Introduction to Songwriting

Welcome to the Course!

UNIT 1: LYRIC WRITING

Welcome to Introduction to Songwriting. This course is for people who are beginning to set words and poems to music. If you would like to see a syllabus for this course, click here.

Songwriting allows us to explore environments, situations, location, destinations, and experiences. When you are writing a song, you are focusing your attention on something that is happening in your life or in the life of someone you know. A good way to make that experience real for your listener is by providing external and internal details. External means the scene – the colors, shapes, time of day, location, temperature, anything that will help your listener understand the environment in which the moment took place. Internal details things that suggest what the character is experiencing within.

To illustrate further, read the following short paragraph:

1. I went to a party the other night. There were lots of people there dancing and seeming to be having a good time. Tables were set up with snacks and drinks, and the music was loud and lively. Most of the people there were dancing or having conversations, and everyone was dressed in style – but casual. It was Fall and the air was warmer than outside, so everyone was sort of huddled together in the space just to be able to share some body heat.

When you are finished, read this second version of the scenario above:

2. I bounced up the driveway to the garage where the party was in full swing. It was a Friday night, so I wasn’t worried about going to bed early. The music carried the warmth of conversations and laughter out through the open garage door, into the otherwise quiet neighborhood street where cars were parking and young stylishly dressed teenagers were making their way towards the festivities. Even without the music the party lights and a brightly decorated table displaying a large cut-glass bowl filled with pink punch and ice cubes, a huge tray of hot dogs, and an assortment of family-sized bags of chips, would have confirmed that this was the place. The white plastic coolers on the floor, though motionless, spoke to the evening’s intentions. Once inside, almost no one left.

In the second example, details are used to describe the action and physical surroundings, making the scene come more alive. Also, what the person is experiencing internally is conveyed through detailed descriptions as well. So we have external details and internal details. “I went to a party” becomes “I bounced up the driveway.” What other examples do you see?

Listen to “Ordinary” by Alex Warren. You can feel the dejection when he sings about “watered down holy water,” and you can imagine how lighthearted he must be to feel that he’s “kissin’ the clouds.” These are excellent examples of the use of internal details. If something inside the character feels, tastes, sounds or smells like something our listeners are familiar with, then it becomes much more real for them.

In “Birds of a Feather,” Billie Ellish could have said “please don’t leave me.” (It rhymes, after all!) But instead, she says “I want you to stay till I’m dead and buried, till I’m in the casket you carry.” The use of concrete details gives her description of her internal state of mind a lot more punch.

Our choice of verbs that describe an action in detail can make a big difference when conveying external as well as internal details. Here are some examples. The words on the left are vague and dull compared to the words on the right.

ran Sprinted, jogged, bounced

reached Stood on tip toes

lifted Hoisted, muscled

spoke shouted, whispered, announced, commented

(wind) blew Wafted, breezed, chilled, whirled

saw beheld, peeped, stared

thought Calculated, concluded

walked Slid, bopped

Activity:

Think of a situation or a location. Try to visualize objects, movement, colors and other external details. Then think about yourself as the main character in the scenario:

• what you are wearing

• what you are sitting

• standing or walking on

• the movements of your limbs or your eyes

• Using the paragraph above as model

• use external and internal details to convey the scene

External and Internal Details

Just telling you that I feel bad isn’t enough. You’ve got to feel it yourself. Use the short lists below as simple tools for differentiating the two:

External Detail

• actions and objects surrounding the main character

• concrete

• provokes an image

Internal Detail

• thoughts and emotions within the main character

• abstract

• often metaphorical

Listen to “I Saw Her Standing There,” by The Beatles. instead of singing “I love her” or “I think she’s beautiful,” they described an internal state by adding this detail: “My heart went boom as I crossed that room.”

In contrast, in “Golden,” HUNTR/X uses concrete details like “no more hidin’ now I’m shinin’” to convey her attitude. Metaphorical, yes but concrete, visual, action.

Now try rewriting the paragraph you wrote earlier, this time using more exact nouns and verbs to make the listener more aware of the details of the setting or the character’s state of mind. To organize your ideas, you’ll first underline the external words and phrases. Underline only the essence of the phrase: mainly verbs, adjectives, and nouns.

Right

I went

Wrong

I went

Your phrases will seldom be longer than a few words. Watch for phrases that can be broken up into two smaller phrases. Omit conjunctions and prepositions like: at, in, by, into, on, until, with, as, so, only, even. Retain only the skeleton of the idea.

