How to Write a Song

Techniques From the Hits, Vol. II

by Anthony Ceseri

This is a free report courtesy of Success For Your Songs. PLEASE SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS! You are encouraged to attach this pdf to an email, (OR include the download link within the email its provided below) and send it to all of your songwriting friends. You can also share the download link on all of your social media sites. The download link for this report is: http://successforyoursongs.com/freeoffer/how-to-write-a-song-volume-ii/ Thank you, and enjoy!

Table of Contents

Introduction... 3

Part 1: Lyrics Using Rhyme as an Accelerator, as Done by Neil Young..................... 4

Part 2: Melody + Song Structure Using Contrasting Sections, as Done by REM................. 8

Bonus The Five Ps for Success as a Songwriter.. 10

Final Word........ 12

How to Write a Song: Techniques from the Hits, Volume II

Click here to download Volume I for free!

Introduction
Songwriting is an art. You can create anything you want, because theres no right or wrong. However, there are tools and techniques you can use in your writing that can help improve your skill set. Learning these tools can be beneficial to you, if youre trying to make money with your music, as a lot of these techniques have been used in songs on the radio, in film and on TV. But even if songwriting is just your hobby, learning these tools can give you some new ideas for presenting your ideas to your listeners. The more common techniques you learn, the better youll be able to express yourself. You can always choose to not use what youve learned, but it can never hurt to have knowledge. Youll be learning some useful tools in this report. If you dont already have Volume I, you can get it here, for free: http://successforyoursongs.com/freeoffer/how-to-write-a-song/. It contains a lot more great songwriting information and is a good supplement for the report youre reading now. This book includes articles I have written for my website, covering some of the most important topics in writing songs. Well look at a couple of hit songs and the techniques they used to make them enjoyable listening experiences. Once youre aware of these techniques, youll be able to apply them to you own songs, and see how they work for your music. If you enjoy the song analysis presented here, you can download How to Write a Song: Techniques from the Hits Vol. I. It looks at seven more hit songs and the techniques that made them successful.

How to Write a Song: Techniques from the Hits, Volume II

Click here to download Volume I for free!

Part 1: Lyrics

Using Rhyme as an Accelerator, As Done by Neil Young

When you write lyrics, they tend to work best when the meaning of your words is directly tied into whats happening musically. When all the elements of your song are fused together this way, its called prosody. Rhyme can be an incredibly powerful tool for tying the meaning of your words to your music. One way to do this is to use rhyme as an accelerator. For example, lets say you have a rhyme scheme that rhymes on every other line. Well call this an ABAB rhyme scheme. It might look like this: Now were gonna rhyme (A) Itll be so fun (B) Well do it in four lines (A) Just like that, were done (B) In this ABAB scheme, the A rhymes are the lines with the words rhyme and lines and the B rhymes are fun and done. Once weve established this rhyme scheme in our song, it becomes whats expected throughout the song. If we change it, itll change what the song makes us feel. For example. if we establish our lyric to be an ABAB rhyme scheme and then change it to an ABBB rhyme scheme the next time around, itll feel different. Check it out

How to Write a Song: Techniques from the Hits, Volume II

Click here to download Volume I for free!

Section 1 Now were gonna rhyme (A) Itll be so fun (B) Well do it in four lines (A) Just like that, were done (B) Section 2 Now were gonna rhyme (A) Itll be so fun (B) These lines are gonna run (B) Just like that, were done (B) Future Grammy-winning lyrics for sure. Okay, maybe not. But lame lyrics aside, how did the second section feel compared to the first? Did you notice the acceleration of the last three lines in the second section? One of the functions of rhyme is it can act as an accelerator, when you space your rhymes close together. In the example above we established our rhymes to happen at every other line, in section 1. Then we went against expectations in section 2 by increasing the frequency of the rhyme, which made the lines feel accelerated. Heart of Gold by Neil young Lets check out a great example of this concept in action. Who better to learn from than Neil Young? Check out the first verse of the song Heart of Gold: I want to live, I want to give I've been a miner for a heart of gold It's these expressions I never give That keep me searching for a heart of gold And I'm getting old

How to Write a Song: Techniques from the Hits, Volume II

Click here to download Volume I for free!

This is essentially an ABABB rhyme scheme, in five lines. Technically, in lines one through four, theyre not rhymes, but identities, since its the same word being repeated (give and gold). But thats beside the point for right now. Lets treat them as typical rhymes. With the ABAB rhyme scheme thats established in the first four lines, there has been a certain rhyme pace thats become expected. So when the fifth line comes in with another B rhyme, its a surprise that accelerates that line. Mixing Meaning With Your Rhymes So what? you ask. The fifth line accelerates... Big deal. Fair point. Heres why its cool. This acceleration happens on the line And Im getting old. The implication of a line like And Im getting old is Im getting old, quickly. Except he doesnt have to say quickly because that was implied with how the line was written. The acceleration due to two lines of rhyme back to back (after establishing a slower rhyme pattern previously) really helps us FEEL the aging process happening fast for him. Its the meaning of the lyric tied into the rest of the song. In my opinion, it works very well. If you dont believe me, check it out for yourself. This pattern continues throughout the song, but youll get the gist after the first verse. So just listen to the first verse, through about 1:15 into the song. Heres a link to the song: Heart of Gold. If youve printed this out, you can just do a search for Heart of Gold Neil Young on YouTube to listen to it. Other Factors With moves like this, rhyme is always the most obvious contributor, because it stands out so clearly when we hear it. It cant be mistaken. But when youre using rhyme to highlight one of your ideas, it usually works best when combined with other tools. In the case of our line and Im getting old, a second tool being used is a change of line length.

How to Write a Song: Techniques from the Hits, Volume II

Click here to download Volume I for free!

If you check out the first four lines of the verse, youll notice theyre longer than the last line, and Im getting old. This helps drive home the idea about Im getting old quickly. When you establish a longer line length in previous lines, and then shorten it, itll feel quicker. Its a second contributor to the same idea. And it contributes nicely. Use It Experiment with this idea. If your lyrics give you a reason to accelerate (or decelerate), try supporting that meaning with rhyme, and even line length, if possible. See if you like the results you get compared to what you would have done beforehand.

How to Write a Song: Techniques from the Hits, Volume II

Click here to download Volume I for free!

Part 2: Melody + Song Structure

Using Contrasting Sections, As Done by REM

A great way to keep your songs interesting is to use contrast between your verses and choruses as a way to get them to sound different from one another. This is an important topic in songwriting. Keeping true to what was discussed in Part 1, well also look at how to have the meaning of your lyrics tie into your contrasting sections, to really ramp up your songs idea. Remember that scene in Tommy Boy where Chris Farley and David Spade are singing along to Its the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) by REM? Then they hit a point in the lyrics where they just start rambling because they dont know the rest of the words and they cant keep up with the lines? That makes me laugh every time. Especially since Ive done that myself plenty of times. The funny thing about that song is were always impressed by our one friend who can actually sing the whole verse without looking at the lyrics. So whats happening there? Why are we in such amazement when our one friend can actually pull this song off? Arent songs meant to be singable? First lets take a listen. At least to the first verse and chorus. You can even try to sing along (if you dare). Its here: Its the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine). If you printed this, you can just do a search for Its the End of the World as We Know It REM on YouTube to hear it. The first thing you probably notice about this song is the fast pace, and craziness of the verses. Thats this songs thing. Thats who it is. Its a big ball of chaos. Well, in its verses, anyway. The chorus (starting at Its the End of the World) is slow, and drawn out. At least compared to the verses.

How to Write a Song: Techniques from the Hits, Volume II

Click here to download Volume I for free!

Contrast between sections is the way we distinguish one section from another. One of the many ways to achieve such contrast is to change the rhythm and length of your phrases in your melody between sections. This is the main strategy this song uses to achieve contrast between its verses and chorus. The melody in the verses is super quick and choppy, while the melody in the chorus is comparatively drawn out. Its an effectively strategy. If the lyrics in the verses actually hold any meaning, they seem to be about chaos. And if there is no actual meaning, then by definition that still makes them chaotic. So the verses are really about chaos, which of course ties back to the whole End of the World idea. When the chorus hits, it simply proclaims Its the end of the world as we know it three times as a summation of whats happening in the verses. But the coolest part happens on the fourth line of the Chorus, in the line and I feel fine. After a crazy, fast paced melody in the verse, which gets summed up by the first three lines of the chorus, the melody of the phrase I feel fine is the most drawn out, with the longest notes of anything weve heard so far. What we hear is and I feel fine, while the mood of the melody is the most relaxed compared to everything else weve heard in this song. Its a strategic use of lyrics married to their meaning. Not only do the verses imply chaos through their words, but they also do so with how the melody makes us feel, from section to section. In a contrasting way, the chorus slows down and feels more subdued, which is perfectly fitting by the time I feel fine kicks in on the last line. It makes us feel fine, when were otherwise surrounded by all this chaos. So take a lesson from REM and continue to contrast the feel of your verses and choruses with your melodies. Youve got a new way to try that out, by changing rhythms and lengths of your phrases between sections, like whats done in Its the End of the World as We Know it (And I Feel Fine).

10

How to Write a Song: Techniques from the Hits, Volume II

Click here to download Volume I for free!

Bonus Section

The Five Ps for Success as a Songwriter

As difficult as it may seem at times, achieving your goals as a songwriter is very possible. There are a few crucial things to be aware of that can help you succeed in reaching your goals. Well talk about them here. 1. Purpose Its important to know what you want to achieve as a songwriter or performer in order for you to get there. That may sound obvious, but its often neglected. A lot of times amateur songwriters walk around with the mindset of simply hoping somethings going to happen for them, without knowing what that something is. Whether you want to become a chart-topping performing songwriter, be on a songwriting staff in Nashville, or simply enjoy songwriting as a hobby, you need to define that for yourself. Knowing your purpose is the first step to getting there. 2. Planning Once you know your purpose, you need to know HOW youre going to get there. Planning is crucial to achieving your goals. A lot of songwriters go around hoping that someone will discover them. Thats not a plan. With that mindset, you can also plan to win the lottery. It doesnt mean its going to happen. Instead, come up with clearly defined plans to achieve your goals. Keep your overall purpose, in mind when you lay out your goals. Its important to put dates on your goals, so theyre not open ended. Youre much more likely to reach your goals if you put an achievable timeframe on them.

11

How to Write a Song: Techniques from the Hits, Volume II

Click here to download Volume I for free!

Id recommend laying out plans for the short, mid and long term. Its okay to modify your goals as you move along, so long as you always have a plan for achieving them in place. 3. Persistence As crucial as planning is, its important to realize that occasionally your plans arent going to work out the way you hoped. Thats okay. It happens to every successful person. When this happens youll need to be persistent. Persistence sets those who succeed apart from those who fail. Keep modifying your plans, until you find one that works. Most people give up at the first sign of failure, and as a result never achieve the success theyve hoped for. 4. Passion This ones pretty easy for most songwriters. I dont think Ive ever met a songwriter who doesnt love his/her craft, but its important to talk about anyway. Your passion for what you do is the fuel thats going to carry you through everything else weve talked about so far. When times get hard, and you need to be persistent, your passion will keep you going. Thats why its so important to love what you do, if you want to be truly successful at it. As Napoleon Hill says in the classic success book, Think and Grow Rich, Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire brings a small amount of heat. Love what you do, so when things get tough, you can still power on to move forward. 5. Practice As important as the previously mentioned points are, they wont do you any good if you dont practice your craft. As a performing songwriter, this includes practicing your instruments (vocals, guitar, piano, etc), practicing your performances, and even practicing your songwriting.

12

How to Write a Song: Techniques from the Hits, Volume II

Click here to download Volume I for free!

As strong as your will to succeed is, youve got to be damn good at what you do to achieve your goals. And you can absolutely get there with practice. In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell points out that natural talent will only get you so far. No matter how much talent you have, you will never reach your full potential without consistent practicing. He makes the argument that it takes 10,000 of practice to become a master in your field. So get cracking. Practice consists of education and experience. Learn your craft, apply what youve learned, and repeat. Constantly continue this loop and you can only improve.

Final Word
For more songwriting information, you can download Vol. I of this report for free, here: How to Write a Song: Techniques from the Hits Vol. I Hopefully after reading this book, youll start listening to how songs are written with a more careful ear. Listen to whats going on in the songs you hear on the radio, and try to apply what you hear to your own music. You dont always have to follow the rules of songwriting, but you do have to know what those rules are before you can break them. You now have some cool tools to try out in your music. Always test, refine and repeat what you learn for the best results. And always be on the lookout for new information to help you improve. Volume I of this report analyzes seven more hit songs, so you can apply their techniques to your own songwriting as well. You can get it for free, here: http://successforyoursongs.com/freeoffer/how-to-write-a-song/ I hope you got a lot out of this report. Since this report is free, in return for what you learned here, it would be great if you shared this report by attaching it to an email, (or include the download link within the email body) and sending it to all of your songwriting friends. You can also share the download link on all of your social media sites. The download link for this report is here: http://successforyoursongs.com/freeoffer/how-to-write-a-song-volume-ii/