In the first article of this series, we demystified the two major parts of a song: verses and choruses.
Quick review on Verses and Choruses
A verse tends to drive the story of a song forward. It contains a fixed melody with lyrics that change each time.
A chorus usually has the same melody and the same lyrics each time it’s repeated. A chorus recurs several times throughout a song and often contains the title or the central idea.
Here we’ll take a look at two common song sections that renew your listeners’ attention and relate to verses and choruses in interesting ways.
Pre-Chorus
As the name suggests, this section precedes the chorus. A pre-chorus:
- Has a distinct melody that is not repeated in the verse or the chorus. This distinct melody remains consistent each time the pre-chorus recurs.
- Adds interest to the transition into a chorus, often by building up tension in a way that the chorus will release.
- A pre-chorus is short. Certainly shorter than the verse.
- Think of it as a coupling between verse and chorus.
- Musically contrasts both the verse and the chorus.
- Lyrically, this section often reflects a change of attitude or perspective; its lines usually build anticipation for the ideas or images that we’re about to deliver via the chorus.
Bridge
A bridge is similar to a pre-chorus, but is positioned differently in the song—usually in the latter half, just before repetitions of other sections begin to get boring. The job of a bridge is to briefly give us something new and interesting, a quick detour that leads back into a familiar section that we recognize (usually the chorus).
- Can be vocal or instrumental.
- Bridges contrast all that has come before, often by rising higher in pitch, being louder, changing the mood, or “maxing out” in some other way.
- The lyrical content is usually new, without repetition of phrases used earlier in the song.
- May lyrically climax, deliver vital insight, or contain some kind of punchline.
- Repetition of a bridge is rare.
- The key job of a bridge is to relieve boredom and add variety!
Conclusion
So far we’ve learned about verses, choruses, pre-choruses, and bridges. There are just a few more essential song sections to cover, and then we’ll start looking at ways to arrange these sections into fun patterns and structures!
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>Next article in this series: 17 Killer Intro Ideas for Your Songs