CONSTRUCTION OF A SONG
Exercises in Form
1. Write a song adhering strictly to each of the standard forms mentioned.
2. Pick one of your favorite hits and write a new lyric to its melody. This is called the "dummy melody" exercise and is commonly used by lyricists who don't have a new melody to write to. Try to write the lyric with the same emotional feeling as the original. You may even try to use the same rhyme scheme.
1. Have a collaborator create a new melody without letting him/her know the melody you used.
3. Analyze the forms of ten current hits. Do this exercise about once a month with ten new songs. It's a great way to stay current, explore new form variations, and why you think they work. There are also weekly countdowns on radio for country and urban music.
4. Write songs in the standard forms using new variations of those forms.
Next: Choosing a Form
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