How to Write A Song
Here’s some great advice from multi-platinum songwriter Andrea Stolpe on the difference between the verse and the chorus, and what each part is meant to accomplish!
“The verse expresses what’s happening, who it’s happening to, where it’s happening, and when.” So, who, what where and when!“The why comes in the chorus. The why expresses what is valuable, what is thought and felt. What is the meaning behind…” everything else going on in the song.
Earworms
The chorus is also usually the catchiest part of the song, so you want to think of clever, memorable and easy-to-sing lyrics — so people just find themselves singing it! If you have big words with lots of syllables, it is likely going to be harder to sing! That’s not to say dumb it down, tho. The idea is to make your message – the message of your song – as clear as it can possibly be!
Watch Andrea’s quick video (chorus info starts at 2:44).
This video is part of a great series on YouTube from Andrea and Berklee Online – check it out!
There are also some great tips in Andrea’s How To Write A Chorus In 4 Steps!
Sometimes a song needs a short lead in from the verse to the chorus that sets the stage or explains where we’re going – that’s the pre-chorus! It usually doesn’t follow the same rhyme scheme as the verse or the chorus and has a different cadence and number of syllables – so think of it as something different that takes us from the story (the verse) to the message (the chorus) of the song! Learn more here!