Right

driveway to the garage where the party was in full swing

Wrong

driveway to the garage where the party was in full swing

After you have underlined the external details, it’s time to identify the internal details. Draw parentheses around any word or phrase that details thought and emotion. For internal detail, you’ll often find it difficult to omit any part of the sentence or phrase. That is because it is a thought or feeling, and each word plays an integral part in the meaning. Do your best to include the smallest portion of the phrase, while still retaining the meaning of the phrase.

An Example Using the Word “Cave”:

He was glad there were three of them, that he wasn’t alone. Just the thought of going so far into the cave that he would lose sight of the opening made him slightly nauseous. It didn’t help that the path they were on seemed to slope downward. The other explorers, annoyingly chipper and curious, dragged him along further and further beneath the surface. He held on, determined not to be the wimp in the group. Then suddenly, the others stopped in their tracks. They had heard something. It bothered him that he did not hear anything unusual – just the familiar crunch of their hiking boots on the sandy, rocky ground.

He was (glad) there were three of them, that he wasn’t alone. Just the thought of going so far into the cave that he would lose sight of the entrance made him slightly (nauseous.) (It didn’t help) that the path they were on seemed to slope downward. The other explorers, (annoyingly chipper and curious), (dragged) him along further and further beneath the surface. (He held on, determined) not to be the wimp in the group. Then suddenly, the others stopped in their tracks. They had heard something. It (bothered) him that (he did not hear anything unusual) – just the (familiar) crunch of their hiking boots on the sandy, rocky ground.

Set a timer for six minutes and location-write using the topic “Art Museum.” Once you’re finished, underline the external and internal phrases from your piece and divide them into two lists. This becomes your “word library” for the song you are writing.

UNIT 2: ELEMENTS OF MUSIC

Prosody

One of the first rhythmic movements we experience as infants is the gentle rocking in our mothers’ arms. One of the first melodic figures we hear as children is “Mom – my.” This “interval” (the distance between two notes) is said to have a “consonant” sound, meaning pleasing and harmonious. The opposite of a consonant sound in music is a “dissonant” sound. This “Mom-my” interval (a descending minor third), is heard in hundreds of children’s songs everywhere around the world.

PROSODY

Prosody is when rhythmic and melodic figures match. It’s similar to “syncing” in filmmaking. Imagine music reflecting the rhythmic movement of a film character ‘s walking footsteps. In a similar way, language has rhythm.

To experience the rhythm inherent in language, speak the phrase “Chained to the Rhythm” a aloud few times, before listening to "Chained to the Rhythm" by Katy Perry. There’s a good chance, even if you’ve never heard this song before, that the way you spoke the words is close to rhythm of the lyric in the recording.

Multi syllable words can be spoken in different ways. Try speaking the word “automatic” in these different ways, emphasizing a different syllable each time:

automatic AU-tomatic auto – MAT-ic auto ma TIC

We can go further with this by changing the pitches, durations, and spacing of the syllable. Experiment with different words or phrases.

There's a youtube video - FOLI - there is no movement without rhythm, original version by Thomas Roebers and Floris Leeuenberg) - that provides some real insights into the interconnectedness of language, rhythm, and melody. When I saw it, I was reminded of a piece of music written by composer and saxophonist Oliver Lake. entitled "Movement Equals Creation." As Mr. Lake so often reminded his students, collective creativity is about feeling the "pulse."

DANCE, RHYTHM, SONG

There’s a book that might interest you, if you can find it, entitled “Dance, Drum, Song.” It is mentioned here to suggest a sequence – what comes first?

Through repetition, movement becomes pulse. When we take a step, it’s movement. When we take repeated steps (walking), it creates a pulse. The pulse is the foundation of the beat.

In the series “Wu Tang – An American Saga” there is a scene where the tires of a bus rolling over a manhole cover create a rhythmic figure. That becomes the basis for a song.

It should be remembered that the pulse is an expressive element and can be imbued with meaning. When the dancer leaps in the air and lands perfectly in time with the pulse, it is not sound that is essential. It is movement. Some would say he landed on the beat, and that could be true. But a beat and a pulse are two different things. A beat can be measured with a metronome (click track). A pulse not so much - it breathes. If you play a click track along with a song from the old days before drum machines were invented, you'll notice that as the song builds to its climax the tempos speed up ever so slightly.

Prosody is when rhythmic and melodic figures match. It’s similar to “syncing” in filmmaking. Imagine music rhythmically matching a film character ‘s walking footsteps. In a similar way, language has rhythm.

Activity

This activity will help you get the hang of matching a consonant melodic element with a rhythmic lyric. Recall a few words that you might want to use in a new song. Then recall a nursery rhyme (think “Johnny has a girlfriend” or “This Old Man”). Now try to sing your words using some of that nursery rhyme melody. You can use the whole nursery rhyme, or just some of the notes. Try repeating fragments of the melody. Try sounding the notes in different ways: loudly, softly, clipped, long, or in different registers of your voice or instrument. It’s a good idea to record using the memo recorder on your cellphone while you are doing this activity.

