Songwriting 101: Lesson 2
Let's start to write the lyrics!
1a) Song Structure.
A song is usually structured like the above, so keep the various sections in mind when you are writing your lyrics. Watch the following video the understand more.
Once you have finished watching the video above, click here to access the Song structure template (you may copy + paste the table into your google doc.)
You may click this website if you want to find out more about whether to have a Pre-Chorus.
1b) How many lines and how long should it be?
Now that you understand the different sections, the next question is: How many lines per section, and how long should each line be? Watch the following video to find out more:
1c) Narrative Point Of View
When you are writing a song (or a story), it's essentially you talking about something. There are four ways you can talk about something: Talking in the first person, talking in the second person, talking in the third person (limited), talking in the third person (omniscient). Look at the diagram below to understand more:
You are talking about yourself
Yesterday I went to the zoo,
I thought it was very cool
With all the lovely animals
and food stands selling hot pretzels.
You are talking to someone
Tomorrow you should go to the zoo,
You will think it's very cool
With all the lovely animals
and food stands selling hot pretzels.
You are talking about someone
Yesterday my brother went to the zoo,
He told me it was very cool
With all the lovely animals
and food stands selling hot pretzels.
You talk as though you know all and see all
Yesterday John went to the zoo,
He thought it was very cool
With all the lovely animals
and food stands selling hot pretzels.
Which Narrative point of View are you using?
1d) Rhyming
Rhyming makes your writing sound nicer.
Rhyming is when the ending sounds of two lines sounds similar.
For instance,
Yesterday I went to the zoo, (last word ends with -oo sound)
I thought it was really cool. (last word ends with -ool sound)
-oo sound and -ool sound are very similar, so we say they rhyme.
Rhymes come in pairs, so every 2 lines rhyme.
You may use this website to help you come up with rhymes:
1e) Homework
In your google doc, create a table with the 4 beat bars like what you saw in 1b). Start keying in your lyrics into the table, paying attention to the following guidelines:
- Each section should use either 4/8/16 bars (except Pre-Chorus, where you can use 2/4/8 bars)
- Stressed sounds on the on beat, unstressed sounds on the off beat.
- Be clear about which narrative POV you are using.
- Have a clear rhyming pattern so that the lyrics sound nicer.
You may copy and paste this four beat bar here into your google doc.