1. Song Writing

2. Learning Intentions In this unit we will:
Analyse how composers write songs
Experiment using compositional methods and music concepts to realise our creative intentions
Critically reflect on our music, creative choices and decisions.

3. Success Criteria By the end of this unit you will:
Be able to describe the compositional process of writing a song.
Have written your own song demonstrating your ability to: choose a chord pattern, set words to a melody, organise your music in a structured way and incorporate musical concepts to enhance your music.
Have critically reflected on the compositional process.

4. Getting Started

5. Writing Lyrics
Writing lyrics can be one of the most challenging aspects of song writing.
Watch this clip of Emeli Sande describing how she finds inspiration for her songs.

6. Writing Lyrics Tips for success:
Think of an overall topic/theme for your song
The chorus would usually contain the main message/title of your song. Keep this simple.
Writing lyrics with a rhyming scheme can help with phrasing

7. Chord Patterns
In order to create an effective chord pattern you should:
Choose the key you wish to write in e.g. G major
Work out the chords you would find in that key i.e.
I II III IV V VI VII
G Am Bm C D Em F#dim

8. Advanced Chords Dominant 7th Added 6th Suspended 4th Suspended 2nd
By this point you should be able to identify the notes that make up a major or minor chord.
In order to improve your song you may wish to use some more interesting chords.
Dominant 7th
Added 6th
Suspended 4th
Suspended 2nd
diminished 7th

9. Chord pattern different from verse
Exemplar
CHORDS IN G MAJOR
I II III IV V VI VII
G Am Bm C D Em F#dim
Verse 1
Chorus
Verse 2
Ending G Em C D D7
Dominant 7th
Chord pattern different from verse Em C G Am D7 G Em C D
Interrupted Cadence C D G
G C D

10. Literacy Activity
Listen and follow the music for “Can’t help falling in Love”.
On the sheet provided answer the questions related to this piece.

11. Let’s look at some examples
Word Setting
When setting your lyrics to a melody think about:
Where you want your phrases to begin and end
If you want your melody to move mainly by step or leap
If you want your melody to be syllabic or melismatic
Let’s look at some examples

12. “Lego House” – Ed Sheeran
Is the word setting syllabic or melismatic?

13. “I Will Always Love You” – as performed by Whitney Houston
Is the word setting syllabic or melismatic?

14. Exemplar
Lyrics & Word Setting
Split your lyrics into phrases
I see the sunset beyond the sea, I wonder when you’ll come home to me
Which words do you want to stress?
Experiment using different rhythms until you find one you like.
Play your chord and find notes (typically notes of the chord) that you like the sound of.

15. Exemplar
Word Setting 1 2 G D B A 3

16. Structure One of the key elements of a song is it’s structure.
The common sections of a song are:
Verse/s
Chorus - usually repeated several times
Bridge - linking section between verse and chorus
Middle 8 - A section that typically comes between a repeated chorus.

17. “Somebody to You” - The Vamps “Let Her Go” - Passenger
Pop Song Structures
“Somebody to You” - The Vamps
Intro - 4 bars
Verse 1 “I used to want to be”
Bridge “Look at me now”
Chorus “All I wanna be”
Verse 2 “I used to run around”
Middle 8 (same lyrics as Bridge) “Look at me now”
“Let Her Go” - Passenger
Intro
Chorus “Well you only need the light”
Instrumental
Verse “Staring at the bottom of your glass”
Chorus “But you only need the light”
Verse “Staring at the ceiling in the dark”
Middle 8 “and you let her go”
Chorus “Cause you only need the light”

18. Homework Task “Rolling in the Deep” - Adele
Choose a song that you enjoy listening to. It can be from any genre (rock, pop, blues etc.) but it must have vocals.
Analyse the structure of the song and identify the order of the various sections. Write down the 1st line of lyrics for each section to show where a new section begins. E.g.
“Rolling in the Deep” - Adele
Intro
Verse 1
“There’s a fire…”
Bridge
“The scars of your love…”
Chorus
“We could have had it all…”
Verse 2
“Baby I have no story…”

19. The Finished Product…
Now look at the exemplar performance plan in your workbook. Follow the plan as you listen to the finished song.
Your performance plan should:
Be easy to follow and accurate to what is heard in the recording.
Indicate the instruments, chords and lyrics of your song.

20. Now it’s over to you! Think of the topic/theme of your song
Brainstorm some key words to incorporate in your lyrics
Experiment with different chords and choose a key
Create a melody for your lyrics
Decide on the structure of your song