| You know what they say about rules? Actually they | | | | you to the chorus.Chorus. This the bit everyone |
| say lots of things about rules but here's two - rules | | | | remembers, whistles and sings along to. It should be |
| were made to be broken, and you have to know | | | | the strongest part of the song and generally is or |
| what the rules are before you can break them. While | | | | contains the hook. It's usually eight or sixteen bars |
| Judge Dredd may not agree with the first, the | | | | long.Middle eight. As a song progresses, there's a |
| second is certainly true and nevermore so than in | | | | danger of boredom setting for the listener. The |
| writing a song.The song structure may not be the | | | | middle eight offers them a break and typically comes |
| first thing you think about when you start writing. | | | | after a couple of verses and choruses. Some people |
| You probably work on the verse or chorus, or | | | | think of it as an alternative verse and that's one way |
| maybe you have a good riff that you want to | | | | to look at it. It often modulates to a different key or |
| expand into a song. So you get that down and then | | | | introduces a new chord progression and it usually |
| you start to think about the other parts - the intro, | | | | doesn't include the song title. However, all too often |
| how many verses, middle eight, do you want an | | | | it's simply an excuse for waffling on for a few bars. |
| instrumental, the ending...Some song genres have a | | | | Although it's called the middle eight it could be four or |
| fairly rigid format, others are more flexible, and you | | | | sixteen bars long.Bridge. Many people use the terms |
| need to know where you can bend the rules and | | | | 'middle eight' and 'bridge' synonymously and so |
| why you may not want to do so in order to make | | | | popular is this usage that it would be churlish to |
| your song stand out from the others. Let's look at | | | | disagree. However, among those who prefer to note |
| the sections you'll find in most songs and the part | | | | the difference, a bridge is a short section used to |
| they play in song construction.Song partsIntro. Yes, | | | | bridge the gap between verse and chorus. It may |
| this leads you into the song. It may be two, four or | | | | only be two or four bars long and it's often used |
| eight bars long or longer. Some songs don't have any | | | | when the verse and chorus are so different from |
| intro at all. A pop song intro will often be reminiscent | | | | each other that a 'joining' phrase helps bring them |
| of the chorus or the hook. In a club song, it's often a | | | | together.Instrumental. This is part of the song |
| good idea to have eight bars of rhythm to help the | | | | without any vocals. Yeah, okay. It's often an |
| DJ to mix match your song. They say that music | | | | instrumental version of the verse or chorus, it may |
| publishers typically only listen to the first 20 seconds | | | | be an improvised variation on one of these, or it may |
| of a song before deciding whether to reject it so if | | | | be an entirely different tune and set of chords |
| you're sending material to a publisher, keep the intro | | | | altogether. Sometimes it fits into a song where a |
| short and get into the song as quickly as possible. | | | | vocal middle eight would otherwise go.Breakdown |
| Save the 5 minute intros for the CD version.Verse. | | | | Break. This term has been high jacked from songs |
| This is the preamble to the chorus. It sets the scene, | | | | from the early 1900s when it was common to either |
| certainly lyrically, and as the verses progress they | | | | to reduce the instrumentation or stop it altogether |
| often tell a story or recount episodes from a | | | | while a tap dancer would strut his stuff. The term |
| situation although that's by no means essential. They | | | | 'break' is still sometimes used to indicate an |
| are typically eight or sixteen bars long and melodically | | | | instrumental section. 'Breakdown' is now most |
| not usually as strong as the chorus although, again, | | | | commonly used in dance music for the section where |
| that's by no means essential. However, it often | | | | the percussion breaks down or is reduced, and it |
| seems as if the songwriter ran out of ideas when | | | | may be the dance equivalent of the middle |
| writing the verse. One of the strengths of The | | | | eight.Outro/Ending. Once upon a time, songs had |
| Beatles' songs is that verses and choruses are equally | | | | definite endings but the mid 1950s heralded in the era |
| strong and most people could hum or sing their way | | | | of the fade-out and songwriters thought they would |
| through most Beatles hits. Not so with many songs | | | | never have to write an ending again. |
| where the verses are little more than fillers to get | | | | |