1] SONG STRUCTURE- in layman's terms      by Art Rock MyCD.ca

There are several different styles of song forms or song structures that are the most popular used in Songwriting today. The majority of songs written today, especially Pop

 and Rock songs follow a song structure that evolved from the Rondo form, which has been around for hundreds of years. They revolve around three different basic ideas or

variations on a theme. They are the Verse, the Chorus and the Bridge. There are also other parts to the song structure such as the Intro, the Ending (Outro, Coda), the Pre-

Chorus, Lead Break (instrumental solo) and then there are other less used components. The Verse, Chorus, Bridge is the meat of the song. The Verse and Chorus are the most

 prominent as they are repeated the most. The Verse is where the story unfolds, the narrative, the basic topic or idea of the song is introduced. It could be a description of a

 problem, a feeling, an observation or it could be a question about any topic or something in life. The Verse lays the groundwork for your story. The Chorus is usually the

memorable part of the song that most people would sing along to. It normally has fewer words than the verse, that often repeat. If the Verse was the question, the Chorus

 would be the answer. Often the Chorus would have back up singers or use a vocal harmonizer to make it stand out. The Bridge, sometimes called the middle eight, is a sort of

 musical interlude in the song, to break it up, and to keep it moving. Usually there will be a change in the chords used or the tempo or the rhythmic beat.

 Some times the bridge will be an instrumental or lead break. It will usually lead into the third Chorus or a third Verse. Now lets get to the actual song

 structures. The Verse is normally labeled as "A", The Chorus "B" and the Bridge "C". The three most popular song forms used now a days would probably

 be:

 A B A C A B, (which is Verse, Chorus, Verse, Bridge , Verse, Chorus) (Yes this is the famous ABACAB that Genesis named a song after.)

A B A B C A B, (which is Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge , Verse, Chorus)

A B A B C B, (which is Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge , Chorus)

The Intro is where the song starts. It could be an instrumental riff, a lyric line, humming, chord comping or just the music of the verse with no singing.

The Ending or Outro or Coda is where you end the song. It could be a fade out ending or abrupt end on a different chord, a little closing riff, a held vocal

 note or whatever fits.

The Pre-Chorus is optional. It is a tie between the Verse and Chorus. It could be a build up to make the Chorus sound bigger, or perhaps the music of the

Verse and Chorus seem too far apart that you feel you need a transitional piece leading into the Chorus, to tie the two together.

If you are writing a Progressive Rock song you may want to use the Pre-Chorus as a way to extend the song, to make it more intricate.

The Lead Break or Instrumental Break is also optional. It could be in place of the Bridge or in addition to the Bridge. Sometimes it is played in front of the

 Bridge, sometimes after the Bridge, sometimes after the Chorus as a lead into the final verse. It could be a guitar solo or any instrument solo, could be

 multiple instruments playing an alternate or extended version of the Verse riff or Chorus riff. Sometimes it is a completely different instrument or sound that

 has not been used anywhere else in the song.

Putting it all together Here is an example utilizing all of the components: Using "I" for Intro, "O" for Outro, "P" for Pre-Chorus and "S" for Solo. This

 time we will mark the Verses.

 I A P B A P B C S A B O (which is Intro, Verse 1, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Verse 2, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Bridge , Solo, Verse 3, Chorus, Outro

As you can see, by utilizing Pre-Choruses and Lead Breaks will make the song a lot longer. Sometimes that could be a disadvantage if it takes the song over

the four minute mark, which is generally where you want to be to get more plays on the streaming services. The Streaming services prefer songs to be less

 than four minutes long. If you are writing a Prog Rock song it is expected to be longer, and they usually get less air play anyways. Remember that these song

writing methods are just guide lines, and rules were made to be broken, especially in Music. However you adjust the formula make sure that it sounds like it

fits. You don't have to worry, the Song Nazi's were all slayed by the Progressive Rock Bands in the late 1960's, early 1970's. 

 by Art Rock MyCD.ca

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2] Sing it like you mean it       by Art Rock MyCD.ca

