CONSTRUCTION OF A SONG
Introduction
(Note: This article is based on a chapter in John Braheny's book, "The Craft and Business of Songwriting" (Writer's Digest Books), available at bookstores everywhere and at Amazon.com. Braheny was co-founder/director (with Len Chandler) of the Los Angeles Songwriter's Showcase, now part of the Songwriters Guild Of America. He is a teacher, music journalist and consultant for songwriters and the music business. For more information, he can be reached at nutunes@aol.com
No matter what the musical style - rock, rap, hip hop, country, R&B - most "pop" ("popular") songs follow a similar structure. Songs like "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" and "Get At Me Dog" might not seem to have much in common, but they are both three-to-five-minute-long, words-and-music, verses-and-chorus songs.
As simple as these songs often seem, there is a very complex structure underlying them. In fact, sometimes the simple songs are the hardest to write! Although there are many different ways to unite words and music, most pop songs follow one of several basic forms. They don't have to - a song can be anything you want it to be - but the reason why these "forms" are so popular is because they work. Just about every hit song you can think of uses one or more of them.
This article examines and explains a song's basic components; song forms and variations and their best uses; and how to recognize them in the pop music you listen to.
This article is directed at beginning and up-and-coming songwriters, but there is a wealth of great information in here for songwriters and fans of every kind. Rather than try to read and understand it all at once, start slowly and come back to it. You have your whole life to write great songs!
Next: Form
|
