The verse explains the main idea of the song and keeps the story moving forward, coloring the chorus differently every time to keep the listener interested.
Now, with a solid main hook contained in the chorus we'll work in reverse and construct the first verse.
A few important tips before we start:
• the verse should usually be lower in pitch than the hook/chorus to create contrast • use lines and words from your worksheet to generate ideas for the verse • to create contrast with the hook/chorus, vary the pitch and the word phrasing • use each verse to set up and color the chorus differently each time. In other words, what you say in each verse directly affects how the listener feels the chorus and the lines right before the chorus help accomplish this. Please Bookmark This Site
Follow these tips to create your verses:
2. Repeat the line you chose by speaking in a normal tone and take note of pitch movement as you speak them like we did in Step 4 - Hook/Chorus. Start experimenting with singing the verse line.
3. Now, sing the hook/chorus a couple of times then fall into the verse you want to create by singing the first verse line naturally. You'll find it usually falls perfectly into place! It's easier to create a verse after the chorus because our minds have been conditioned to hear this natural drop in pitch, and we as human beings are good at imitating what we've already heard!
4. After writing a rough draft of your first verse and hook/chorus you'll come to the second verse and sometimes find yourself not knowing where the song will go from there. If this happens, consider these tips:
• Be aware that sometimes the 1st verse will become the 2nd verse and vice versa •Start asking questions like: What does the singer want someone to do? Where does the singer want to go? When can the singer....? Get it? Use who,what,where,when why, and how. •The 2nd verse usually is constructed exactly like the 1st, but as in our example song below this doesn't always have to be the case. Note how the rhyming scheme changes after the 1st four lines of the 2nd verse for added emphasis--put this into your bag of tricks. Rules are definitely made to be broken!
In our example song's second verse I asked "Where does the singer want to go?" (1st Verse): I don't have to go very far To get what I need You are the natural version of A mega-dose of ecstasy You're touch It picks me up It always gets me through the night Your kiss Is my syringe Injecting me with desire (Chorus): I've never been so high Your love is like a drug One shot of you ain't enough I've never been so high Your love is like a drug C'mon nand fill me up I've never been so high Your love is like a drug One shot of you ain't enough I've never been so high Your love is like a drug C'mon nand fill me up (2nd Verse): Take me on a one way trip Use my body as your guide If I O.D. on your love, Baby I'm so ready to die Cause I’ve lived enough I’ve laughed enough I’ve cried enough I’ve lost in love I’m so in love Lord up above Forgive me cause I….
The verse con-
tains the message
that creates
interest and excite-
ment for the song.
The hook/chorus
isthe payoff that
satisfies the listen-
ers' ears and hearts.
Use the verse to
build momentum
and excitement into
the hook/chorus
and hear how your
hook/chorus ex-
plodes with satis-
faction!
