How Songs Make Money

How Songs Make Money

People often ask how one makes money with songs. There are certain misconceptions about how one gets paid and where the money comes from. I’d like to make it clear how your songs can make you money.

To begin with, when you write a song alone, and are not under any publishing contract, that song belongs totally to you: 100%. So far, the song’s value is still hypothetical. At some point it needs to be formally copywritten (even though the song is by nature copywritten as soon as you write it.) You also need to publish the song. You can start your own publishing company. This is done through a performance rights organization such as ASCAP, BMI or SESAC. Bottom line is, you want to get your song published.

Every song has two halves in terms of ownership—the writers share and the publisher’s share. If you start your own publishing company, you own the publishing, so you own 100% of the song and get 100% of the revenue the song may make. I you sign your song with a publisher, you just gave 50% of your song away. That might sound like a bad deal, but you need to consider the fact that pitching songs is a full time job in itself. It is what publishers do. If you have inside music business contacts that want to record your songs, you may want to run your own publishing company. It is not that hard. If, on the other hand, you need somebody to pitch and promote your tunes, splitting the profits with a publisher can make solid sense. Without their help and expertise, your song will make nothing—even though you won 100% of it.

Now, the last thing to consider in splits is how many writers are credited on a song. Typically, “writer’s share” is divided up by the number of writers. So if you have three writers, each should get 33 1/3%. The publishers share will not change—they still get all of the other half.

So, back to square one—how does a song make money? Let’s look at the ways. First, there are the mechanicals, which are sales of the CD’s, downloads, sheet music and musical greeting cards, etc. Harry Fox Agency states:

The current statutory mechanical royalty rate for physical recordings (such as CDs) and permanent digital downloads is 9.1¢ for recordings of a song 5 minutes or less, and 1.75¢ per minute or fraction thereof for those over 5 minutes. This is then multiplied by the number of recordings you wish to make.

In most cases, it means your song earns 9.1¢ for every CD or download sold. So, if someone sells 100,000 copies of a CD and you have one song on that CD, the song makes a mechanical royalty of $9,100.00. If your publisher owns half, you will make $4550.00. If you co-write the song, you will make $2,275.00 Obviously, if you have more songs on the CD, you can make more money. If the CD sells a million copies, you can multiply these figures by a factor of 10.

But wait—there’s more! I haven’t talked about “performance” income. What is performance income? It is royalty income from radio, television (major network, cable and dish), restaurants and bars, film use and internet use. This is where a hit song generates strong income—especially if it lands on rock, pop, r&b/hip-hop or country radio. The more stations in your genre, the more times a day your hit song will be played across the country and in the world. ASCAP uses a weighted sample based on credits and BMI uses radio station playlists that are submitted regularly.

Radio and television pay royalties for use of the songs. Restaurants and bars pay yearly fees to the performance rights organizations if they use music in their businesses. Internet music providers pay royalties too, but the amounts are very small compared to terrestrial radio and major network television stations.

A song can be used in a commercial either as a buyout, or as a royalty per play item—depending on your clout and how badly a company wants to use your song.

Finally, your song can make money by being placed in a film. In the US, it is a flat fee negotiated between publisher and filmmaker. In Europe, however, songs in film get paid a royalty rate based on total screenings.

Finally, there are performance royalties for live performances. When name acts play large venues, they submit their playlist of original songs to their performing rights organization and the performances get tallied, just like radio plays do.

People sometimes ask me, “How do you sell a song?” I tell them that, when dealing with a publisher, there is no exchange of money. All I am doing is giving that publisher the rights to 50% of the income of that song in the future. The contract can be for a lifetime, for three years, one year or even six months. There are many different agreements.

This is the basic blueprint. There can be small fees attached for administration of copyright or Harry Fox collections, but the above info gives the big picture.

 

Markets

These days, music is becoming increasingly niche oriented. One look at Billboard magazine bears this out. A genre such as country has branched out into many sub-genres; modern, traditional, Americana, bluegrass, newgrass, alt-country, etc. I won’t waste a whole page listing all the different genres of rock and pop! So, figure out what you do the best and then determine what niches that your music fits into.

There are several ways to think this through. The first is if you plan to write and record for yourself or with a group. In that case, simply write what you do best and market your wares to the right niche. Remember—you will never please everybody! Even top charting artists can be as hated by one group as they are loved by another. You don’t have to please everybody—just the people in your selected genre. And—be true to yourself.

The second is if you plan to write for a particular market, but you don’t plan on being a recording artist yourself. If this is what you intend to do, then it is important to know what will fly in the market you select. Another thing—you need to know which musical styles still use outside writers and plan your approach accordingly. Country and pop still use outside songs, as do many niche genres.

You might also think about being a performer and using your work as a networking tool. If you write well enough, bigger fish in your pond will sometimes notice your work and want to cover something special that you wrote.

Whatever you do, let your music speak for itself. You can never make someone record your song if they don’t love it first. If you want to pitch your songs, I recommend getting a publisher. I also recommend making friends in a musical circle that you can fit into. Build friendship and trust first, and let the music pitches and business dealings come later. 

Don't be fooled by generic stereotypes. Putting cliches in songs-like chickens and farms in a country song or bling and drive by's in hip hop misses the point. It is a mistake that people who aren’t really conversant with a genre make when they try to write it—based on a very general stereotype. Music styles don't always sync to the demographics you assume. Cliches thrown into any style of music can hurt you. “Keep it real” is good advice, no matter what style you choose to write.

Different musical styles have different do’s and don’ts—including different value sets. Be aware of them. Country, Gospel (including Contemporary Christian) most pop and bluegrass stay away from explicit language that might be considered “morally corrupt”. Rock and hip hop are more open to explicit language. Get to know your market and your audience in these terms. If you think you may offend someone with something you are putting in your song, chances are you will. But the real question is how will it fly with the demographic that you are aiming at? Is your audience young, hip and urban or Bible belt conservative? Or somewhere in between? You need to know.