One thing that makes a good song stand out from the rest is emotion in the vocals. If you want your song to shine, sing it like you mean it. Put some

 emotion in your vocals. Try to avoid singing the entire song in one vocal level. Change it up. Try starting the song off with a softer vocal, then gradually

build it up to the chorus. At the chorus try letting go. Experiment. Try going up or down in pitch with your voice on different words. Try holding the end of

different words in each vocal line, or try cutting them off short. Try different mixes of both on different words. Try to substitute some emotional type words

 or phrases like crying, dying, lying, hurting, yearning, killing, missing you, wanting you, loving you, seeing you. Then emphasize those words. Try holding the

 note in the middle of the word. Cry-yyyyyy-ing. Raise the pitch of your voice in the middle of a word like crying, to a border line whine like you are crying

while you sing it. Try going overboard, over the edge. Don't hold back. Push it way too far, record it, then listen to the demo.

 Too many times as artists we feel uncomfortable even embarrassed when we push the vocals too far. If you take a look at many of the top hit songs over the

years, you will find a lot of them had odd, even goofy sounding parts in the vocals. Many times that goofy part is what sticks in the listeners minds. Have you

 ever seen a friend or someone singing along to a song being played, and then when they get to the goofy part, they really emphasize it as though they were

waiting just to sing that word or part? Their face lights up, it seems to lift their spirits, to arouse an emotional reaction in them. You will never see someone

 emphasize a word in the center of a verse that is the same volume or pitch as everything else. Sometimes it is good to go over the edge of your comfort level,

to get your song to stand out from the rest in people's minds. You will be considered to be a better singer for it. A home studio, with nobody else at home, is

 the ideal environment to experiment and let it go, loud and over the top. That could be your answer to the question, how to write a hit song, Try listening to

 some of your favourite songs and pay close attention to how they end each verse. Do they go down in pitch at the end of the first and third verse, and up in

 pitch at the end of the second and fourth verse? Are the first, second and fourth verses the same, and every third verse changes? Does every verse have a little

 different twist at the end or near the end of it? Are the first two verses sung the same, and the last two sung harder and or higher? These are all techniques

and singing tips used on many hit songs and top album songs, by top singers over the years. Now listen to your song again. Is it changing or is it pretty well

 all the same? Try varying it to some of the different ways, or all of the different ways listed above. See what fits. Try putting a new spin of your own on it.

 There is no reason in the world that you, YES YOU, could set a new trend in vocal delivery. One that others will follow and talk about many years from now.

 Always remember the golden rule in singing vocals on a recording. SING IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT !

by  Art Rock

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3] Song Intro Ideas      by Art Rock MyCD.ca

 One of the easiest and simplest intros is to play the same music as the verse. Sometimes artists will start with just one of the instruments, such as the drums.

 Then the bass guitar starts, then the guitar and then any other instruments in the band. Then they break into the first verse. Easy to do and sets the song up

 nice. It flows right in smooth and easy. Over the years artists from many different styles of music have used a spacey synthesizer sound for the intro. Songs

 like "Fly Like an Eagle" by the Steve Miller Band, "Lunatic Fringe" by Tom Cochrane and Red Rider to "In The Light" by Led Zeppelin. Another method,

the one chord intro, is a very effective way to get your song remembered in the minds of the listener. As soon as you hear that opening chord on the piano

 you instantly recognize it as "Benny and the Jets" by Elton John. To pull this off try going through a chord book and try different chords, especially the less

common ones, that people do not usually hear. Try slow strumming it, then try playing it fast and hard. On a piano or keyboard try playing the chord one

 note at a time, then try comping it. Try playing them different ways, and experiment to find something that is unique sounding and fits in to your song.

 Another method for an intro to a song is to start with a solo vocal line. A perfect example is the Who's "The Real Me" . "Can you see the real me can you,

can you" followed by a powerful instrumentation that blows people away. They go from a vocal only to the full power of the band. This sudden change from

 soft to hard makes listeners jump out of their chairs onto their feet. Another method of intros that is frequently used is to start the song with the chorus.

