So in my last piece, I shared some things that might help generate ideas for song topics when you feel like you’re in sort of a creative dry spell. Lyrics can be a tricky hurdle to scale if you haven’t written in a while or you simply just can’t seem to producing something that you’re proud of, and whether you’re writing along or with someone you met on the Muze app, any and all tactics that can quell writer’s block can be immensely useful.
This week, however, I’m going to talk about something that might seem a little more technical: song structure (it’ll actually be delivered in two different segments, the first being this one). The traditional song structure is as follows: verse, pre-chorus, chorus, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, bridge, chorus (or some nuanced variation of that). It’s kind of like a pentatonic scale in its consistency and organization, and generally speaking, it’s a formula that works. However, there’s always room for deviation, and if you’re tactful about it, you could very well wind up with a pretty unique song.
It can also get frustrating trying to funnel your words into the same cookie cutter format over and over again. One of my favorite songs of all time is “Hunger Strike” by Temple of the Dog. From start to finish, Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder are basically repeating the chorus over and over again, but it never seems redundant, and it continues to bloom in its own way. Of course, it’s very difficult to keep a listener’s attention this way, so before you try to write a repetitive anthem like “Hunger Strike,” let’s start small.
1. Ask Yourself, “Does This Serve A Purpose?”
No matter what it is you are or aren’t looking to incorporate, keep this exact mantra in mind throughout. For example, does this arbitrary musical break/elaborate pre-chorus really add to the song, or is it unnecessary and superfluous?
2. Ease Up On The Lengthy Intros
Unless you’re Rush or The Who, I’ve found it better to keep lengthy musical overtures to a minimum. You have a short window of time to draw somebody in near the start of your song, so try to cut to the chase unless a musical intro is absolutely necessary.
3. Pre-choruses Aren’t A Necessity
Sometimes, it might feel uncomfortable just diving into a chorus straight from a verse without any sort of build up – hence the trusty pre-chorus. However, unless it serves a purpose and actually builds upon the song in an effective way, consider discarding it. Again, ask yourself what purpose it serves in the song.
4. Neither Are Bridges
A bridge is useful because it breaks up the monotony and adds a fancy little garnish on top of the rest of the track (that’s an oversimplified summary, but for our purposes…). Still, there are those times when, like a pre-chorus, your song just might not need one. Consider a musical break or something a little simpler if it’s starting to feel congested. You could always make the bridge strictly a melodic one as well and keep the lyrics out of it.
