(This is an article in the series “Songwriting For Beginners”. We are filing the series under the Songwriting Basics category.)

The great thing about music is that there are so many different possibile structures. The structure I focus on is American folk music. Within this category, the possibilities are still endless, but hopefully I can give you some ideas.

Verse/ Chorus

Most songs have various arrangements of verses (V) and a chorus (C). The chorus, also called the refrain, is often repeated multiple times within the song. Words typically change for each verse, the words in the chorus words remain basically the same every time it is repeated.

Some basic arrangements of verses and chorus are:

1. V C V C
   This is a very symmetrical pattern with no surprises. For example, if your verse is 4 lines long, and your chorus is 4 lines long also, you’d have 4 lines verse followed by 4 lines of chorus. You repeat this pattern as many times as you’d like.

2. V V C V C
   I use this pattern a lot. After two verses, the song begs for a change in pace. This is the time for the chorus, which really is the high point of your song. The theory here is that once they have tasted the chorus, your listeners will want more of it, so you only sing one verse before the next chorus.

3. V V C V C C
   This variation is similar to #2, except you repeat the chorus a second time.

As you can see the variations of verses and chorus is endless. My first songs consisted of only verses. Next, I began to add a chorus. Later I started to add more parts.

Bridge

The bridge (B) is a third melodic theme in a song. I also think of it as a break or change of pace for the song. The bridge stands out but it uses different tempo, new chords, or something else that’s distinctive. Bridges are typically short. I often make my statement (or a realization) in the bridge. Another approach is to bridge with a musical break, like some lead guitar.

I find writing bridges to be the most challenging part of songwriting. I use all my creativity in coming up with two melodies (i.e. the verse and chorus), finding a third sometimes is just too tough. An example of where to place the bridge is:

V C V B C

Where to put a bridge in is always a debate. In most cases, I insert the bridge about two thirds of the way into the song. I have also added the bridge at the end of a song.

Introduction (I) or Ending (Outro or O)

You can add short melodies in the beginning or your song to set the mood for your lyrics. The same can be added at the end of a song. An old friend gave me this tip, “people remember the beginning and ending of your song, they forget the middle.” So, make the beginning and end of your songs memorable.

Pre-Chorus (P)

You can add lines or an instrumental break between the verse and chorus to set up that you’re going into your chorus.

Putting this all together

When I started writing songs, I was lucky to get one musical component, i.e. verses. Later I began to add a second musical theme, a chorus. Then I got to bridges and on. In the song, “Ode to the Canyon” I added all these components, with a structure like this.

I V V P C V P C B C C O

Knowing all these components doesn’t mean you need to use all of them. In “Hear I am,” which I just finished, I only used verses and a bridge. The pattern was:

V V B V V

Happy songwriting!

Republished with permission by Jeff’s Songwriting