If you are aiming a song at a particular artist, ask yourself if your song is something that will fit with the artist’s image. All artists have a public image. What might work for Kid Rock could be a huge mistake for Michael Buble. Artists like to sing songs that reflect their chosen values and image.

Remember, too, that there are still rules in place for radio play. If nothing else, record a clean “radio friendly” version of your work. Without it, your song will not get radio play, no matter how good it is. 

Should you wish to take on a genre of music that is new to you, don't make assumptions. Take plenty of time to listen and to study a new style. When you do run across cliché elements, my advice is to steer clear of them. Using clichés in the wrong way can make the listener feel like you are belittling their lifestyle. 

Instead, ask yourself what hasn't been done to death. Go for the fresh angle. Having something new to say will create more interest than worn out clichés.

When you want to write in a new style, also take time to make a study of the rhythmic patterns that are commonly used. Catalog what you discover. Rhythm is a big part of musical styles and each genre has it's tried and true staples. On the other hand, don't be afraid of using a hip hop groove with a blues song or a reggae beat in a pop or country song. Sometimes mixing elements can create something fresh and unexpected.

As you take stock of who you are as a writer, ask yourself where you think you fit in the broad panorama of musical niches. In time, you will know which direction you are naturally suited for. You may even discover that your songs overlap into more than one category. Maybe you are blues and r&b, or country and Americana, rock and pop or a mixture of folk and rock. That can be a good thing because it expands your potential audience. “Crossover” may be a dirty word to music critics, but it is golden to the music industry.

Eventually, your catalog of songs will answer the question: “Who am I?”  Your personal artistic voice may be different than the music you listen to. You may love contemporary rock but find that your songs are really folk, or blues or pop. At some point, you need to come to terms with what defines your music. When you find out what that is, embrace it and learn to do it like no one else can. Then, you will be developing your voice—and the music that makes you unique. Having that special and unique voice is at the core of what separates you from all the people trying to clone what others have done to be special.  

 

A Co-writing Primer

Writing with others can be a powerful way to write songs. Unlike writing alone, though, it is a different dynamic and requires a slightly different approach. When we write solo, we are having a conversation between our creative side and our analytical and (sometimes) judgmental side. If we get stuck, we can set the work down and walk away—or drift off in some meditative state until we find a thought that seems to plug in to what we hear or want to say. Alone, we call the shots for ourselves and live and die by our singular efforts.

Co-writing is different in several ways. The most obvious of those is that there are more cooks in the kitchen. The “steering of the ship” is a shared process, so the complete control we may enjoy when writing solo is replaced by a group focus.

Co-writing demands a sense of camaraderie and a willingness to give and take. It may also involve occasional butting of heads and that is inevitable. When this sort of thing happens, it is of utmost importance to find a way to work together, even though there are occasional disagreements. When two or more people are writing one song, I believe it is essential to “check your ego at the door.” It’s not a game of being right or always getting your way. Rather, it is about finding the best idea. In the end, that is ultimately more important. “Serve the song” is a good mantra to follow. In the end, the song is king. 

Being open to following ideas down a path is a strong tool. For example, someone brings a line to the table. You aren’t sure if it is exactly right, but there is something in it. Often, exploring that line brings up other thoughts and other lines—ones the group may not have thought of before—so the focus expands and the potential ideas grow.

I have done many co-writes where a line was used that got the song moving, but later was changed and made even better. The point is, there has to be an element of trust and a spirit of exploration. There will be times when somebody has a hot hand and you might not have a single idea to contribute. Don’t panic—it happens. Sometimes you just need more time to percolate, so to speak.

I have been involved with co-writes in which I contributed only a few lines and a bit of melody—but those lines were essential to the finished song. Even when I felt like I had contributed little, my co-writers felt like what I did add made the difference. And there have been a few sessions when I could not add anything to a song. Hey—it happens. The good news is that if you keep pushing and “pounding the rock”, eventually something good is going to come out of it.

When you know in advance that you are going to be co-writing, it’s a good rule of thumb to have a few ideas to bring to the table before you arrive. Maybe you have a verse or a title or even a melody hook line. Perhaps you have a chord progression or groove that you like. Whatever you can bring will come in handy at one time or another.

I keep a book of titles. I have a few songs I have started but haven’t been able to finish. I have lyrics that I like but have not found melodies for. I even have a few melodies that are in search of a good lyric. All these things can come in handy when you have a co-write session and nobody else has a clue where to begin. Titles, especially, can be a great starting point.

Whether we start with a melody, a lyric or a title, there is always the object of cracking the ice and getting the idea in circulation. Let’s assume we start with a title. We can brainstorm—like we did in class—and begin to write down all the ideas that come to mind immediately. Usually, this is followed by some discussion and batting around of the idea. What does it mean? What could it mean? Which direction seems the strongest? These are all good directions to explore.

Ultimately, in a co-write session, what needs to emerge is a point of agreement on the subject at hand. The closer a group can get to an agreement, the better the chance is that the effort will be barking up the “universal” tree. So seek to find the common ground that exists in the midst of three or four different points of view. Few people agree about everything—that’s just life. However, if you dig deep enough, most people share agreements about a wide variety of things. If the co-writers find agreement, the chances multiply that the listeners will also agree with the song idea.

Taking Stock Of Your Strengths

Ideally, we all should strive to write great lyrics, create wonderful melodies and invent perfect grooves for our songs. Getting better at each facet is an ongoing process for most of us—especially when writing solo. The advantage of co-writing is that the participants don’t have to be great at everything! Often, someone will be quick to establish a good groove, while another will excel at finding melody lines and someone else will have a gift for lyrics. We each have our strengths—and our occasional weaknesses.

The point is to add our effort to the whole in a co-write. Ask yourself what area you are strongest in. When you encounter someone with strength in a different area, let him/her run with it. After all, it is a collaboration. Trust a little more. And work within the area(s) that you feel most comfortable in. It is a give and take situation. So do both. Groups that can work this way often have great results.

