The Songwriter Forum - songwriting reviews, tips and chat
Songwriter Forum => The Writing Process => Topic started by: Hooded Singer on September 21, 2016, 06:45:00 PM
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???
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Generally 4...
Verse
Chorus
Verse
Chorus
Bridge
Chorus
Chorus
Every song is different and I may start with a chorus etc. but generally this structure (with optional pre-chorus) would be my preferred structure, which is very tried and tested
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It´s different for every song. I´ll repeat it as many times as I think the song needs. Just do what you feel sounds good.
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Pop is getting more complex these days with arrangements -
Jess Glynn - 'Hold My Hand'
VERSE
PRE CHORUS
CHORUS 1
CHORUS 2!
VERSE
PRE CHORUS
CHORUS 1
CHORUS 2
BRIDGE
CHORUS 1
CHORUS 2
Like it or not - a lot of pop arrangement is getting more interesting.
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Interesting and eternal question. Lately I like to split a chorus into 2 lines PreChorus and 2 lines chorus, then I might develop the lyric in the pre - but I try to keep the chorus the same throughout.
GTB
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As many times as the song requires.
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As many times as the song requires.
I anticipated this would be said and inserted 'generally' into the title but it didn't stop you from saying it :D
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If it's good as many times as possible. Start, middle and ending, and repeat it a few times before you finish. Include solo over fading chorus outro to suit.
:)
Neil
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Unless it's a brill chorus or the verses are a bit dull ,3/4 times will do.
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The JESS GLYNN example is a great one
You can't have enough repeating elements in modern pop - the great skill with pop writers is that they manage to repeat sections to breed familiarity without becoming annoying (although some songs cross this fine line)
Even the verses and pre-chorus in that song sound really hooky - could the structure be "chorus, chorus, chorus..." a la the Dave Grohl school of pop writing:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YFHD7kuAqu4
When you are ever stuck just ask yourself WWDD (What Would Dave Do) ;)
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The JESS GLYNN example is a great one
You can't have enough repeating elements in modern pop - the great skill with pop writers is that they manage to repeat sections to breed familiarity without becoming annoying (although some songs cross this fine line)
Even the verses and pre-chorus in that song sound really hooky - could the structure be "chorus, chorus, chorus..." a la the Dave Grohl school of pop writing:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YFHD7kuAqu4
When you are ever stuck just ask yourself WWDD (What Would Dave Do) ;)
This was really cool, thanks for sharing.
It gave me a new perspective when looking back on some lines that I had, I thought I had a modest amount of verses but when you pick one verse to be the chorus (a few catchy lines that roll off the tongue easily and can be said differently easily), then you can keep repeating that and it doesn't actually sound bad... it's a fresh way of looking at it, excessively using the chorus for the crutch to get duration up and lightly using some verses to break it up. It works in some instances.
Nice nice.
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As many times as the song requires.
I anticipated this would be said and inserted 'generally' into the title but it didn't stop you from saying it :D
The classics are the classics for a reason!
Seriously: it does depend on the song, for me.
Sometimes I open up the song with the chorus and, in those songs, there is generally one or two more repeats that in others.
So, in songs that start with the chorus, it's generally 4 or 5 times.
In songs that open with a verse, 3 or 4 times.
Unless I repeat the chorus as an outro, in which case there'll be another time or 2 in there.
And, it also depends how long the chorus is, itself. If's it's a 1-line refrain, then I tend to repeat it a bit more than if its a 3- or 4-line chorus with a pre-chorus and all that.
So, getting back to my initial post... as many times as the song requires.
:-\
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As many times as the song requires.
WHAT HE SAID:
Instead of listening to advice from the likes of US, listen to your song. It will tell you what it needs if you listen carefully enough.
I've seldom dared to only use one chorus. But sooner or later, a song will demand that, and I'll do it.
My advice on this subject is "don't take any advice."
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But the question wasn't "how many times SHOULD you repeat a chorus" or what is the the "right" amount of times to repeat a chorus - it was how many times do you generally repeat a chorus
Whether we thing we are breaking the mound with out songwriting or not I am pretty sure if you look back through your songs you will have a "general" consistency of shorts repetition
Just looking at this thread it seems to be around 3 - 6
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Minimum three times. Changes from song to song. I'd say minimum of three to get it over.
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In this song, I never repeated a chorus. Just kept writing straight through. A linear-type composition. It was fun to write and a little challenging.
https://hoponpop.bandcamp.com/track/tortured-artist
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I would say 3 or 4 times. Although a significant number of my songs have no chorus.
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I would say 3 or 4 times. Although a significant number of my songs have no chorus.
Interesting. . . I have no songs that do not have a definable chorus. AND, (to the best of my recollection) I've never written a bit of lyric or music intending it to be the chorus.
I write the "Story/Song" then decide what is verse/chorus/bridge etc.
The structure does not dictate to me what I write because I pay no attention to the structure until after the initial write.
It is my opinion that if I were to try to write a "chorus," that the "chorus" I would write would kind of suck. I try to "follow" the storyline instead of "pushing" it. I'm not the best judge of how well that works for me. . . but I'm committed to it.