produce a masterpiece, but that the cumulative effect of daily practice will lead to growth and proficiency.
Leonard Cohen famously said “Inspiration is for amateurs – the rest of us just show up and get to work. A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.” Nick Cave has also touched on this subject, talking about how he writes every day in his office, regardless of if he has the mood to do it or not.
In short, highly effective songwriters don’t let perfectionism get in the way of progress.
Conclusion: 7 Traits of Highly Effective Songwriters
As an overall, being an effective songwriter isn’t just about blindly writing songs. It’s about how you write those songs, the practice habits you develop and the processes you develop to help you write consistently. To that end, we should try our best to adopt these 7 habits so that we can become more effective songwriters.
If you would like more details, explanations and examples, then be sure to check out the video now
Learn professional songwriting methods and discover strategies for collaborating with artists around the world:
The importance of studying your heroes is often overlooked by most when learning the art of songwriting. Through this blog post, you will learn why studying your heroes is important, as well as how to use what you’ve learnt from them in your own writing.
Merely learning how to play your favourite songs is a great start to your songwriting journey, but that doesn’t mean you should stop there. You also need to actively pick them apart and observe why the songwriters make the choices that they do. Examples of aspects which are useful to analyse in particular, are chord progressions and melodies.
To illustrate this, let’s have a look at the song “Someone Like You” by Adele.
By observing the chord progression of the song, we can see that she avoids the tonic chord in the pre-chorus of the song. This makes sense, as it’s the job of the pre-chorus to build tension. Through only bringing back the home chord in the chorus, Adele really makes it bloom and stand out.
In addition, if you learnt to sing the song or picked apart its melody, you’ll find that she never sings a note in her verses that’s higher than the first note of the chorus. She does hit a high note later on again in the chorus in order to build it up, but she never allows the melody notes of the verse to go higher than the chorus. This helps build anticipation and really put a spotlight on the chorus.
This active process of taking things apart and putting them back together allows us to grasp the components that make a song unique and memorable.
You can find out more about other exercises to improve your songwriting in the free PDF ebook, “The 5 Best Songwriting Exercises for Writing Great Lyrics.” Click on the image to download:
Turn Imitation into Emulation
After analysing songs from your heroes, it’s important to graduate from imitation into emulation. This entails not only mimicking the surface aspects of our heroes’ work but also seeking to understand their thinking and perspective. In short, we should not seek to merely look like our heroes, but instead seek to see like our heroes do.
As we embrace their artistic mindset, we begin to cross-pollinate ideas from various songs and generate our own unique artistic voice.
If you’re interested in looking for some specific examples on how we can emulate instead of just imitate, then check out our video entitled ‘6 Ways to Steal Great Chord Progressions’
Conclusion: Study Your Heroes
Becoming a great songwriter is a process that requires lots of determination, hard work and persistence. Studying your heroes is one of the great ways you can improve your songwriting, and ensure you get closer to your vision of your creative aesthetic.
A common struggle among beginner songwriters is the notion that they can only write about experiences that have personally happened to them. Here, we discuss how to walk the fine line between truth and fact when songwriting.
Although they sound similar, the reality is that you can actually convey truth without describing all of the facts. As songwriters, our job is not like that of journalists – we don’t have to write the autobiographical truth of things. Instead, our job is to capture the emotions of moments or situations, and this grants us creative license to bend truth if necessary.
For example, referencing the specific details of a pet’s death may diminish the impact of grief in a song. Instead, focusing on the emotional essence of loss can resonate more powerfully with others who have experienced similar emotions.
How to Balance Truth and Fact
There is no easy answer as to how we should go about balancing truth and fact. However, below are some methods that will help you in excluding the details in moments that might result in diminishing the truth behind them.
Sense Writing
In sense writing, you use all of your senses to try and describe a moment you have in your mind. For example, if you wrote about your pet dying, you could write about things like:
How did it make your heart/ muscles/ lungs/ skin/ fingers feel?
How did your perception of the world change?
How did the light alter?
Through using the details of that day, you’ll be able to create a song that is relatable to anyone who has experienced that kind of loss, while also conveying the truth of what happened.
You can find out more about sense writing and other exercises in the free PDF ebook, “The 5 Best Songwriting Exercises for Writing Great Lyrics.” Click the image below to download:
Using a Persona
Writing using a character or a persona might sometimes help us in bringing out core truths that we might not be able to express in our autobiographical selves. Examples of famous songwriters who have used this technique are Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits and Jason Isbell.
