October 1, 2025 • 20 mins
Songwriters often think about taking listeners on a journey lyrically… but then forget to do the same melodically. In this episode coach Juliana and I break down what song structure is and why it’s important.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
I sometimes am kind of blown away
(00:02):
by how many people cannot really identify
where a verse starts and ends
or a pre chorus starts and ends
or a chorus and what not
obviously to us as singers
especially if we've been singing from a very young age
we know the ins and outs
but to people that are starting their music journey
it might be a little confusing
so we will break it down for you
yes and it is important that you know what a verse
(00:25):
a pre chorus a chorus
and a bridge is
I think those are the four most important parts
like if you're writing just regular degular
schmegular pop songs
it's very possible that it's the same two three
four chords throughout the whole song
yeah I've written many of those songs
I actually think it's a good exercise
to write a song
where you don't change any of the chords
so that you can learn how to create contrast
(00:45):
with your melodies
not just with your chord progressions
Hey Vox Star
and welcome to from singer to artist
I'm Lara Chapman award winning singer and songwriter
turned viral vocal coach and the host of this show
(01:05):
at VoxTape Studios
we help singers from all over the world
level up their voices
by teaching them the three fundamental skills
all singers need technique
awareness and artistry
whether you're looking to go pro
or just develop your voice for fun
my team and I are here to help
check the link in the description
to book your first session
or grab some of our other resources
(01:26):
Alrighty are you ready
let's get started if all the songs you're writing
are starting to sound the same
or you don't really know how to write a song
in the first place
so that you know it actually flows well
and that people can follow along with your song
and they're not getting lost in the song
or click to the next song because they're like ugh
this is boring or this is too complicated and what not
well welcome to today's episode
(01:47):
and welcome Coach Juliana from our team
hello hello hello
thank you for joining
today we're gonna talk about song structure
and I think that's really important and a lot of times
people just kind of skip over song structure
I mean I sometimes am kind of blown away
(02:07):
by how many people cannot really identify
where a verse starts and ends
or a pre chorus starts and ends
or a chorus and what not
do you sometimes see that in your lessons too
a lot I'm like
let's go to the second verse
you're like where is that
like oh
let's do a little bit of a refresher
(02:28):
if you will cause it's so important
and obviously to us as singers
especially if we've been singing from a very young age
we know the ins and out
but to people that are starting their music journey
it might be a little confusing
so we will break it down for you
yes and it is important that you know what a verse
a pre chorus a chorus and a bridge is
I think those are the four most important parts
(02:50):
but I think it's important that you know what it is
so that you can write songs where people are like oh
I'm following now
that doesn't mean that you need to write
like a typical like verse
pre chorus chorus verse
pre chorus chorus bridge
chorus song every single time you write a song
like that's like the base structure of a song right
you don't have to follow that exact formula
(03:11):
every time you write a song
but it's a good starting point
and then you know
if you're a little bit more of a jazzy
kind of girly or dude
then you know you can
you can branch out and like
start doing different things too
like no bridge or well
I guess and there's also verse refrain songs
which are different so anyways
(03:33):
let's maybe start by
by talking about the two different kinds of songs
you have like
regular chorus songs which is the verse
pre chorus chorus
that kind of song which is like
I don't know 95% of songs at least
and then you have a verse refrain song
now those are different do you wanna explain what
what how those are different
verse refrain songs
yeah so those are
(03:55):
let's think of I'm pretty sure everyone knows this song
if not go listen to it
cause it's a classic blowing in the wind by Bob Dylan
so we have a little bit of a verse
and like
he tells us what's going on
and then I think it's called a B right
so we have a section that repeats
no a section that describes
(04:15):
and then the section the B section that repeats
so a B is always gonna be a little bit longer on the
on the verse
and then it's probably two lines of a refrain
usually is and then you go to another a section
and then you repeat the same B section
and again and again and again
um make you feel my love
also by Bob Dylan
(04:36):
