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Writing a standard pop song? Something not quite right?

Let’s try going through some basic troubleshooting to see if we can find out what the problem is.

1. Have you used a pop song structure?

The standard pop song is an extension of the older 32 bar song structure. Or if you like, a compound AABA structure with each A containing a verse and a chorus.

What am I talking about? The pop song basically states the verse and chorus material, restates it, then contrasts this with a B section, then returns to the (verse and) chorus material.

Have you done that with your song? AABA? Have you forgotten one of the sections, or added too many? (you can use intro, pre-chorus or coda)

2. Do your chords work?

 Lots of songwriters (myself included) start with a chord progression. What I mean by ‘do they work?’  depends on the key and harmonic ideas you’re using, but one of the most important ideas is that of tension and release. Are you asking musical questions in the right place?

For example, have you used chords to create musical tension at the end of your bridge, leading into your chorus. Say your blues song has a chorus that starts on the tonic chord F. If the bridge also ends on an F, there won’t be the same tension and release as there would be if your bridge ends on a C7 chord.

Do that and the move from C7 to F will be much more interesting for the listener.

Another important thing to look at is your harmonic rhythm: how foten you change chords. Are you changing chord once per bar for the entire song? Maybe that’s why it isn’t working. Try having sections where the chords change more or less frequently.

3. Have you got contrast in the right places?

As a very very general map, a pop song often has a verse with a lower pitched melody than the chorus. A chorus often has a more ‘lyrical’ melody while the verse is more rhythmic.

Gary Ewer has a great blog post on the difference between verse and chorus.

One of the most important places that contrast is needed is after the second chorus. If you’re really unsure, use the middle section to do the exact opposite of whatever the rest of the song does. Writing an up beat dance song? The middle section could be slow with no drum beat. Writing ballad? The middle is where you bring in the drums and pick up the pace.

None of this is gospel, but an effective song has to have contrast of some sort.

4. Does the song develop?

This one’s the biggie – it lets down a lot of songs, even commercial hits (because as we all know a song can be a commercial hit and an artistic ‘failure’).

If the last chorus is exactly the same as the first, is there any point in repeating it? If the song stays at the same level dynamically, if it doesn’t have enough contrast in harmony or instrumentation it will not work.

Common fixes, aside from the harmonic and dynamic ideas we spoke about in the middle section:

• Change instrumentation in the second verse – a counter melody here, or even taking out the chord instruments to leave bass drums and vocals, can work wonders.
• Add an extra part in the final chorus – vocal ad libs, a counter melody, or if you’re really brave save the drum kit until the final chorus
• Change key – this needs to be handled with care, as you’re in danger of sounding very cheesy if you change key for the last chorus. Then again, you might want to sound cheesy.

The point is that, however you do it, a song needs to gain energy as it progresses. There are multiple ways of doing that, by having a quiet intro, by contrasting half term and full time sections, by drastically changing instrumentation for some sections, by bringing in an unexpected sax solo.

However you do it, a successful song develops.

Will this article help with every possible problem? No. In fact there are whole areas of songwriting I haven’t even touched on. Hopefully it should get you thinking about how to fix your songs.

If you’ve got some more ideas about common songwriting problems, please leave them in the comments.