[Mike67]

I'm in the process of recording my 3rd song, and something I'm struggling with is the intro section. The one I'm currently working on has had around 3 different intro sections, and the one I have now has more of a jazz feel, but that's out of kilter with the rest of the song.  I'll play around with the other guitar parts to try and make it work as a whole, but I wondered how you all approach writing intro's, where in the process you do that, and whether the intro can result in a different approach to recording a song?

Mike

[Boydie]

Intros can be tricky little things

I like to keep them as short as possible, 90% of "amateur songwriters" have an intro that is at least twice as long as it needs to be IMHO so I consciously strive to keep it short

For me an intro ONLY needs to establish the vibe of the song to catch the listeners attention before the vocal starts

This could be a short run of chords, a little melodic hook, or simply a fill

So if you wanted to "follow the rules" I would suggest working the intro so that it "sets up" the song

HOWEVER, the only rule in songwriting is: there are no rules

So if you want a completely contrasting intro to the rest to the song then go for it!!

All I would suggest is that you consider the approach and make a conscious decision, which you are clearly doing as you have posted here 

[Mike67]

I agree on intro length. A forum member made that exact comment on one of my songs and I thought, really? But I cut it in half, listened, and it was better by a mile.

Mike

[Yodasdad]

I also try to keep intros short these days for the same reasons as Boydie pointed out. I actually like long intros myself, take hotel California for example, that wouldn't be the song it is without the intro.

I appreciate though that in this modern age of short attention spans and immediate gratification, they're not in vogue.

I often take my original intro, halve it and there it is.

I also now often end up adding the intro in last, and have to work hard to make sure it doesn't sound like a bolt on. When I hadn't used to pay attention to intro length, the used to come first and the song grew from there, still does sometimes.

Usually a chord sequence that's coming up in the song works well. Either the first part of the first verse or end of the chorus work well. If you're going for commercial sounding stuff, it's good to try and get some kind of a hook in there from the off, again, chorus material can be a good place to look if you're adding the intro in later.

I've got one old song where I decided to scrap the intro altogether and just go straight into v1. Interestingly it's my least favourite song of mine.

Yodasdad

[Martinswede]

Hi Mike!

I think of intros in two ways. Either as a building block
or as an essential part of the song. The first way is
seeing the song as a product where different parts have
different defined functions. The second is more artistic in
it's ambitions and might call for a song that is a bit longer.

Since I've only got guitar for my instrumentation, intros are
a bit hard for me to arrange. Mostly I use the verse chords
as they are or even simpler just the first chord two bars.

If you use several instruments a nice build up always works.

- Martin

[Skub]

Have the guitar blatter through the chorus chords on it's own,then hit everyone up the face with bass and drums.

Subtle,me? 

This revolutionary technique may not work well on ballads. 

[PaulAds]

My favourite version of my favourite song has a way too long intro and much musical dawdling...and comes in around 5:20 total...but when I hear the single edit...it always feels way too short.

Whenever your team win a football game, match of the day highlights are way too short...but when you get your asses kicked, it seems to go on forever...

Please Please Yourself 

[PopTodd]

Some songs don't even need intros, you know? A pop song, for instance, you might want to get to the hook straight-off. No filler. "Don't bore us. Get to the chorus," kind of thing.

When I have an intro, I like to end it on the 7 chord... it's always a nice lead in dontchya know.

But yeah, to repeat what a couple other folks said, I am for keeping the intros relatively short. When you do have one, that is.

[Sing4me88]

I'm a big believer in getting the hook - or some part of it at least - into the intro. If I remember correctly research shows that 7 - 13 secs tends to be the intro length for commercially successful songs in the charts. A long intro means inevitably delaying the chorus further although if the intro takes the chorus hook as its basis this is clearly less of an issue. I think there can be ways to make an intro quite creative in really simple ways - the drum solo intro to Land Down Under by Men at Work for example. For anyone writing with a view to commercial success there is less of a luxury to draw out the intro. Given that A&R will likely have made a decision to pass or take on after listening to about 15 secs the need to hit them in the face with quality from the off is fairly obvious.

[Gill]

I personally find intro's hard to do to and if I'm stuck, I just tend to let the drum line in the song become the intro then blend it in to the verse 1