that's the one that I thought you were gonna say
famous by Adele yes
I thought you were gonna say that
one haha
it's more it's more of a folky thing to do
um it's not
it's not as popular in pop music
but it is very cool and it's
you know sometimes it
it depends on the
on the type of song you're wanting to write
(04:56):
and the specificity
specificity the specific spit that's the word
um cause
you know sometimes songs allow you to go that
that way there's a another one
I think cardigan by Taylor Swift is also verse refrain
but anyway you can
(05:17):
you can look it up if you're very curious
but basically it's not your common pop structure
yeah that's it
so if we look at the make you feel my love
cause I have that song
front and center in my brain right now
the B section right
the refrain line
the thing that repeats is to make you feel my love
love
and that's it it's like the phrase that almost like
(05:40):
replaces the chorus right
like cause that's the part that repeats over and over
and over and over again
and it's always to make you feel my love
all the time every day
and every single verse right
so I instead of using like a B
I just say verse refrain
verse refrain
but it's the same thing but then
(06:00):
sometimes you have another section in there that's like
I know you
I will never do you wrong
that's not the verse anymore right
cause the verse is when the rain is blowing in
obviously it's different right
so that's um
I Learned to call this a bridge
you too
(06:21):
yeah yeah yeah
yeah'cause it's it's what's connecting
um the verse to the refrain at that point
yeah so like it's yeah
I think a bridge is fine yeah
some sometimes people think that that's the chorus
but it's not a verse refrain song doesn't have a chorus
the refrain line and the lyrics are different
(06:42):
the lyrics are gonna be different every bridge
yes before that refrain yes
so that's usually a a
a tell mm hmm
if it's a chorus or not like
are the lyrics the same or not
yeah but also
it's not that important like
as long as you're making sense of it
and it flows and people are feeling it cool
but of course
(07:02):
it is important to know what they are
so that you can write it and you can kind of like
guide your song yeah
in a in a way that is digestible for people
yeah and I would recommend
like if you're new to songwriting and you don't feel
like super
super comfortable
and confident in your songwriting skills just yet
(07:22):
maybe don't start with a verse refrain song
let's maybe start with just a regular chorus song
yeah
that would be easier for sure
yeah yeah
so with a regular chorus song
like I said
I think the most common song structure is verse 1
pre chorus chorus
verse 2 pre chorus chorus
bridge chorus
(07:44):
yeah that's just the overall structure
and most songs
follow some sort of version of that structure
so let's maybe break down how people can identify
before like we say
like this is usually what's happening in a verse
and usually what's happening in a pre chorus
how can people identify when they moved
like
when we've moved on to a different part in the song
(08:05):
when we're now not yeah exactly
mm hmm yeah
we wanna look out for breaks in patterns
so usually a verse
haha sorry
makes me so happy haha
yeah songs are freaking cool man
um we have a pattern that's being repeated
that's what a pattern is um
through verses right
(08:26):
so we have maybe four lines of the same pattern
maybe there's a little bit of contrast here and there
but it's the same you hear the same structure
you hear a very similar melody play through
and then something shifts that is maybe a little lifted
that has a little bit more energy
that's usually the pre chorus
the song is not exploding yet
there's not the full beat
(08:46):
maybe isn't there yet um
but usually it's shorter than the verse
it's usually half or two lines
depending on on the song
obviously every song's different
but the pattern breaks the melody changes
the rhythm changes a little bit
there might be a a rhythmic feel that's different
(09:06):
and it's telling you that something's coming right
it's kind of like building anticipation for yep
another section yep
so yeah that's
that's kind of cool the pattern breaks
it's as simple as that right now it's like okay
this is different the melody's different
the pattern's different everything's different
so that's how you know
you have arrived in a different song section
now it's just a matter of figuring out
(09:26):
what is that song section
so what is usually happen in a verse
usually they happen at the beginning of the song
sometimes a song starts with a chorus
yeah but usually it starts with a verse one
besides being at the beginning of the song
what else is usually a good description for a verse
it's setting the scene it usually introduces the
(09:49):
the song theme the song idea
um if there's a character
you're gonna find out if it's
if they're talking about I or you
uh huh there's
you know that persona identification as well
so it's just the kind of like the first page of a book
yeah you're like
being introduced yeah
(10:10):
to this song so yeah
some songs do start with the chorus
and usually those songs are a little bit more
like upbeat and they're more Poppy
or maybe more dance tunes
it depends of course
not everything is like that
but in your regular pop song
we start with the first one
yeah just introducing
I would also say melody wise
it's usually lower in pitch
(10:33):
mm hmm uh
it can it can be wordier than other parts
it can also be less wordy
it just really kind of depends
depends yeah
hahaha
um and yeah I I
I'm just trying to think about the songs that I wrote
um
it's it's a little bit of a mix
but usually the verses are wordier
(10:53):
than the other parts of the song
but again it always depends
um but yeah
usually lower in pitch right
yeah then pre chorus
you already mentioned that before
it feels like it's building right
like it it's yeah anticipating
we're anticipating something
that's the feel that we get from it
the pattern is different now
right but it feels very building
(11:14):
so like a melody that goes up
for example like BA BA
that goes up
and that's anticipating that note right there
and now we're in the chorus uh
but again it feels building
so the melody can it doesn't have to
but it can go up um
(11:35):
what else in the pre chorus
core changes
usually the core progression modifies a little bit
not always but usually pre choruses are different um
cause you're just wanting to have a little bit of
a different texture a different feel from the verse
again to create that contrast and have it be different
but also
(11:56):
cause we wanna make it feel like the chorus is home
like
we wanna make sure that it feels like the big thing
that people are gonna remember
so that's why there's a little bit of change there
okay yeah
the chorus feels like home
I like that it's like the land
like the the
the plane has landed haha yeah
the chorus right
(12:16):
it's like and we're here
we are yup
welcome yes
haha yeah
so chorus is gonna be higher notes
bigger um
more emotion more intensity
maybe not as wordy some courses can be wordy
but it it feels a little bit more intentional and more
um punchy
(12:37):
especially in pop if we're talking about pop
um so yeah
choruses are bigger they are gonna be catchier melodies
yeah simpler melodies than the verse
so that people can remember them
yes um
and yeah
sometimes it's the same chord progression as the verse
but usually um
(12:57):
there's a little shift in here with some of those
of those chords but it's not that important
it really depends on the style that you're writing
like if you're writing just regular degular
schmegalar pop songs
it's very possible that it's the same two or three
four chords throughout the whole song
yeah I've written many of those songs hahaha
um I actually think it's a good exercise
to write a song
(13:18):
where you don't change any of the chords
so that you can learn how to create contrast
with your melodies
not just with your chord progressions
yeah anyways
a song that just came to mind to me
when you were talking
is never really over by Katy Perry
have you heard that song
and we have a pop song exercise for that song
oh I know that exercise hahaha OK
(13:39):
there you go people
my people my students
they have probably hated me and you at some point
because of that exercise
but now they're grateful and now they love it
there you go perfect
you're welcome um
so you said usually courses are not as worthy
this would be an example of the opposite
opposite it's yeah
just because it's over doesn't mean it's really over
(14:00):
and if I think it over maybe I'll be coming over again
and have to get over you all over again
like literally
that's the chorus
it's all the same notes and a lot of words
um so this would be a
an example of exactly how it
how it can be done differently too
uh but you said usually it's simpler to sing
like the melody doesn't go all over the place
(14:21):
that would be a great example for that
it's one note hahaha
it is one note through the whole
through the whole thing um
birds of a feather
um
that the pre chorus is all just like one or two notes
um yeah
oh my god how does it go birds
(14:47):
whatever the lyrics are right
and then the chorus is I don't
I'm crying for whatever um
and a lot of people think that the pre chorus is
the chorus is it a chorus
because it feels like a chorus
but it's actually pre chorus
um yeah
but anyways it's a great song
it is it is a really good song
I like that song um
(15:07):
so that's the chorus and then usually we have verse two
so we go back to the same pattern
that we created in the first verse
uh lyrics are usually different in the second verse
than in the first verse but sure
sometimes like
melody wise there might be a different note here
there whatever
but yeah it's usually the same
it's pretty much the same exactly yeah
and then the pre chorus um
(15:29):
the second pre chorus if you do it again
it can be the same lyrics
it can also be different lyrics
I think it yeah
just kind of depends on the situation
yeah yeah
I think there's no like
real right or wrong there
it's like what feels good yeah
what feels authentic to the song
yeah I'd say that's like a fifty fifty
you pick right
uh and then I've done either
(15:50):
I've done both same
yeah same
and then the chorus though
usually is the same lyrics again
there are exceptions of course
there's always exceptions to every rule
but there are exceptions where
we're changing the lyrics
uh yes
we're changing the lyrics
but that's like maybe 1% of all songs if you do that
(16:12):
very rare yeah
yeah yeah
it's copy paste yes
and which is nice
and that's also usually what happens
in the studio too when you're recording a song
you're recording the chorus
you just record the chorus once
and then you copy
paste it throughout the rest of the thing
unless you you have different one differences
yeah yeah
but usually it's the same
if you're in the pop world
that is uh
(16:33):
anyways
bridge is the last thing yeah
what's some characteristics of a bridge
bridges where we mix it up
bridges where we say what we haven't said yet
both melodically and lyrically
that's where
(16:53):
maybe you introduce a different chord progression
usually bridges are always
usually
like 99% are always a different chord progression
um and the melodies
definitely different
the rhythms are definitely different
like we want to have something that again
builds up to that last chorus
but it's different from the pre chorus
we want a little bit more tension
yeah in the bridge
yeah like
(17:13):
there's a little bit more in there
it's more emotional
usually you're being more honest with your lyrics
usually in the bridge so yeah yeah
I love Bridges Yay
yeah me too
me too
songs are getting shorter and shorter and shorter
uh cause our attention spans are getting shorter
so you sometimes hear songs now
(17:34):
that don't have a bridge anymore
uh huh uh
you also sometimes hear songs
where you have an instrumental solo or something
instead of a bridge yeah
um also
sometimes people cut out the pre chorus
and go straight to the chorus after a verse
to make the song shorter or because of whatever reason
right they
they don't want a precourse
(17:55):
for whatever reason yeah
um so again
like there's
obviously always variations of this song structure
but this is a really good start
and I would recommend that
when you're writing your first song
or your next song
just to get more confident to follow this structure
and then yeah
switch it up for your next couple songs
exactly it's better to like
go with the basic structure
(18:18):
learn it like
inside out and then have fun
yeah bending the rules yeah
that's why they're there yes
but I do think you should know what the rules are
before you mess with them
oh yeah
oh yeah
please do if you've Learned anything today yes
let that be that haha yes absolutely
though the next step
(18:39):
now that you know what a song structure is
so that people can actually follow your song
it's time to actually write a song
and if you're like okay cool
but how do I how do I do that haha
I recommend that you download our songwriting framework
it's a little PDF guide
it's currently on sale for just $7 instead of $27
the link is in the description below
(19:00):
go download that and or join us in our live class
that we are hosting on October 14th
called how to write songs you'll actually like
whether you've written a ton of songs or no songs um
and you just wanna you know
get better or start writing your first song
whatever it is come and join us in the class
(19:20):
the class is free
there is a VIP upgrade option if you opted for that
the PDF guide the Songwriting Framework PDF
is included in that as a bonus
in addition to a bunch of other bonuses as well
like the replay a VIP only Q&A session
and our recording ready guide
if you're interested in recording your own songs too
(19:40):
um those are some bonuses in there too
and you can get that the VIP ticket for just $17
so might be worth doing that
and get all these other bonuses
yes but then join the class
so that you can actually take action right
like
this is an issue that we see all the time with people
they learn but then they don't take action
(20:01):
so come to the class so we can take action together
okay awesome
anything else about song structure
song flow song whatever
it's pretty straightforward
it's pretty straightforward
just follow follow the
the guideline at first get comfortable with it
and you will notice a lot of ease with it
(20:21):
the more you do it yes
I love it perfect
thank you Juliana
for joining me we'll see you in the next episode
cause we got some more songwriting stuff
and I can't wait to see you there
thank you guys for tuning in
uh join us
in the in the
in the live class we'd love to see you there
otherwise we'll see you in the next episode bye
I sometimes am kind of blown away
(00:02):
by how many people cannot really identify
where a verse starts and ends
or a pre chorus starts and ends
or a chorus and what not
obviously to us as singers
especially if we've been singing from a very young age
we know the ins and outs
but to people that are starting their music journey
it might be a little confusing
so we will break it down for you
yes and it is important that you know what a verse
(00:25):
a pre chorus a chorus
and a bridge is
I think those are the four most important parts
like if you're writing just regular degular
schmegular pop songs
it's very possible that it's the same two three
four chords throughout the whole song
yeah I've written many of those songs
I actually think it's a good exercise
to write a song
where you don't change any of the chords
so that you can learn how to create contrast
(00:45):
with your melodies
not just with your chord progressions
Hey Vox Star
and welcome to from singer to artist
I'm Lara Chapman award winning singer and songwriter
turned viral vocal coach and the host of this show
(01:05):
at VoxTape Studios
we help singers from all over the world
level up their voices
by teaching them the three fundamental skills
all singers need technique
awareness and artistry
whether you're looking to go pro
or just develop your voice for fun
my team and I are here to help
check the link in the description
to book your first session
or grab some of our other resources
(01:26):
Alrighty are you ready
let's get started if all the songs you're writing
are starting to sound the same
or you don't really know how to write a song
in the first place
so that you know it actually flows well
and that people can follow along with your song
and they're not getting lost in the song
or click to the next song because they're like ugh
this is boring or this is too complicated and what not
well welcome to today's episode
(01:47):
and welcome Coach Juliana from our team
hello hello hello
thank you for joining
today we're gonna talk about song structure
and I think that's really important and a lot of times
people just kind of skip over song structure
I mean I sometimes am kind of blown away
(02:07):
by how many people cannot really identify
where a verse starts and ends
or a pre chorus starts and ends
or a chorus and what not
do you sometimes see that in your lessons too
a lot I'm like
let's go to the second verse
you're like where is that
like oh
let's do a little bit of a refresher
(02:28):
if you will cause it's so important
and obviously to us as singers
especially if we've been singing from a very young age
we know the ins and out
but to people that are starting their music journey
it might be a little confusing
so we will break it down for you
yes and it is important that you know what a verse
a pre chorus a chorus and a bridge is
I think those are the four most important parts
(02:50):
but I think it's important that you know what it is
so that you can write songs where people are like oh
I'm following now
that doesn't mean that you need to write
like a typical like verse
pre chorus chorus verse
pre chorus chorus bridge
chorus song every single time you write a song
like that's like the base structure of a song right
you don't have to follow that exact formula
(03:11):
every time you write a song
but it's a good starting point
and then you know
if you're a little bit more of a jazzy
kind of girly or dude
then you know you can
you can branch out and like
start doing different things too
like no bridge or well
I guess and there's also verse refrain songs
which are different so anyways
(03:33):
let's maybe start by
by talking about the two different kinds of songs
you have like
regular chorus songs which is the verse
pre chorus chorus
that kind of song which is like
I don't know 95% of songs at least
and then you have a verse refrain song
now those are different do you wanna explain what
what how those are different
verse refrain songs
yeah so those are
(03:55):
let's think of I'm pretty sure everyone knows this song
if not go listen to it
cause it's a classic blowing in the wind by Bob Dylan
so we have a little bit of a verse
and like
he tells us what's going on
and then I think it's called a B right
so we have a section that repeats
no a section that describes
(04:15):
and then the section the B section that repeats
so a B is always gonna be a little bit longer on the
on the verse
and then it's probably two lines of a refrain
usually is and then you go to another a section
and then you repeat the same B section
and again and again and again
um make you feel my love
also by Bob Dylan
(04:36):
that's the one that I thought you were gonna say
famous by Adele yes
I thought you were gonna say that
one haha
it's more it's more of a folky thing to do
um it's not
it's not as popular in pop music
but it is very cool and it's
you know sometimes it
it depends on the
on the type of song you're wanting to write
(04:56):
and the specificity
specificity the specific spit that's the word
um cause
you know sometimes songs allow you to go that
that way there's a another one
I think cardigan by Taylor Swift is also verse refrain
but anyway you can
(05:17):
you can look it up if you're very curious
but basically it's not your common pop structure
yeah that's it
so if we look at the make you feel my love
cause I have that song
front and center in my brain right now
the B section right
the refrain line
the thing that repeats is to make you feel my love
love
and that's it it's like the phrase that almost like
(05:40):
replaces the chorus right
like cause that's the part that repeats over and over
and over and over again
and it's always to make you feel my love
all the time every day
and every single verse right
so I instead of using like a B
I just say verse refrain
verse refrain
but it's the same thing but then
(06:00):
sometimes you have another section in there that's like
I know you
I will never do you wrong
that's not the verse anymore right
cause the verse is when the rain is blowing in
obviously it's different right
so that's um
I Learned to call this a bridge
you too
(06:21):
yeah yeah yeah
yeah'cause it's it's what's connecting
um the verse to the refrain at that point
yeah so like it's yeah
I think a bridge is fine yeah
some sometimes people think that that's the chorus
but it's not a verse refrain song doesn't have a chorus
the refrain line and the lyrics are different
(06:42):
the lyrics are gonna be different every bridge
yes before that refrain yes
so that's usually a a
a tell mm hmm
if it's a chorus or not like
are the lyrics the same or not
yeah but also
it's not that important like
as long as you're making sense of it
and it flows and people are feeling it cool
but of course
(07:02):
it is important to know what they are
so that you can write it and you can kind of like
guide your song yeah
in a in a way that is digestible for people
yeah and I would recommend
like if you're new to songwriting and you don't feel
like super
super comfortable
and confident in your songwriting skills just yet
(07:22):
maybe don't start with a verse refrain song
let's maybe start with just a regular chorus song
yeah
that would be easier for sure
yeah yeah
so with a regular chorus song
like I said
I think the most common song structure is verse 1
pre chorus chorus
verse 2 pre chorus chorus
bridge chorus
(07:44):
yeah that's just the overall structure
and most songs
follow some sort of version of that structure
so let's maybe break down how people can identify
before like we say
like this is usually what's happening in a verse
and usually what's happening in a pre chorus
how can people identify when they moved
like
when we've moved on to a different part in the song
(08:05):
when we're now not yeah exactly
mm hmm yeah
we wanna look out for breaks in patterns
so usually a verse
haha sorry
makes me so happy haha
yeah songs are freaking cool man
um we have a pattern that's being repeated
that's what a pattern is um
through verses right
(08:26):
so we have maybe four lines of the same pattern
maybe there's a little bit of contrast here and there
but it's the same you hear the same structure
you hear a very similar melody play through
and then something shifts that is maybe a little lifted
that has a little bit more energy
that's usually the pre chorus
the song is not exploding yet
there's not the full beat
(08:46):
maybe isn't there yet um
but usually it's shorter than the verse
it's usually half or two lines
depending on on the song
obviously every song's different
but the pattern breaks the melody changes
the rhythm changes a little bit
there might be a a rhythmic feel that's different
(09:06):
and it's telling you that something's coming right
it's kind of like building anticipation for yep
another section yep
so yeah that's
that's kind of cool the pattern breaks
it's as simple as that right now it's like okay
this is different the melody's different
the pattern's different everything's different
so that's how you know
you have arrived in a different song section
now it's just a matter of figuring out
(09:26):
what is that song section
so what is usually happen in a verse
usually they happen at the beginning of the song
sometimes a song starts with a chorus
yeah but usually it starts with a verse one
besides being at the beginning of the song
what else is usually a good description for a verse
it's setting the scene it usually introduces the
(09:49):
the song theme the song idea
um if there's a character
you're gonna find out if it's
if they're talking about I or you
uh huh there's
you know that persona identification as well
so it's just the kind of like the first page of a book
yeah you're like
being introduced yeah
(10:10):
to this song so yeah