There are 12 notes, so there are 12 types of intervals, and all of them can be used in writing melodies.

Harmony

Just as melodic intervals can be “consonant” or “dissonant,” so harmonic intervals can be so also. Let’s take the two notes, or pitches, we used in the previous topic, and imagine them being sounded at the same time:

Listen carefully and you will hear that the two notes of this consonant melodic interval blend well to make a pleasing harmonic interval. Listen very, very carefully and you might even hear a third tone! Further discussion of this overtone is in the Music Theory Class.

Activity

On a piano keyboard or guitar, play a single note. Let it ring until it fades completely away. Repeat several times. As you continue repeating the note, ask yourself if there is anything else you hear. As the sound lingers, listen very carefully. Can you imagine a sound higher than the note you just played? Lower? Play the note again. Maybe as the instrument note is fading you hear a totally different rhythm or even a sequence of notes. The point of this exercise is to become aware that every note played has endless harmonic possibilities. Try capturing some of what you are hearing on your memo recorder.

Listen to the harmonic example above. On a piano keyboard or guitar, try to play both tones. Were you successful? Great! You just played a chord! Play your chord twice or three times, with some empty space in between. Keep it going – now you have a chord pattern. Try singing or speaking some lyrics from your song library while you are playing the chord pattern. Record on your Memo Recorder.

Now, what would happen if you moved both notes in the same direction up or down, and then back again? Try it – you now have a chord progression. More adventurous students may want to try adding a third tone.

The Hook

Every song that becomes popular owes its success in part to what industry professionals call “the Hook.” What’s a hook? The easiest way to get the WRONG answer to this question is to overthink it. One helpful definition is, “A hook is a rhythmic, melodic, or harmonic figure that is for some reason both unique and memorable.” Another word for “unique” is “fresh.” Some Examples:

• The guitar intro to “My Girl” by the Temptations

• The Piano intro to “If it Ain’t You” by Alicia Keys

• The bass line of “Money” by Pink Floyd

• The Chorus of “We Will Rock You” by Queen or “YMCA” by the Village People

“Memorable” means that many people may not remember anything else about the song, but this particular thing “hooked” them.

Activity

Listen to the following list. Write down what you think the Hook is. Then write down what about the hook caught your attention. There are no right or wrong answers – just what stands out in your opinion.

• Bruno Mars « Second Sun Rise »

• Aesop Rock "Movie Night"

• Dua Lipa “Houdini”

UNIT 3: SONG STRUCTURE(S)

CHORUS AND VERSE

You’ve got some lyrics and maybe a bit of a melody in mind. You like it - it’s kind of catchy. Now it’s time to go from something that’s just an idea to a full-fledged, full-length song. 3 to 4 minutes has always been the industry standard, but we don’t want to wait 3 minutes to get the audience’s attention.

In music, another word for structure is “form” or “formal structure.” When you are pleased by the aesthetics of beautifully structured piece of architecture, you might say it has a nice form. The same is true for paintings, sculpture, and music.

“I Have a Dream” is a great topic. But it’s not a speech. By the way, don’t write a speech. Write a Chorus and a verse to start. The difference between these parts of a song and a speech is that a speech is spoken, songs are sung. So a key question is “Is this singable.” Keeping it brief improves the chances that the singer will be able to deliver important parts of your message completely in one breath. There’s more on the topic of “Singability” in the Popular Lyrics Course.

WHAT IS A CHORUS?

The chorus of a song is a simple melody and lyric that can be repeated as many times as makes sense. That may be once, or a dozen times or more. The chorus is not only the most repeated section but also the section where you can find the real meaning of a song. The repetition confirms the point of the song and reinforces its message. The chorus of a song is also characterized by being placed before or after the verses in the following format:

Verse Chorus Verse Chorus Bridge Chorus

I once heard a chorus defined as something the whole audience can shout together along with the singer. The lyrics are generally simpler and more direct than the verses, thus easier to remember. The chorus provides an emotional anchor for the song. It acts as a focal point and as such, we want to do something musically to make it stand out – maybe a change of dynamic, chords, or rhythm pattern, or a more distinct melody. Each time the chorus is repeated, it may include slight variations in its lyrics for added emphasis.

In musical theater or opera, the word “Chorus” also means “a large, organized group of singers, especially one that performs together with an orchestra or an opera company.” The ensemble or chorus is the on-stage group of performers other than the featured player. The chorus is the opposite of the soloist, though the chorus section of the song may on occasion be sung by one person.

