| You know what they say about rules? Actually they | | | | and your CD listeners to answer to. Some songs work |
| say lots of things about rules but here's two - rules | | | | extremely well with fade outs but listen to songs in |
| were made to be broken, and you have to know | | | | your chosen genre to see how other writers approach |
| what the rules are before you can break them. While | | | | endings. But whatever you do, avoid like the plague the |
| Judge Dredd may not agree with the first, the second | | | | three time tag ending. |
| is certainly true and nevermore so than in writing a | | | | Hook. The hook is not a song part as such; rather it's |
| song. | | | | the term used to describe the part of the song that |
| The song structure may not be the first thing you think | | | | people remember and sing. It's what they buy the |
| about when you start writing. You probably work on | | | | record for. It's usually the chorus although it need not |
| the verse or chorus, or maybe you have a good riff | | | | be the entire chorus, but simply a two- or four-bar |
| that you want to expand into a song. So you get that | | | | phrase. It could be an instrumental riff as in Whiter |
| down and then you start to think about the other parts | | | | Shade of Pale or Smoke on the Water, or a |
| - the intro, how many verses, middle eight, do you | | | | processed vocal as in Cher's Believe. |
| want an instrumental, the ending... | | | | All together now |
| Some song genres have a fairly rigid format, others | | | | Having described the parts of a song, let's see how |
| are more flexible, and you need to know where you | | | | they are commonly arranged. The most popular |
| can bend the rules and why you may not want to do | | | | arrangement by far is simply verse-chorus and repeat. |
| so in order to make your song stand out from the | | | | Here are two variations on the theme: |
| others. Let's look at the sections you'll find in most | | | | Intro |
| songs and the part they play in song construction. | | | | Verse 1 |
| Song parts | | | | Chorus |
| Intro. Yes, this leads you into the song. It may be two, | | | | Verse 2 |
| four or eight bars long or longer. Some songs don't | | | | Chorus |
| have any intro at all. A pop song intro will often be | | | | Chorus |
| reminiscent of the chorus or the hook. In a club song, | | | | Outro |
| it's often a good idea to have eight bars of rhythm to | | | | Intro |
| help the DJ to mix match your song. They say that | | | | Verse 1 |
| music publishers typically only listen to the first 20 | | | | Verse 2 |
| seconds of a song before deciding whether to reject it | | | | Chorus |
| so if you're sending material to a publisher, keep the | | | | Verse 3 |
| intro short and get into the song as quickly as possible. | | | | Middle eight |
| Save the 5 minute intros for the CD version. | | | | Chorus |
| Verse. This is the preamble to the chorus. It sets the | | | | Chorus |
| scene, certainly lyrically, and as the verses progress | | | | Outro |
| they often tell a story or recount episodes from a | | | | You get the picture. However, these are conventions |
| situation although that's by no means essential. They | | | | rather than rules so you can adapt, change or ignore |
| are typically eight or sixteen bars long and melodically | | | | them as you see fit. But they have developed for a |
| not usually as strong as the chorus although, again, | | | | reason and that is simply to make the song as |
| that's by no means essential. However, it often seems | | | | immediately appealing to the listener as possible. |
| as if the songwriter ran out of ideas when writing the | | | | Listen to some of the Stock, Aitken and Waterman |
| verse. One of the strengths of The Beatles' songs is | | | | hits of the 80s (it's not compulsory if you really can't |
| that verses and choruses are equally strong and most | | | | bear to) and you'll see that most follow the simplest |
| people could hum or sing their way through most | | | | format, guaranteed to brainwash the listener with as |
| Beatles hits. Not so with many songs where the | | | | many repeats of the hook as possible. They tend to |
| verses are little more than fillers to get you to the | | | | be: |
| chorus. | | | | Intro (similar to the chorus) |
| Chorus. This the bit everyone remembers, whistles and | | | | Verse 1 |
| sings along to. It should be the strongest part of the | | | | Chorus |
| song and generally is or contains the hook. It's usually | | | | Verse 2 |
| eight or sixteen bars long. | | | | Middle eight |
| Middle eight. As a song progresses, there's a danger | | | | Chorus |
| of boredom setting for the listener. The middle eight | | | | Chorus |