A more modern example is the song Bury a Friend by Billie Eilish, as she has previously talked about how the song was written from the perspective of a monster under a bed.
Conclusion: Balancing Truth and Fact
Remember that you shouldn’t be limited to autobiographical facts when writing a song. After all, the old adage “Write what you know” doesn’t just mean “Write the facts you know”. It also means “Write the emotions you know”.
Turn your inspiration into beautiful songs with step-by-step guidance through two professional songwriting methods. By the end of this course, not only will your tool belt be stocked; you’ll have a plan and a method for finishing your songs – all of them.
In the world of songwriting, the bridge holds a special place. It acts as a contrasting section within the song, introducing a new dimension and adding depth to the overall composition.
In this article, we’ll explore the art of writing bridges and how they contribute to the popular Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus song form that has dominated the charts for decades. By following a few simple guidelines, you can create bridges that captivate listeners and enhance the impact of your music.
The purpose of a bridge is to introduce a fresh musical perspective, setting it apart from both the verse and the chorus.
To achieve this, it’s crucial to start the bridge on a chord that hasn’t been used in either section. This deliberate choice instantly creates a unique sonic experience for the listener. Additionally, consider introducing a chord that hasn’t been heard before from the key, such as the two or three chord. This adds further intrigue and diversity to the bridge.
Here are some song examples where their bridges introduce different chords or chord progressions::
“Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson
“Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber
“Hey Jude” by The Beatles
Avoiding the I Chord
The I chord, also known as the tonic or home chord, carries a strong sense of stability and resolution.
To build tension and make the chorus more impactful when it returns, it’s advisable to steer clear of using the I chord in the bridge. By avoiding this powerful chord, you create a subtle yearning for its eventual reappearance, amplifying the emotional impact of the chorus.
Here are some examples of songs where their bridges avoid the I chord:
“Clocks” by Coldplay
“Sweet Child o’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses
“Rolling in the Deep” by Adele
For more chords to experiment with, click below to download the free ‘Parallel Modulation’ PDF with three 16-bar progressions for you to explore:
Tension and Instability
Bridges thrive on tension and instability, making them a vital element of song dynamics.
One effective technique to create a sense of instability is by using an uneven number of lines in the bridge. For example, if the previous sections have four lines, opt for a concise three-line structure for the bridge. This deliberate brevity injects a feeling of anticipation and unease, setting the stage for a climactic return to the chorus.
Examples of songs that do this in the bridge are as follows:
“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen
“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen
“Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey
Moreover, the duration of chords also plays a crucial role in generating tension. While the verse and chorus sections might follow a consistent pattern, the bridge provides an opportunity to break away from the established norm. Vary the length of chord progressions in the bridge, holding certain chords for a different duration. This rhythmic departure further intensifies the emotional impact of the bridge, making it a standout moment within the song.
Examples of songs that do this in the bridge are as follows:
“Hotel California” by Eagles
“Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin
“Imagine” by John Lennon
Conclusion: How to Write a Song – Stand Out with The Bridge
Crafting a compelling bridge is an essential skill for songwriters. By following these tips, you can create bridges that effectively contrast the verse and chorus, thus elevating the song’s emotional arc, and leave a lasting impression on your listeners.
If you want to learn how to write a song, understanding how chords work is essential and in this video we look at how you can create interesting and impactful chord progressions using the basic concept of HOME and AWAY functions.
This fundamental piece of music theory is a valuable tool for songwriters of all levels, and requires nothing more than the basic major and minor chords of a major key.
Key Takeaways:
The ‘I’ chord, also called the tonic, is our ‘home’ chord. It has the most weight of all the chords in a key. We can think of it as the center of the solar system in the major key.
All the other chords are ‘away’ chords; they create tension, where returning to the tonic feels like resolving. It is the musical equivalent of a full stop.
Since the tonic creates the strongest resolution, leaving the tonic OUT of a Verse section, and then using it as the first chord of our Chorus will actually create an incredibly strong impact. It is like night and day.
By leaving the tonic out of the Verse, the impact of introducing it as the first chord of the Chorus is amplified. It can really make the chorus pop, and feel like it is landing with so much power and impact.
For 3 other variations on how to use simple chords to create great songs, check out our mini course, ‘The 5 Most Powerful Songwriting Exercises…Revealed!’ right here:
