I am trying to grasp the concept of the format of music, meaning the intro, verse, chrus, etc. I have been told it will help in learning songs. The best I can do is I try to write out the progression of a song using the number system but not knowing where I am at within the song meaning what section. I guess knowing the format would help any suggestions that might help, if it makes a diffrence I play gospel music. Any suggestions will greatly be appreciated.
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Question About Song Formats
- Thread starter Bass-4-God
- Start date
- Apr 14, 2013
- 73
- 12
- Disclosures
- Owner/Operator: Bass Extracts Endorsing Artist: Marco Bass Guitars
What you are doing is a good way to start for sure. It helps me to write things down and see them whether it is a certain progression or a weird chord I am not as familiar with. Over time and practice you will develop more and more of a melodic and rhythmic ear and feel the changes from A B or C come. Gospel especially with the constant changes and complexity at times is a great way to learn so you definitely have an advantage already right there. Use the numbers but do not rely on them, you will start to notice how chords connect with each other and feel how the tend to want to move. Hope this was helpful, I am always trying to better my practicing habits as well and always looking to get up on anything new.
Many pop songs are: Intro-Verse-chorus-verse-chorus-interlude-chorus-chorus. Common formula for pop songs LOL.
But not all of them of course.
But not all of them of course.
Listen to some songs you like and "map" them out. Then use (rip-off) some of those structures when you write your own songs. Or take those structures and mess around with them a little bit. I know absolutely nothing about gospel music, but writing pop and rock songs really isn't that difficult.
maybe..and perhaps for you...
but writing a GOOD song, whether it's pop, rock, or whatever, is not easy.
Writing a GOOD song, that can be accepted well by public, no matter what the genre, is very hard.
Define "GOOD". What measuring stick is being used? Radio play? Popularity with the public? A fairly large percentage of the music and bands I like don't get played on the radio and are only popular with a very small segment of the general population. That doesn't mean they don't write good songs, though.
Contrary to popular opinion, writing songs is not difficult. There isn't some mysterious force at work used to create them. Surely this myth was busted once you learned how to play a song on guitar and were surprised at how easy it was. When I was a kid, my parents listened to a lot of CCR so that was one of the first bands I have a vivid childhood memory of. I really liked "Fortunate Son". When I learned how to play it when I was 12, I was shocked that it was so simple. It was like looking behind the curtain in OZ.
Contrary to popular opinion, writing songs is not difficult. There isn't some mysterious force at work used to create them. Surely this myth was busted once you learned how to play a song on guitar and were surprised at how easy it was. When I was a kid, my parents listened to a lot of CCR so that was one of the first bands I have a vivid childhood memory of. I really liked "Fortunate Son". When I learned how to play it when I was 12, I was shocked that it was so simple. It was like looking behind the curtain in OZ.
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We know GOOD song when we hear GOOD song. Hard to explain, but there's common sense in it. I'm not gonna spend long words here explaining what is a good song in my opinion, I'm not good in that.
I think what I wrote above (if I remember) is from what Paul McCartney said.
I read in an interview - sorry I can't remember where nor quote here - that even he (Paul Mc Cartney) said something like.. "writing a song is not easy,..writing good song is obviusly even harder", ..yeah I think it's his word,...and I agree. If you're not agree, well it's your opinion.
I think what I wrote above (if I remember) is from what Paul McCartney said.
I read in an interview - sorry I can't remember where nor quote here - that even he (Paul Mc Cartney) said something like.. "writing a song is not easy,..writing good song is obviusly even harder", ..yeah I think it's his word,...and I agree. If you're not agree, well it's your opinion.
- Oct 2, 2006
- 183
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- Disclosures
- Endorsements; Yamaha, Fodera, Aguilar, TC Electronic, Peterson, Zoom
Hello. What I do is analyze the progression of a song or multiple songs I like and make note of the form. For example Verse, Chorus, Verse, Bridge, Chorus repeat etc. Once I have done that. I make a not of how long the sections are. Like 8 bars etc. I try to just understand where the hooks are. The dynamics etc. Once you have done this for a bunch of tunes you will start to understand some formulas. Michael Jackson is always a great study.