| offers them a break and typically comes after a | | | | Outro |
| couple of verses and choruses. Some people think of | | | | Notice that the hook's there straight away in the intro, |
| it as an alternative verse and that's one way to look at | | | | there's only one verse before the chorus so you get |
| it. It often modulates to a different key or introduces a | | | | to it quicker, and the chorus tends to repeat at the end, |
| new chord progression and it usually doesn't include | | | | just to imprint the hook firmly in your mind. |
| the song title. However, all too often it's simply an | | | | There are obvious exceptions to these formats. |
| excuse for waffling on for a few bars. Although it's | | | | Ambient, trance, chill-out music and the like, are obvious |
| called the middle eight it could be four or sixteen bars | | | | candidates. With these you can start at the beginning |
| long. | | | | and work through to the end creating an evolving |
| Bridge. Many people use the terms 'middle eight' and | | | | music form without any clear verse/chorus structure. |
| 'bridge' synonymously and so popular is this usage that | | | | Genres such as trance tend to build to a series of |
| it would be churlish to disagree. However, among | | | | crescendos several times throughout the song. |
| those who prefer to note the difference, a bridge is a | | | | However, even these types of song often have a |
| short section used to bridge the gap between verse | | | | hook or two on which listeners can hang their hat. |
| and chorus. It may only be two or four bars long and | | | | Build ups and downs |
| it's often used when the verse and chorus are so | | | | Bearing in mind that the purpose of a song is to keep |
| different from each other that a 'joining' phrase helps | | | | the listeners listening and not allow them to get bored, |
| bring them together. | | | | you need variety within the song. Simply strumming a |
| Instrumental. This is part of the song without any | | | | guitar and singing verse/chorus/verse/chorus won't cut |
| vocals. Yeah, okay. It's often an instrumental version of | | | | the mustard unless you're in a folk club. The usual |
| the verse or chorus, it may be an improvised variation | | | | method is to start with a simple arrangement and add |
| on one of these, or it may be an entirely different tune | | | | to it as the song progresses. |
| and set of chords altogether. Sometimes it fits into a | | | | So, the first verse might consist of light drums, bass |
| song where a vocal middle eight would otherwise go. | | | | and rhythm guitar. As you move into the second verse |
| Breakdown/Break. This term has been high jacked | | | | you could add strings or a synth pad. A drum fill takes |
| from songs from the early 1900s when it was | | | | you into the chorus which would include busier drums, |
| common to either to reduce the instrumentation or | | | | maybe some additional percussion, a fuller string |
| stop it altogether while a tap dancer would strut his | | | | arrangement and perhaps a lead line. When you dip |
| stuff. The term 'break' is still sometimes used to | | | | back to the verse, you revert to the simpler |
| indicate an instrumental section. 'Breakdown' is now | | | | arrangement. |
| most commonly used in dance music for the section | | | | The middle eight is usually a lighter arrangement than |
| where the percussion breaks down or is reduced, and | | | | the chorus and gives you the opportunity to use |
| it may be the dance equivalent of the middle eight. | | | | different instrumentation if you want to. When you hit |
| Outro/Ending. Once upon a time, songs had definite | | | | the second chorus, add backing vocals and a lead riff. |
| endings but the mid 1950s heralded in the era of the | | | | The final chorus is the culmination the song and you |
| fade-out and songwriters thought they would never | | | | can add more backing vocals, more percussion and |
| have to write an ending again. However, fade-outs | | | | additional lead lines. |
| became such clichés to the extent that fade | | | | Listen to songs in the style you are writing and analyse |
| out meant cop out so songwriters started writing | | | | their formats to see how far other exponents have |
| endings again. With that in mind, you can do as you | | | | stuck to or departed from the traditional formats. when |
| wish, and considering that the endings of most songs | | | | you're familiar with the rules or conventions that they |
| get talked over or cut short by radio DJs and mixed | | | | use, then you can experiment by breaking them. |
| over by club DJs, you have only your artistic integrity | | | | |