some songs do start with the chorus
and usually those songs are a little bit more
like upbeat and they're more Poppy
or maybe more dance tunes
it depends of course
not everything is like that
but in your regular pop song
we start with the first one
yeah just introducing
I would also say melody wise
it's usually lower in pitch
(10:33):
mm hmm uh
it can it can be wordier than other parts
it can also be less wordy
it just really kind of depends
depends yeah
hahaha
um and yeah I I
I'm just trying to think about the songs that I wrote
um
it's it's a little bit of a mix
but usually the verses are wordier
(10:53):
than the other parts of the song
but again it always depends
um but yeah
usually lower in pitch right
yeah then pre chorus
you already mentioned that before
it feels like it's building right
like it it's yeah anticipating
we're anticipating something
that's the feel that we get from it
the pattern is different now
right but it feels very building
(11:14):
so like a melody that goes up
for example like BA BA
that goes up
and that's anticipating that note right there
and now we're in the chorus uh
but again it feels building
so the melody can it doesn't have to
but it can go up um
(11:35):
what else in the pre chorus
core changes
usually the core progression modifies a little bit
not always but usually pre choruses are different um
cause you're just wanting to have a little bit of
a different texture a different feel from the verse
again to create that contrast and have it be different
but also
(11:56):
cause we wanna make it feel like the chorus is home
like
we wanna make sure that it feels like the big thing
that people are gonna remember
so that's why there's a little bit of change there
okay yeah
the chorus feels like home
I like that it's like the land
like the the
the plane has landed haha yeah
the chorus right
(12:16):
it's like and we're here
we are yup
welcome yes
haha yeah
so chorus is gonna be higher notes
bigger um
more emotion more intensity
maybe not as wordy some courses can be wordy
but it it feels a little bit more intentional and more
um punchy
(12:37):
especially in pop if we're talking about pop
um so yeah
choruses are bigger they are gonna be catchier melodies
yeah simpler melodies than the verse
so that people can remember them
yes um
and yeah
sometimes it's the same chord progression as the verse
but usually um
(12:57):
there's a little shift in here with some of those
of those chords but it's not that important
it really depends on the style that you're writing
like if you're writing just regular degular
schmegalar pop songs
it's very possible that it's the same two or three
four chords throughout the whole song
yeah I've written many of those songs hahaha
um I actually think it's a good exercise
to write a song
(13:18):
where you don't change any of the chords
so that you can learn how to create contrast
with your melodies
not just with your chord progressions
yeah anyways
a song that just came to mind to me
when you were talking
is never really over by Katy Perry
have you heard that song
and we have a pop song exercise for that song
oh I know that exercise hahaha OK
(13:39):
there you go people
my people my students
they have probably hated me and you at some point
because of that exercise
but now they're grateful and now they love it
there you go perfect
you're welcome um
so you said usually courses are not as worthy
this would be an example of the opposite
opposite it's yeah
just because it's over doesn't mean it's really over
(14:00):
and if I think it over maybe I'll be coming over again
and have to get over you all over again
like literally
that's the chorus
it's all the same notes and a lot of words
um so this would be a
an example of exactly how it
how it can be done differently too
uh but you said usually it's simpler to sing
like the melody doesn't go all over the place
(14:21):
that would be a great example for that
it's one note hahaha
it is one note through the whole
through the whole thing um
birds of a feather
um
that the pre chorus is all just like one or two notes
um yeah
oh my god how does it go birds
(14:47):
whatever the lyrics are right
and then the chorus is I don't
I'm crying for whatever um
and a lot of people think that the pre chorus is
the chorus is it a chorus
because it feels like a chorus
but it's actually pre chorus
um yeah
but anyways it's a great song
it is it is a really good song
I like that song um
(15:07):
so that's the chorus and then usually we have verse two
so we go back to the same pattern
that we created in the first verse
uh lyrics are usually different in the second verse
than in the first verse but sure
sometimes like
melody wise there might be a different note here
there whatever
but yeah it's usually the same
it's pretty much the same exactly yeah
and then the pre chorus um
(15:29):
the second pre chorus if you do it again
it can be the same lyrics
it can also be different lyrics
I think it yeah
just kind of depends on the situation
yeah yeah
I think there's no like
real right or wrong there
it's like what feels good yeah
what feels authentic to the song
yeah I'd say that's like a fifty fifty
you pick right
uh and then I've done either
(15:50):
I've done both same
yeah same
and then the chorus though
usually is the same lyrics again
there are exceptions of course
there's always exceptions to every rule
but there are exceptions where
we're changing the lyrics
uh yes
we're changing the lyrics
but that's like maybe 1% of all songs if you do that
(16:12):
very rare yeah
yeah yeah
it's copy paste yes
and which is nice
and that's also usually what happens
in the studio too when you're recording a song
you're recording the chorus
you just record the chorus once
and then you copy
paste it throughout the rest of the thing
unless you you have different one differences
yeah yeah
but usually it's the same
if you're in the pop world
that is uh
(16:33):
anyways
bridge is the last thing yeah
what's some characteristics of a bridge
bridges where we mix it up
bridges where we say what we haven't said yet
both melodically and lyrically
that's where
(16:53):
maybe you introduce a different chord progression
usually bridges are always
usually
like 99% are always a different chord progression
um and the melodies
definitely different
the rhythms are definitely different
like we want to have something that again
builds up to that last chorus
but it's different from the pre chorus
we want a little bit more tension
yeah in the bridge
yeah like
(17:13):
there's a little bit more in there
it's more emotional
usually you're being more honest with your lyrics
usually in the bridge so yeah yeah
I love Bridges Yay
yeah me too
me too
songs are getting shorter and shorter and shorter
uh cause our attention spans are getting shorter
so you sometimes hear songs now
(17:34):
that don't have a bridge anymore
uh huh uh
you also sometimes hear songs
where you have an instrumental solo or something
instead of a bridge yeah
um also
sometimes people cut out the pre chorus
and go straight to the chorus after a verse
to make the song shorter or because of whatever reason
right they
they don't want a precourse
(17:55):
for whatever reason yeah
um so again
like there's
obviously always variations of this song structure
but this is a really good start
and I would recommend that
when you're writing your first song
or your next song
just to get more confident to follow this structure
and then yeah
switch it up for your next couple songs
exactly it's better to like
go with the basic structure
(18:18):
learn it like
inside out and then have fun
yeah bending the rules yeah
that's why they're there yes
but I do think you should know what the rules are
before you mess with them
oh yeah
oh yeah
please do if you've Learned anything today yes
let that be that haha yes absolutely
though the next step
(18:39):
now that you know what a song structure is
so that people can actually follow your song
it's time to actually write a song
and if you're like okay cool
but how do I how do I do that haha
I recommend that you download our songwriting framework
it's a little PDF guide
it's currently on sale for just $7 instead of $27
the link is in the description below
(19:00):
go download that and or join us in our live class
that we are hosting on October 14th
called how to write songs you'll actually like
whether you've written a ton of songs or no songs um
and you just wanna you know
get better or start writing your first song
whatever it is come and join us in the class
(19:20):
the class is free
there is a VIP upgrade option if you opted for that
the PDF guide the Songwriting Framework PDF
is included in that as a bonus
in addition to a bunch of other bonuses as well
like the replay a VIP only Q&A session
and our recording ready guide
if you're interested in recording your own songs too
(19:40):
um those are some bonuses in there too
and you can get that the VIP ticket for just $17
so might be worth doing that
and get all these other bonuses
yes but then join the class
so that you can actually take action right
like
this is an issue that we see all the time with people
they learn but then they don't take action
(20:01):
so come to the class so we can take action together
okay awesome
anything else about song structure
song flow song whatever
it's pretty straightforward
it's pretty straightforward
just follow follow the
the guideline at first get comfortable with it
and you will notice a lot of ease with it
(20:21):
the more you do it yes
I love it perfect
thank you Juliana
for joining me we'll see you in the next episode
cause we got some more songwriting stuff
and I can't wait to see you there
thank you guys for tuning in
uh join us
in the in the
in the live class we'd love to see you there
otherwise we'll see you in the next episode bye
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