Credit

My years of co-writes taught me one thing—if three people were in the room writing, the credit is given equally to all three. Maybe I only contributed two lines, but those lines were essential to making the song work. Or perhaps I wrote 80% of the song and my collaborators contributed the other 20% that made the song work. It doesn’t matter. We had a saying—“write a word—get a third!”. In any co-write situation, the best policy is to split the ownership of the song equally.

May The Best Idea Win

That sounds like a competitive statement, but it really isn’t. As we go through the process of our co-writes, we begin to establish agreements about structure, melody and lyrics. Inevitably, there are those “rough spots” where something—lyrics or melody—need to be ironed out and it can feel like crisis time. Everybody brainstorms and tries to plug in different solutions to solve the problem area in the song. What usually happens is that somebody comes up with a solution that suddenly seems so transparently obvious that everybody else wonders why he didn’t see it in the first place! In such a case, the best idea wins. And everybody is happy. One more nightmare put to rest, so to speak.

 Essential Steps

1. Establish the idea, whether it is based on a title or a concept, first line, or a melody.
2. Expand the idea—filling in the areas that have not been written yet.
3. Discuss the idea. Share feelings and thoughts about what the song should say.
4. Build a pattern that can be used as a template for the rest of the song—if you have established a verse and a chorus, then the rest of the song should follow that template, and follow the agreed upon idea.
5. When the main structure of the song is basically complete, review it and see if anything else is needed—a bridge, an intro, a vamp—or a lyrical section that ties it all together. Is there anything that sounds like it doesn’t quite fit the rest of the song? Examine the song from all angles. Is it logical from start to finish?
6. Remember that each song is a unique creation. In the final analysis, is it complete as far as what it communicates?

THE REWRITE

 

The Rewrite

The idea of “drafts” is worth exploring. By draft, I mean the versions that your song evolves through. If you get lucky, your first draft will be the final version. More often than not, there is still work to be done after a first draft. This may involve finding better word choices. It may mean re-writing an entire verse or just a couplet or two.

Paul Simon used to (and probably still does), work on a lyric through an entire legal pad—changing bits and pieces until he was sure he’d said what he wanted to say in his lyric.

The main point here is to scrutinize after you have that first draft done. As I have said, there is a time to flow without judgment, and a time to apply judgment. When you have that first draft done, its time to let the discerning critic within you take over.

Now it’s time to get honest and get down to the nitty-gritty. It is time for the hard questions. The process of re-writing can take “good” and make it “great”. Don’t be afraid of this phase. You have spent time searching your soul and digging all kinds of ideas up. Hopefully, you have enjoyed creating all this without much sass from your “editor”. But now, its time for the editor to step up and do his job. Despite our love for what we’ve given birth to in the creative process, we eventually have to scrutinize what we have done. Chances are, we can improve on what we started.

"Genius is nothing but a greater aptitude for patience." - Benjamin Franklin

I’d like to try and compile a list of things to look for—things for the “editor” to do that can improve a lyric.

1. Look for variation in your use of language. For example, rather than using the word “Work” three times in a verse, explore alternatives—effort, energy, accomplish, etc. A good thesaurus can be a valuable tool in such a case. I used to write with someone who believed that the same word shouldn’t be used more than once in a song. That kind of standard will make you look for alternative words—which keeps your lyric more interesting.
2. Compare your verses. Does each verse say something new? Does the story idea expand with each verse? If each verse is saying the same thing with different words, then there is probably a problem.
3. Does the meter of each verse “mirror” itself, so the melody will be consistent? Or has the meter and melody changed radically between verses? If so, that should be addressed.
4. Are the lyrics conversational? Do they sound like the way people talk? Look for stilted phrases that sound unnatural. If possible, make them flow like normal speech.
5. Does the verse flow logically into the chorus idea? There needs to be a logical jumping off point from the verse into the chorus. Use these tests: the verse should imply a connection—“in other words”, “what I mean is”, “and so”, “because”, etc, when going into a chorus. If there is NO connection between the verse idea and the chorus, that is a red flag, and the end of the verse should be addressed.
6.  Musically speaking, how does the song clock out? Is it 2, 3, 4 or 5 minutes long? If you are in the 5 minute range, you have a long song—probably too long for either radio play or most listeners attention span. If the song is 2 minutes, it’s probably too short for most listeners these days.
7. If the song is too long—look at the structure. How many verses exist? If it is three, perhaps it needs to be condensed down to two strong verses. Look at the intro and musical sections between verses. Are they long? Could they be edited down to allow more space for the verse, chorus and bridge?
8. If the song is too short—think about adding a bridge, an extra verse or an instrumental section. The rule of thumb is to find something under four minutes and over three minutes these days.
9. A good question to ask is: “Have I covered everything about my theme or subject that I wanted to say in my song?” If the answer is no, then the rewrite has to address the holes somehow. Perhaps the verses need more information, or a bridge could be added to expand the thought in a satisfactory way.
10. Look at the hook. What element(s) of your song are designed to be memorable—even sing-song or “ear-worm”?  Even if your listener doesn’t remember half of what is said in the verses, the chorus needs to, by using repetition, put a melodic and lyrical stamp on your song that people will remember. We want the listener to retain they lyrical and melodic hook of the chorus. This can be done in three ways. First, repetition of the title. Second, repetition of the melody. Third, repetition of the beat or meter of the lyric. At best, all three happen simultaneously.
11. Imagine this scenario—you have one shot to get someone to remember your song. So you concentrate on your chorus and build repetition into it. This is key to writing hit songs in general. If your song does not leave the listener with predictable patterns, then it will be difficult for the listener to remember what was heard. A re-write should address such a lack. A correction can be as simple as a repeated phrase or couplet.
12. Is there a bad line, but you keep it because you can’t think of anything else that works? If it is due to a rhyme scheme, try altering the rhyme. Also, look at what the lines are communicating. Even try writing the section a different way. Sometimes that solves the problem. Is it a great line surrounded by lesser lines? If so, don’t be afraid to pitch it all and go for something that works better in the big picture. Seasoned writers toss great lines all the time if they don’t serve the song.

A first draft may contain 90% of the intended message. The re-write is meant to add meaning, smooth transitions, fill in information gaps and to strengthen the song in terms of ideas and melodic power. The main point is to not settle for first draft. In most cases, that first draft can be made even stronger, and that is the goal. The idea is to strengthen what is good and to eliminate what is trite, redundant and amateur. If you know it can be better, don’t settle for what you have. Go the extra distance. When every word, every melody and every transition in your song is really right, you will know it.

This is what rewriting is all about—honing and polishing what you have until it has a completeness without holes or dead spots. It can often take more time than the whole phase of putting a first draft together, but this is where a song can rise from good to great. Using both your creative self and, then, your “editor” can raise a song to a much higher level. 

Don’t let laziness enter your writing process. If you know your song can be improved, take the extra time to perfect it. Never settle and call a song finished when you know it still needs work. In the real world of the music business, a writer’s work needs to be bulletproof—immune to being torn apart. The rewrite involves fixing the weak lines, tweaking the melody and structure so that the final song can stand on its own.

The term rewrite doesn’t just mean just one fix either. It may involve several drafts. The song may evolve over time. One fix might suggest another one later on. Don’t be in a huge hurry, because some mistakes aren’t so obvious in the initial writing. Often, a few days away lets a writer come back with a fresher, more objective take on the first draft.

Above all else, don’t become so attached to your own work that you won’t EVER change a word. There are countless excuses for not working harder: “that’s how I felt at the time,” “I know what it means—so I’m happy with it,” “I wrote it so it must be OK,” “that’s how I write,” “it makes perfect sense to me,” etc. We all love our “children” but I have never met a seasoned writer who didn’t either re-write after the fact or continuously “re-write” from section to section. The more one understands that most of writing is a craft, the more one begins to see the elements of lyrics and melody as being moldable—like clay. Embrace the idea of change as a part of the process.

I don’t mean to imply that there is no magic in writing. There is. What I call “happy accidents” happen too—those moments where something transpires that brings the song to life. There is an entire emotional undercurrent that can be running in the subconscious of the writer. When tapped into, there are times when the song is born fully formed. If you sense that you really “got lucky,” make a worktape and let it sit for a while. Then, listen with fresh ears. Get far enough away from yourself, so to speak, that you can listen like someone who has never heard the song. You will soon have a pretty good idea about whether you nailed the idea or if it does need some work.

I’ve read countless stories about songwriters who, in a few moments of inspiration, seemed to grab an idea out of the air, capture it and turn it into something special. I have no doubt that these miracles do occur. In all cases, though, I have noted that such writers had learned the craft of songwriting BEFORE they channeled their great songs. In turn, the same songwriters worked very hard on most of the other songs they wrote.

So, learn the craft. Understand song forms, meter, lyrical construction, hooks, melody, prosody, rhythm rhyme and repetition. Songwriting is neither 100% craft or 100% divine inspiration. It lies in between somewhere. I believe it leans toward the craft, but needs the inspiration too.   

THE BUILD AND THE BRIDGE

 

The Build and the Bridge

We have touched on these elements before. I’d like to look at each in more detail.

First, lets look at the “build”—also called the climb and/or pre-chorus. To begin, the build is not an essential part of the verse. Many songs do not use the device at all and they work just fine without one. So don’t feel like this is some essential part of making your song successful by default.

The question is: when is a build useful?

The first situation is when you have a short verse—maybe two or four lines—and the idea is not at a point where it is ready to deliver or setup the chorus. In other words, you still need to bend your idea around with more information so that it glides into the chorus without sounding like it is coming from left field.

Let’s look at an example--the classic build in “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”

You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips.

And there's no tenderness like before in your fingertips.

(build)

You're trying hard not to show it, (baby).

But baby, baby I know it... (why?)

You've lost that lovin' feeling,

Whoa, that lovin' feeling,

You've lost that lovin' feeling,

Now it's gone...gone...gone...wooooooh.

In this first verse and build, we have two statements followed by a conclusion. The build acts as the conclusion, which introduces the idea expressed in the chorus. With the build in place, the chorus is set up—ready to be delivered--” You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.

Notice also that the music is rather static before the build. It’s not moving anywhere. It keeps coming back to the I chord. When the build starts, the music begins to have tension, moving into the IIm and IIIm chords, into the IV and V chords. The tension releases when the chorus comes in with the I chord.

Now there's no welcome look in your eyes

when I reach for you.

And now you're starting to criticize little things I do.

(build)

It makes me just feel like crying, (baby).

'Cause baby, something beautiful’s dying.

The same pattern is repeated in the second verse and build—Two statements, static changes, followed by a conclusion that uses movement toward the chorus again—and, once again, the chorus title is set up by “something beautiful’s dying”. The natural question on the listeners mind—why?—is answered by the first line of the chorus—“again, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”.

Another thing to recognize is that the melody in the build or pre-chorus is generally a bit higher than the verse it follows. Thus, there is a rising of melody to go along with the feeling of the build. In this manner, it acts to “bridge” a lower melody line in a verse with a higher melody in the chorus—setting itself somewhere in between the verse melody and the chorus melody, which is the highest melodic section of the song.

Whether a song uses a build or “pre-chorus” or not, it is important to note that the chorus in most songs strives to reach a higher melodic line than the verse. This lifts the chorus “up” and makes it stand out in contrast to the verse melody. Subconsciously, it notifies the listener that “this is the chorus” of the song.

Failing to conform to this unwritten rule has a strong tendency to make your verse and chorus sound the same—that is, ultimately not very interesting. By using a higher shift in melody when the chorus comes in, the writer provides contrast and a new and fresh sense of interest. Most listeners have been so indoctrinated by this technique that they will instantly feel like they missed the “payoff” of a good chorus melody if it is not supplied. Not being songwriters, they may not be able to tell you why, but they will know that something didn’t happen like they expected it to. Rock bands such as Nirvana and Led Zeppelin have used this technique to great effect many times—as have many pop and country artists.

As I previously mentioned, not all songs need a build. Most do not. When a verse is moving and creating tension from the start, chances are a pre-chorus will not be used. Likewise, if the lyrical idea is moving line by line toward the title in the chorus, a build is usually not needed. When a build IS employed, it is usually when both lyric and melody need to make a shift so that the verse can work its way logically to the chorus.

Other songs that employ a build include:

All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye—John Mayer

She’s Gone—Hall and Oates

The Bridge

We have already talked about the bridge section of a song in some detail, but I’d like to expand on the concept and synopsize the concept in general.

A bridge is a third musical section that is normally followed by two verses and two choruses. It enters the song where a third verse might otherwise be. A bridge can be either vocal or instrumental. In either case, it provides a harmonic deviation that sets it apart from the verse and the chorus. It can act musically as a literal bridge between a chorus and a third verse or a final chorus. It takes the listener momentarily away from the repetition of the verses and the chorus and provides a third musical section—like a slight vacation for the listener’s ears—before returning to either a verse or, more commonly, a final chorus. 

Like the pre-chorus (or build/climb), bridges usually occupy melodic territory that is higher than the verse, but not as high as the chorus. We always want to make the chorus stand out as the highest pinnacle of the song. When constructing a bridge melody, keep this fact in mind.

Another technical fact is that the bridge usually begins with a chord that the verse and the chorus haven’t begun with. The idea here is to let the bridge start from a different place. If a verse starts with a I chord and a chorus starts with a V chord, then the writer should choose another fresh chord to start the bridge with: a IV, IIm or VIm for example.

Lyrically, we want the bridge to say something that, a) hasn’t already been said, b) expresses the theme in a concise way—in a “nutshell”, c) takes a more philosophical take on the lyrics, theme and title or d) takes a new arc that can somehow come back to the chorus, giving the listener additional information that casts the chorus in a bit of a different light.

In a story song, a lyrical bridge can be used to introduce a new scene. It can also be used to make a leap in time in the story. In an instrumental chorus, it can act as an interlude and can also be used to give a sense that time has passed. 

 

The Intro and the Vamp

There are a couple other elements that can be used in songs. I’d like to discuss two of them. First, the intro. Often, it is a musical hook in itself and repeated between the first chorus and the second verse. It can be musically unique or it can use a main riff in the song. In any case, it is the first “signature” of your song, as well as an announcement that your song is starting to play. Good intro’s are almost like “brands” and make songs instantly recognizable.

In country music—and pop music to a great degree, the writer should try to make the intro concise. Short and sweet is the way to go. In a study of top hits, it was discovered that the intro generally runs no longer than fifteen seconds, then right into the song. So keep the intro length in mind so you get into your song as soon as you can.

Like some other the other song elements we have discussed, the intro is an option—not an iron clad rule. There is nothing wrong with starting a song by going right into a verse or a chorus. If you have a great sing along type of chorus, try it as an intro. It might work, depending on your song.

The Vamp

Basically, the vamp is an extended ending to a song. Often it uses a part of the chorus, which is repeated over and over. Instead of another full chorus, the vamp uses a piece of the chorus and repeats it.

Examples:

I Heard It Through the Grapevine—Marvin Gaye

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough—Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

The Pretender—Jackson Browne

You Give Love A Bad Name—Bon Jovi

Half of My Heart—John Mayer

The vamp can also be a vocal ad lib over the chord changes and groove of the song—a separate lyrical and performance element.

Let’s Get It On—Marvin Gaye

Last, a vamp can be an instrumental musical section reflecting a previous section of the song.

In a hit song, everything is important—everything matters.

 

Meter, Melody and Repetition

Meter, rhythmic phrasing and melody is a big key to drawing the listener in, allowing the listener to remember the song. Repetition of phrases, both melodically and rhythmically conveys a sense of form and structure to the listener. Let’s break this down.

First, what IS meter anyway? It is the pattern of accented and unaccented syllables in a lyric. We can count the number of syllables in a line. For example:

I’ll never be

your beast of burden

My back is strong

But it’s a hurtin

All I want

Is for you to make love to me

Notice that lines 1, 3 have symmetry—each four syllables

Lines 2 and 4 each have five syllables

Line 5 is close to lines 1 and 3—same emphasis at the end of the phrase

The sixth line is a variation on the other lines—8 syllables, but sharing some of the accents.

This sets up a basic pattern that the rest of the verses follow. Both the melodies and the meter follow this, with only slight variations to allow for the inclusion of things like two syllable words in places.

The next example shows a current technique that gets used often.

You make me smile like the sun

Fall out of bed, sing like bird

Dizzy in my head, spin like a record

Crazy on a Sunday night

You make me dance like a fool

Forget how to breathe

Shine like gold, buzz like a bee

Just the thought of you can drive me wild

Ohh, you make me smile  (Smile by Uncle Cracker)

This uses a four syllable phrase that gets repeated over and over—with the occasional use of a pick up syllable, like dizzy in the head and spin like a record. Notice that each line has a strong accent or stress on the first word of the phrase and uses basically the same melody.

There are two lines used that break up the pattern. Crazy on a Sunday night and Ohh, You make me smile.

The human brain seems to latch onto patterns. Think about the song “Single Ladies” by Beyonce. Whether you like it or hate it, the repetition of:

If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it

If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it

If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it

If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it

Creates a melodic and rhythmic hook that some call an earworm—cause it burrows into your brain—whether you want it to or not.

Let’s look at one more—2008 Grammy winner for Best Song in a Motion Picture—“Falling Slowly”

I don't know you

But I want you

All the more for that

Words fall through me

(And) always fool me

And I can't react

And games that never amount

To more than they're meant

Will play themselves out

(Take this sinking boat) (and point it home)

We've still got time

(Raise your hopeful voice) (you have a choice)

You'll make it now

Note the repetition and symmetry of the lines. Even though the melody makes slight changes in lines 1, 2 and 3, 4—the meter remains consistent. Lines 3 and 6 also mirror themselves in both meter and melody. Notice also the rise in melody notes on the words “time” and “now”. Such a device impacts the sensory experience of the listener and these “mirrored” melodies make the melody stick by use of repetition.

Such repetition allows the listener to assimilate and remember the song because there are relatively few actual parts to the whole. Its not like each line is totally different in terms of melody and structure of meter. The similarities make the song easier to remember.

The point here is to be aware of using repetition to your advantage. Also, to break up the repetition with lines that deviate from the basic pattern. The lines that deviate may also be incorporated into a separate pattern of their own. Using such techniques creates melodic and rhythmic structure that the human ear and mind can easily grasp. It also provides a sort of “payoff” to the listener when the pattern is easily identified and not too complex. If the same verse meter and melody is used in all verses, the effect is even stronger.

Exercise: Pick ten favorite songs and try to isolate the meter and the melody patterns that are used. Also note the lines that provide variation. 

Patterns: Are what people remember before they remember lyrics. Melodic phrases and, then, key lyrical phrases are what listeners latch onto first. These are usually tied to a repeated rhythm. In the grand scheme of things, the title and its musical hook are what first catches a listener’s attention. After that, the general melody line, groove and story line of the lyric begin to be assimilated. Notice that most of the songs you have even a slight familiarity with, you have the ability to sing the title.

Good songwriting requires both repetition and variation. Too much of the same thing becomes stale quickly, but too little repetition takes the “hooking power” out of a tune. Write with the idea of making your chorus different than the verse and make the bridge different from either.

FIRST DRAFT

First draft

Every song lyric begins with an idea. The first draft does not have to be the perfect and final version. When starting a lyric, the first draft is NOT the time to etch everything in stone—think in pencil instead. While perfectionism has its place, it can ruin the flow in the beginning. It is far more important to get the idea started and written down in rough form. There will be lines you’ll probably keep and some that you may wish to tweak or change when you come back to the song later, but don’t worry about that in the beginning. It’s better to have too much than to have nothing at all. So be free and enjoy your own creativity. Wallow in it, celebrate it and have fun with the whole process.

Strict perfectionism can freeze the artist’s creativity and cause writer’s block. Avoid it. Write down whatever seems to fit and what your imagination is running with as it comes to you. Nobody’s going to swoop down and judge you—so do not judge yourself at this stage. Let the ideas flow unedited, keeping your personal judge at bay for as long as possible. We all have that internal self-critical overseer, but tell him or her to take a break while you are letting your artistic voice run wild.

After you have completed this first stage, set the lyric aside for a day or two. Even if you aren’t thinking consciously about it, the subconscious often continues to work on the task. When you return to your lyric, you may find that you have a new idea or two. You will probably find better and more concise ways to say what you originally wrote. Then again—sometimes you get lucky with the first impulse. The point is to let things settle and then come back and see if you see your work a bit more objectively.  

OVERVIEW OF LYRICS

 

What Is A Lyric?

A lyric is a set of words that is meant to be sung. A poem is meant to be read. Lyrics follow melody lines, most poems do not. Lyrics rhyme—most modern poetry does not. While lyrics may use poetic devices like metaphor and alliteration, modern popular lyrics need to convey ideas in a conversational and accessible way.

What Is A Lyric?

Start with a strong opening line. The goal is to grab a listener’s attention and make him/her want to hear what is coming next. The first line—examples:

I got the call today, I didn’t want to hear, but I knew that it would come

I once had a girl—or should I say she once had me

I get a constant busy signal—when I call you on the phone

I met my old lover on the street last night

Well I woke up Sunday morning, with no way to hold my head that didn’t hurt

Your cheatin’ heart will make you weep

You never close your eyes anymore, when I kiss your lips

Is there anybody gonna listen to my story—all about the girl that came to stay

Last thing I remember is the freezing cold

Just take off your clothes, and I’ll drive you home, I said

I’ve dealt with my ghosts and I’ve faced all my demons

As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…

Perfect and imperfect/slant/near rhyme

Perfect rhyme:

Buy/try/fly/cry/die/sigh/

Pace/face/embrace/lace/

Sun/begun/fun/

Imperfect or “slant” rhyme:

Embrace/taste/praise

Love/enough/brush

Internal sounds rather than ending sounds

Scope and focus: How large or small is your story? Remember, a song does not need to cover an entire lifetime, though it could. Just as easily it could cover a week, a day or a few minutes. It can be one experience, or a story that evolves over time. It can be linear or it can jump around in time, depending on how the story needs to be told. Like a novel, it may begin in present time but reach back into the past for important details.

It may focus on a single place and a single moment in time, and many of the best songs do just that. Rather than trying to put the totality of human experience in a song, the point of view narrows to one small slice—one story out of many.

Write ONE idea

Each line points to, or relates to the title of the song or theme. (proving a title). Attempt to separate the essence of the idea from all the possible side roads that the idea could follow. Again, get a focus.

The object is to find the focus of your story and to ask what is needed to tell it. Picture the event or scene in your mind and build the story around a central idea. Ask yourself what is important about what you desire to communicate and focus on that one thing. Narrow the idea down until it stands alone.

If one is writing a love song, focus on the one object of your desire, Don’t wander into the six other relationships you had in detail. It just confuses the listener. Put the emphasis on the love you have now.

Decide what the story is about before you write a word. 

Personal and Universal—At first, these two terms may seem to be mutually exclusive, but if a song is written the right way, the personal becomes the universal. The key lies in finding the universal feelings within the personal story.

Every human being has loved and lost—had relationships. Every person has followed dreams, attempted to be noble, to face adversity, to be a friend. Certain human experiences—hunger, love, sex, honor, shame, struggle, guilt, friendship, death, loss, joy,  celebration, ambivalence, raising a family, idealism, etc—are universal emotions or feelings. A good lyric is all about how the particulars of your experience are framed in regard to the universal human experiences. 

Writing a letter to somebody, as if it was written to someone close to you. Having a conversation at a table with a trusted friend.  Writing as if you are talking to yourself. By focusing on how you feel, you can tap into the feelings that everybody feels in life.

There are only so many human experiences. Within those, however, there are a thousand particular stories that reflect those human experiences. As a songwriter, you become a mirror, reflecting those universal stories back to others through your particular experiences and truths.

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Lyrical functions of verse, pre-chorus, chorus and bridge: Telling a story, unfolding it in stages.

Verse—The details of the story, the expansion of the idea, the bit by bit revealing of the idea. First verse begins with a line that opens up the story and, hopefully, draws in the listener’s curiosity to hear what comes next. We can keep the listener’s attention by revealing the story a piece at a time, setting up a situation or tension that seeks resolution. (kind of like the news hooks us with “story at eleven” or “coming up next.”)

The verse should also lead logically into the chorus, so that when we hear the title in the chorus it answers or completes the thought at the end of the verse.

The second verse expands and reveals more of the story.

Care should be taken not to give away too much too soon. If everything has been said in the first verse, where do you go from there?

Pre-chorus, build, lift or climb (four terms for the same thing). Acts as a build toward the chorus—adding a different shape to the verse—adding a rising tension or as a “bridge” to the actual chorus. It helps to “set up” the chorus—especially the title. This component is actually not used very often and is not a mandatory piece of a verse. When it is used, the climb melody is usually a bit higher than the verse, but not as high as the chorus.  

Chorus—the synopsis—the condensed expression of the idea. The simplification of the theme. We don’t want (generally) new details—we want a capsule expression of the whole idea of the song. The chorus melody is almost always the highest melody section. Could it also be the lowest? Yes. What we want is contrast. We want enough change to keep things interesting for the listener.

On certain occasions, a chorus can have alterations to its lines, when it is advantageous to move a story along in time or to add slight variations for the sake of keeping it interesting. (See ‘The Heart Of The Matter.” ) Despite the alterations, we want to keep the overall construction of the chorus intact. (See “Half Of My Heart”. )

Bridge—The bridge provides contrast, variation, a philosophical view—possibly from a different POV from the rest of the song. It can provide a boiling down—an “in other words” or a comment on the whole theme from a different perspective. It may also be a final conclusion or a wrapping up or summing up of the songs idea.

Questions.

Length of verses and chorus. There is no pre-set formula for the number of lines for a verse or chorus. General options would include the four or 8 line verse, or the four line verse with a two or four line pre-chorus. Remember the old axiom: don’t bore us—get to the chorus!

A concise chorus would be four lines, but could easily be eight lines.

Remember: we live in an era of the short attention span. The quicker we can get to a chorus and the faster we can complete that chorus and get on to the next verse, the more likelihood there is of keeping the listeners attention as the song moves along. 

Songs with long verses and choruses tend to “want” to be ABAB songs. When you have a shorter verse or chorus, time opens up to add a bridge.

Where to put the title—One device is to place the title at the end of the verse and then, place it in the first line of the chorus and again at the end of the chorus. (See “Poor Poor Pitiful Me. V1”) While this method can work, it can also introduce a redundancy and water down the title to a degree.

Another very effective placement is to reserve the title for the chorus only, placing it in the first line. A third method is to “bookend” the title, placing it in the first line and the last line of the chorus. I prefer this method, but I also like putting the title in the first line or the last line.

Another effective technique at times is to repeat the title ONLY in the chorus, with no other supporting lyrics. Some songs use only the title. Makes for an easy chorus write in the right kind of song.

Consider that the title is a hook. The more times the listener hears the title, the better the chance is that they will remember the title after they hear the song.

If the title ends in a difficult rhyme, it can be placed the line BEFORE the last. This is often effective. (The Moon’s A Harsh Mistress)

Tense—refers to the time the tale is told in.  The past? (Before The Deluge) The present? (Boys Of Summer).  The future?

A song can begin in past tense, viewing the past—and then move into the present if the story has a present time component—as in “now, here is what is happening today.” (Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner.” “Still Crazy After All These Years”)

The key here is to not confuse the listener in regard to time. If it is a tale told in a past time, make the past tense clear to the listener. Don’t jump around in time without a strong purpose. If it is present tense, the story is told in the “now”.  A song can explore the past and the present, but generally it will flow logically from one to the other. Avoid sudden shifts back and forth between the past and the present because such shifts introduce confusion.

Tense—

Past—I was playing guitar

Present-I am playing guitar

Future—I will be playing guitar

While a song does not need to adhere strictly to tense, it is good practice to maintain tense section to section and not jump back and forth. Follow tense like you would in a conversation:

Virgil Kane is my name

And I rode on the Danville train

Till Stoneman’s calvary came and tore up the tracks again

In the winter of sixty five

We were hungry—just barely alive

By May the 10^th,. Richman had fell

It’s a time I remember oh so well

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Point Of View—The point of view that the story is told and seen by. As in literature, there are several points of view.

1. First person singular. Told from the limited personal view of the singer, from his/her own vantage point in life.  First person plural—“we”.
2. Second person—singing to the “you” or sung to a particular person—as if you are talking to them. Can be a general or specific “you.” Careful not to preach. Just the Way You Look Tonight.
3. Third person—he, she, they and the collective “we”.

In general, its good practice to stick to the point of view you start with to avoid confusion on the part of the listener. If it is beneficial to change the point of view, do it consistently. In “Lyin’ Eyes” by the Eagles, the verses are all in third person but the choruses are written in second person. 

Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” shifts from first person in the verses to first person plural and alternately, third person in the choruses.

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Keys and Chord Theory for Songwriters

There are twelve keys in modern music: C, Db, D, Eb, E, F, F#, G, Ab, A, Bb, B.  My goal here is to sidestep as much technical music theory as possible, and get down to a list of chord choices in these keys. Every key works in the same way, it’s just that the chord families are relatively lower or higher in pitch, depending on the key.

For example: Playing C, Am, F and G has the same sound as playing G, Em, C and D. The difference is only one of relative pitch. Try it and see. Or, if you play guitar, play the first progression in C and then put a capo on your guitar and play the exact same thing. All that has changed is the relative pitch.