THE VERSE TELLS THE STORY

While the lyrics in the chorus are kept simple and easy to repeat to make the song’s ultimate message easy to remember, The lyrics in the verse provide the background information needed to understand the emotional content of the song. The verse is a section of a song that provides developing story and details, featuring different lyrics each time it repeats but often a similar melody and musical structure. Verses should contrast with choruses in some way. The primary role of the verse is to build context and depth for the song’s overall narrative, keeping the listener engaged by providing new information before leading to the chorus. Though the lyrics change, the underlying melody, chords and rhythm of the verse usually remain the same to help creates a stable musical framework.

THE BRIDGE IS A BRIDGE

My family, MO used to take automobile trips from Chicago to my parents’ birth place, St. Louis, MO. The Chain of Rocks Bridge was our cue that we were almost at my grama’s house. The anticipation once the bridge was in sight was almost unbearable. We children were so excited to be going over the bridge – it was different, and a signal that the comfort, food and friendships of home were not far away. The “Bridge” of a song does a couple of things. One, it give a change of pace from the repetitive melodies of the verses and the repetitive lyrics of the chorus. Secondly it helps build excitement as we move toward the final chorus. If we are engaged with the song, the contrast catches our attention and moves us along the path usually with something that is new. It holds our attention like the climax of a good movie - How does it end? What happens next?

ACTIVITY

Keep your memo recorder hand and record as much as possible as you work thru the following steps.

1. Chorus

a. Select one of the ideas from your song library.

b. Repeat it several times until the words begin to take on a rhythm of their own

c. Try humming any melody that comes to you, then singing the lyrics. Keep repeating even if you’re not feeling it right away. It will come.

2. Verse

a. Write a couple of short phrases that give some background, meaning, or reason for the message of the chorus. Stories with a beginning, middle and end work well

b. Try connecting the Chorus and the Verse.

3. Bridge

a. Once the verses and chorus are kind of flowing together – it doesn’t have to be perfect at this point – try doing something different: change a melody note, a chord, a bass note, or a rhythm. It doesn’t matter what the change is. The bridge can be very short as long as it builds interest in what comes next.

b. Put everything together. Sing thru the whole song.

ACTIVITY

Let’s recall that songs exist to convey a character’s emotional state within a specific moment or set of circumstances. Do you need a huge vocabulary to let someone know how you feel? Absolutely not. In fact, a single word or sentence often does the trick. But there must be an element of sincerity. Imagine that someone asks you to write a song on the spot. Even if you didn’t know what you were going to be asked to write about, you would still know how you feel about the topic. And the first words that come to your mind after hearing the topic will probably be the most truthful about how you feel.

• Lupe Fiasco “Samuri”

UNIT 4: PRODUCTION AND PRESENTATION

ARRANGEMENT AND RECORDING FOR DEMOS

I once heard a very successful songwriter say, “I’ve never recorded a demo.” What he meant by this was that he always thought himself as wanting his music to be as finished as he had the means to make it. In other words, if you don’t have what is needed, collaborate with some who has it. For example, singers are not always songwriters, so they usually welcome opportunities to work together with lyricists and composers. If you are a great drummer, you might do well to get to know some guitar players, bassists, keyboardists, etc. Collaboration is in many ways the first step towards getting a finished production done. Your schedule should include times where that is your focus – meeting and hanging out with people that are looking to do the same thing you want to do: create great music. And don’t forget: the person taking out the trash at the studio today may be a top ranked producer or mixing engineer tomorrow.

Arranging, as it is being used here, means deciding what instruments and voices are going to be included in the product, as well as where and how they are going to be placed in the 3 minute window you have. Arranging is how you hold the listeners’ interest. If your listener is not totally captivated within the first 12 seconds of your song, he probably won’t listen all the way to the end of the track. The artistry is in knowing what interesting elements to put up front without overdoing it. You’ve got to leave yourself somewhere to ascend to. A hallmark of a great song is that it builds in complexity and dynamism from the first few bars to the end, with a climax ¾ of the way through and the rest of the song being a “vamp” or something that “just won’t stop” that sustains the excitement of the climax all the way to the end of the song.

The first step in creating an arrangement is instrumentation. Will it be keyboard, guitar, or will you sing the song a cappella (no instruments)?

ACTIVITY

Use the song you have been working on. If you are doing a vocal demo with no instruments, try to do something just slightly different with your voice on each new verse and each new chorus. It might be singing louder or softer, or it might be changing, shortening, or lingering on a single note. Often a slight change in the way a word is sung or phrased creates just enough interest to keep your listeners engaged.

If you’re accompanying yourself with a guitar or piano, try introducing small changes in the accompaniment or chords to create momentum that builds towards the climax of the song. Crescendos and changes of register can also have the effect of making the song more listenable.