Rolling Stones - Satisfaction

Exploring a Deeper Definition of a Song Hook

In pop songwriting, the word hook is often used synonymously with chorus. “I’ve just written a hook” usually means that you’ve got the main part of your chorus done. But in fact, that concept we call the hook is more complex, and overlaps with other elements we typically call riffs, motifs, maybe even loops and other types of repetitive patterns. […]

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5 Important Characteristics of Good Song Hooks

 There are several different kinds of hooks you might find in the song, but they all do essentially the same thing:  they all give the listener something catchy, something singable, and something that will bring them back to the song.   So no matter where your main hook appears (chorus, intro, backing accompaniment, etc. )  here […]

When the Feel of a Song is More Important Than Anything Else

Get “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 10-eBook Bundle. Discover why great songs are great, and how to use those secrets in your own music. Buy today and get “Creative Chord Progressions” FREE. In the last post, we saw that contrast in modern pop music has a lot to do with melodic shape and chords, and not […]

5 Elements That Contribute To a Song’s Overall Feel

Establishing a song’s “feel” is not just the job of the drums. In fact, at least 5 different elements interact to create an overall feel. _______________ Thousands of songwriters are now using “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” eBook Bundle to improve their technique. It comes with an 11th free eBook, “Creative Chord Progressions“. Read more.. ________________ The groove or feel of […]

Harmonic Rhythm Helps Establish Your Song’s Groove

Harmonic rhythm is something created and established at the start of the songwriting process that can deeply affect the feel of a song. _____________ Download “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” 6-eBook Bundle, and find out which songs become hits, and why they sound so good. _____________ Groove is a difficult thing to define precisely, but you can’t […]

Pop Songs Need a Groove, or They're Just Aimless Wandering

Written by Gary Ewer, from “The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” website Follow Gary on Twitter In the pop music world, songs need a groove, and that usually means that you need to limit the number of chords you use. A groove chiefly happens when the tonic (key) chord happens over and over again. Our musical instincts […]