So, basically, if you can understand how chords work in one key, you can understand how they work in every other key too.

The fundamental chords in a key are derived from the major scale of that key. In the key of C, the notes of a C major scale are:

C, D, E, F, G, A, B

SEE THAT THERE ARE SEVEN NOTES. Each chord shares three of the notes from the major scale. That will give us seven chords that we can categorize by number. In the Nashville number system, which is a convenient way of charting out chord changes, each chord gets a Roman numeral. Without diving into the theoretical “why”, let’s list these chords.  (m=minor)

I   IIm   IIIm   IV   V   VIm   VII

C  Dm   Em    F     G   Am  G7

For simplicity’s sake, we can forget the VII chord for now and wind up with:

I   IIm   IIIm   IV   V   VIm  

C  Dm   Em    F     G   Am 

This gives us three major chords and three minor chords (m).

The I  is called the tonic, the IV is called the subdominant and the V is called the dominant. There have been hundreds of thousands of songs written with only the  I, IV and V--C, F and G in the key of C.

If we shift our thinking to minor, we can superimpose the same relationship (I, IV, V) using the VI, IIm, and the III, which is now major rather than minor. The VI becomes the tonic, IIm chord becomes the subdominant and the III chord becomes the dominant. 

In either case, all of the other chords can also be used to create a progression.  For example, here is a chord progression using the I as the tonic:

C-G-Am-F

C-G-F-C-Dm-C

Here is a chord progression using the VI as the “tonic”, yet still technically in the key of C. This is common in songs that are in minor keys.

Am-F-G-Am

Dm-Am-E7-Am

Just about every minor song is based around the VIm chord. It becomes the tonal “center”, so in C, the Am would be assigned the status of “tonic”, even if just for conceptual purposes. In each key, the VI chord is also known as the relative minor. In C, the root of the  VIm chord (A) can be found by moving a step and a half down from the C note, which is the root of the major scale in C.

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A lot can be done with just those six chords, but there are more possibilities besides those major and minor chords, even if we stick to the same six basic chords for now. The first option we have is to alter the IIm, IIIm and VIm chords. We can choose to make any one or even all of them major if we choose and if it fits the musical purpose of our song melody.  For example, we could make all the chords major and end up with this:

C-A-D-G-C

Or

C-E-A-D-G-C

We can choose to keep some of the original minor chords minor and just change one or two to major chords. For example:

C-E-Am-C

F-A-Dm-G

Still sticking with the same six chords, we can also make the IV (subdominant) and the V (dominant) minor if we so desire. For example:

C-Dm-Fm- C   Or

C-Gm-C7-F

Fm-C-D-G

We could also make the IIm and IIIm into a major chord and get this:

Am-D-Am-E7-Am

Starting with our six chords, we have added five variations, giving us eleven possible chords in the key of C, using major and minor possibilities. And we haven’t even looked at that VII chord we have ignored so far.

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While most popular music organizes itself around these basic six chords, there are still a lot of variations and options that we have to look at. These chords fall outside the notes of the major scale but are commonly used. Let’s look at three useful ones right now. They are the bVII, the bIII and the #V.  All get a lot of use, especially in rock, but also in genres as diverse as bluegrass and hip hop. Music, regardless of style, still uses the same elements, so this information will serve you in creating music in the style you want to write in.

Let’s look at the first one—the bVII. In C, it would be a Bb chord—one whole step down from the C, or tonic. A common progression using the bVII would be something like:

C-Bb-F-C

We’ve all heard that a million times.

The next is the bIII. In the key of C it would be an Eb chord.  A common progression would look like this:

C-Eb-F-C

It is often used along with the bVII chord, giving us chord progressions like these:

C-Eb-Bb-F  or C-Bb-Eb-F

Ok. So let’s look at the #V, which is a half step up from the normal V dominant chord. It will be a G# in the key of C. It often functions as a chord that is moving toward the V, but it can also stand on its own as a part of a general chord progression. As a chord moving toward the dominant, it might be used like this:

C-Am-G#-G-C  or F-Dm-G#-G-C

Without resolving to the V chord, it could be used like this:

G#-Eb-Bb-F-C or Fm-Bb-Eb-G#-C#-G-C

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Now, we have 14 different chord possibilities built around the basic key of C. So what about this VII chord that we have avoided like the plague? Well, it has its uses at times. As an extension of a V7 chord, it can become a diminished chord with the root of B. Like this:

C-Bdim-Dm7-C

It can also be used as VIIm to move your progression to a VIm chord via a III chord. Lennon/McCartney did this in “Yesterday”:

C-Bm7-E7-Am

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While this discussion certainly leaves out some odd changes, it covers almost everything a songwriter needs to create good chord progressions with movement, surprise and continual interest. I have purposely left off the concept of modulation into different keys for now. Still, this information offers a multitude of possibilities to create interesting chord changes to build songs and melodies around.

Last, I would like to list all these chords in the common keys as a reference. Experiment with using different combinations. Listen to the “color” of each chord. Feel the particular tension each chord exhibits and note where it wants to move harmonically to your ear. All these chords want to eventually get back to the I chord—the tonic chord of the key you are in. Each has a sort of personality and tension as it seeks where it wants to move harmonically.

In the following list, remember that the minor chords can also be turned into major chords. The IV and V chords can be converted to minor.

I    IIm   IIIm   IV   V   VIm   VII  bVIII   bIII  #V

C   Dm   Em     F     G   Am    G7   Bb       Eb     G# (Ab)

D   Em    F#m   G    A    Bm    A7   C         F       Bb

E    F#m G#m  A    B    C#m  B7   D         G      C

F    Gm   Am   Bb   C    Dm    C7   Eb       Ab    Db (C#)

G    Am   Bm    C    D    Em    D7   F         Bb     Eb   

A    Bm    C#m   D   E    F#m   E7   G        C       F

B    C#m   D#m   E  F#   G#m   F#7 A        D      G

An introduction to lyrics—Every song needs a strong idea and a lyric that conveys the essence of that strong idea.