This  is very effective if you are a new unknown artist or band, with a very strong chorus. It will keep the listeners from changing the channel on the radio or

 get up  and leave when you start playing live. Many listeners unfairly label an unknown act as garbage. This is a stigma every new band has to accept and get

over. In this situation a strong chorus will pull them in as soon as you start your song. Another approach to an intro is to use some type of gimmicky sound

 effect. When you hear the guitar string bending you know it's "Iron Man" by Black Sabbath. When you hear the harmonica playing you know it's "The

 Wizard" by Black Sabbath. When you hear the helicopter you know that is "The Happiest Days of our Lives" by Pink Floyd. The above methods will give

you lots of ideas on different types of song intros. Try to come up with something unique, different that hasn't been done before. Think outside the box. Be

a trend setter, not a follower. You are the only one who is limiting yourself.

            article by Art Rock / MyCD.ca 

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4] Every Song Tells A Story ...But Does It Need To Be An Abstract Novel?   by Sheena Metal

For a musician, your songs are your art. They are the physical embodiment of your creative gifts. Every bit of anger, happiness, angst, joy, pain, elation,

 knowledge or humour goes into the story known as your song. You write and re-write it, scouring over each note and word...perfecting it for recording and

live performance. But when you play it for others, you're not getting the reaction you expected. Your friends, fans and family seem less than enthusiastic as

 they dully respond, "Yeah. That was...um...good." How could this be? You poured your soul into this piece. This was your "Stairway To Heaven"! This was

 your "Smells Like Team Spirit"! It's a lyrically amazing ode about the persecution of pagan midwives in grass hut tribes! It flows, it breathes, and it's seven

and a half minutes of pure musical perfection!

Whoa. Stop right there, Mozart. You wrote a seven and a half minute song about the persecution of pagan midwives in grass hut tribes and you're wondering

 why you're thirteen year-old cousin fell asleep in the middle of the fourth verse? You wrote a seven and a half minute song about the persecution of pagan 

 midwives in grass hut tribes and you're confused as to why your drummer's girlfriend began calling her friends on her cell phone before the song had reached

 its bridge? It may be hard to believe when you're penning an opus such as this, but the normal human brain is wired a little differently than an accomplished 

 musician's, like yourself. And although music is art, it's also popular culture and the goal should be for others to enjoy your creative efforts as much as you

 do. So, how can you make sure that your writing experience is as positive as your audience's listening experience? What can you, as musicians do, to

 eliminate aspects of your songs that may alienate, confuse or just plain bore your fans? The following are a few tips that may add success to your songwriting

 experience:

1.) After Four Minutes, It Becomes Background Music---Music aficionado's aside, the average person has roughly the attention span of a young adult

 hummingbird. As a songwriter, you need to grab your audience's attention and hold it until the end of the song before they flit off to something else more 

 interesting to them. Although four minutes (or less) may seem like the blink of an eye when a song-writer is storytelling, it's a very long time to expect your 

 run-of-the-mill club-goer or web-surfer to stay fixated on your music.

2.) Tell Your Story As Directly As Possible We all love allusions, allegories, vague references, and subtle metaphors but use them sparingly or become a beat

 poet. A little abstractness goes a long way when writing a popular song. Song lyrics fly into people's minds as quickly as the bassist plucks out quarter notes.

 If you make your lyrics too complicated, then your audience may still be trying to figure out the verse when you're already playing the chorus. This could 

 prompt the average listener to tune out your masterpiece, order another beer and switch on their I pod.

3.) If English Is Your First Language, Use It In Your Song---It's great that you're an educated, cultured, artistic intellectual sponge. But remember that most

people who hear your music are not book worms or  art nuts. Big, involved words make for memorable song lyrics but use them occasionally. It's good for

 your fans to ponder the meaning of a particular lyric  but give them too many to ponder and they'll get so caught up in the words that they may forget your

 song.

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4.) Obscure Musicality Can Be Confusing Too --- Lyrics aren't the only way to confuse the average listener. Obscure time signatures, discordant

 instrumentation and avant-garde drum lines may seem like  genius to your fellow musicians, but if your listeners can't tap and/or hum along, you may find

 yourself only invited to perform in underground opium bars where the audience members have all had one too many hash brownie. If you're not sure where

to begin, start simple. Write a short, but sweet, song that packs an emotional punch in a universal way. Write about something everyone is familiar with:

love, politics, lifestyle issues or the sociology of being a human being on the planet. Once people have fallen in love with your music, it will be easier to get

 them to give the extra listen to your more complicated, artistic pieces. Remember that just because a song is popular or easily understood, doesn't mean that

 it's not good creativity. Art is subjective, and truly in the eye of the beholder. Your least favourite song could be someone else's favourite. You never have to

stop being creative or artistic, just acknowledge that there's an audience out there that wants to hear what you have to say... but they'll need to be able to

 comprehend it first.

About the Author Sheena Metal is a radio host, producer, promoter, music supervisor, consultant, columnist, journalist and musician. Her syndicated radio program, Music Highway Radio, airs on over 700 affiliates to more than 126 million listeners. Her musicians' assistance program, Music Highway, boasts over 10,000 members. She currently promotes numerous live shows weekly in the Los Angeles Area, where she resides. For more info sheena-metal.com

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5] Write Songs the Music Industry Wants to Hear    by Alex Forbes

Sure,  "art for art's sake" is cool... but what if you're pursuing a career as a songwriter? This article is full of suggestions for how you can tailor your songs to

 suit the requirements of music business professionalsMany of us bemoan the state of commercial music today, but what are you doing to improve things in

 your own microcosmic corner of the universe? Are you working to create the next wave of great material -- songs that have a lifespan of more than a few

 weeks or months? How can you use your talents to actually make a powerful contribution... and make a living while you're at it? The first step is to take a

 good look inside and explore what you as a unique individual have to say, lyrically and musically. What do you think about, believe in, stand for? What

makes you tick? These precious truths that bubble up from the soul provide the driving force behind great songwriting. These sparks of inspiration, these

 "aha! moments," are what listeners crave when they play a song. They're also what People Behind Desks are desperate to find. Do you have the courage to

lay bare your personal truth in public? I firmly believe that's what it takes to achieve success with your songs. The cynical among us will say, "no, you just

need the right equipment, a catchy hook and a whole lot of money behind you." Sure, those things help, but if you're trying to break into the business, your

 song has to simultaneously grab people by the guts, tickle their ears, and slam them over the head like a 2-by-4. Strive to write songs that take risks, tap into

 the universal via the personal, and motivate people to laugh, cry, feel, dance or take action. Make an effort to innovate, not imitate what's already out there

 In other words, write your passion. Songs miraculously translate to listeners the exact emotion you felt while you were writing them. Do your best to work

that magic! Another quality that professionals look for in a song is strong dynamic flow. Skilful use of the many conventions of songwriting can manipulate

 listeners in the most enjoyable way. Don't be afraid to push those emotional buttons! Here are some ways to go about it: * Suck listeners in with lyrical,

melodic and chordal tension. * Create a question in their minds: how will this turn out in the end? * Throw their bodies off balance with chords or melodies

 that are unexpected or quirky. * Take a strong point of view that's boldly provocative, unique or intensely felt. * Paint a vivid picture in the mind's eye.

 * Set a palpable mood. * Construct an entire sonic and/or lyrical environment

Once you have piqued people's interest, crank up their involvement using all the techniques in your lyrical toolbox, i.e. rhyme, meter, imagery, metaphor,

 alliteration... you name it. Avoid clichés like the plague, or turn them on their heads somehow. Experiment until you find the melody lines that best show off

 your lyrics, and vice versa. Salt your song with enough repetition to make it memorable, but not so much that it becomes predictable. Use chord progressions

 that are fresh, stimulating the ear rather than lulling it into complacency. When it comes time for the ultimate payoff, your Hook, don't settle! This is your

Money Shot, and most music biz pros will hit the "eject" button if they don't hear a strong hook in one listen. One listen! Here are a few ways to enhance

 your hook: * Construct your song so that all roads, lyrically and melodically, lead to your hook. * Remember that famous music business adage: "Don't

 bore us, get to the chorus." * More hooks is merrier! Instrumental riffs, backups, rhythmical chord movement, and verse melodies can provide secondary

 hooks. * Fear not repetition (up to a point, of course). * Throw in memorable "monkey wrench" words that stand out. * Make sure the world can sing along.

 * Play with the language: use slang, twists of phrase, even invent a new word!

Finally, People Behind Desks really appreciate it if you know your marketplace. Don't submit a country ballad when their artist is a heavy metal guitar-

shredder. And if you're the performer, have at least 3 crowd-pleasing, radio-ready songs in hand before you shop a deal. Make a detailed study of the hits in

 your chosen genres, and incorporate those lessons into your work. The Internet has made it incredibly easy to educate yourself about what's selling these

days, so there's no excuse for ignorance. Look at the world for a moment from the perspective of a music industry pro: They'll respond positively if they

think your song will save their job. By bringing them dynamic, single-worthy, heartfelt material you'll be well on your way to doing just that, and creating a

 career for yourself as well. Happy songwriting!

© 2006 by Alex Forbes -About the Author -Hit songwriter and songwriting coach Alex Forbes creativesongwriter .com has seen over 65 of her songs released, many of them landing on the Billboard charts, on TV and in feature films. Her chart hits include "Don't Rush Me," (#2 Pop), "Too Turned On," (#6) and "Nothin' My Love Can't Fix" (#19). Her song, "You Are Water" is featured on the hit album by Hayley Westenra.

6] How to Get the Right Balance of Innovation  and Predictability in Your  Songs    by Gary Ewer

Everyone's looking for innovation when it comes to writing songs. Obviously, you don't want your songs to just sound like every other song out there.

You want yours to stand out. Making a song stand out from the rest requires innovation - a new approach. But here's the danger: if your songs are too

 innovative, you'll find that listeners can get confused, or even bored. Songs need to have something predictable about them. In other words, if your song is

 too innovative, it can drive your audience away. Through my websites secretsofsongwriting .com and easymusictheory .com, I deal with this issue of

 innovation versus predictability a lot. Many of my online and "real life" students are songwriters. And getting the balance right is very important.

 Innovation is not a bad thing, and many great bands and singers have spent years building up an audience for their material by being innovative. But for the

 most innovative performers out there, the building of that audience will require a long time, and lots of patience. This article is for those of you who want to

build audiences quickly. It's one thing to be satisfied with taking years to build a listenership. But I know that many of you are wanting to get a loyal

 following sooner than that. You can do that by concentrating more on predictability at first rather than innovation. So if you want to build an audience for

your music quickly, you'll need to think about presenting your material in a fresh, innovative way that does not abandon tradition. The Beatles are probably

 the greatest example of this. Their early music was modeled after some very successful singers: Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and others.

 Presented in a fresh way, their early music relied on standard song format, with rather traditional chord changes and melodic structures. "All My Lovin'",

"I Want to Hold Your Hand," "She Loves You," etc. Great songs, strongly steeped in tradition, with a hint of innovation. Once the Beatles got that

 audience, they began to experiment more with innovative compositional and recording techniques. So having built up a loyal audience, they were able to

 present songs like "I Am the Walrus," "Strawberry Fields Forever," and so on. And that loyal audience, generally speaking, hung in there with them.

So here are some tips to consider for balancing innovation with tradition: 1) Be sure that at least one element of your songs - either chord progressions,

 melody, lyric or basic form, is traditional, and somewhat predictable. This will help those looking for something "safe", and will give you a solid basis to

 present something innovative. 2) For the element of your song that you might consider innovative, remember that the "further out there" it is, the stronger

the possibility that you will scare away listeners. This is not necessarily a bad thing, because you may pick up listeners that you wouldn't have otherwise had.

 Just remember that the more innovation you use, the slower you'll build that audience. 3) Don't be afraid to clothe complex lyrics or melody with a

 traditional ABABCB type of form. Simple forms are great ways to make sure that a listener doesn't feel lost. And always remember to be yourself. Being

 innovative simply because you want to try to sound different will not succeed. You need to always be presenting your material in a way that is true to the

musician inside you. Being weird for weird's sake will come across as pretentious.

Gary Ewer is the author of The Essential Secrets of Songwriting and Gary Ewer's Easy Music Theory. He is currently an instructor in the Dept. of Music, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia