BUILDING BLUEPRINT
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Lyrical Analysis of...
Verse, Pre-Course, Course/Hook, and Bridge
- Verse:
- In popular music, a verse roughly corresponds to a poetic stanza. When two or more sections of the song have almost identical music and different lyrics, each section is considered one verse. It is not to be confused with a pre verse, which is an interlude between the introduction of a song and its opening verse. Although less common now, the pre verse technique was popular with the surf music of the 1960s.[citation needed]
- Musically, "the verse is to be understood as a unit that prolongs the tonic....The musical structure of the verse nearly always recurs at least once with a different set of lyrics". Lyrically, "the verse contains the details of the song: the story, the events, images and emotions that the writer wishes to express....Each verse will have different lyrics from the others." "A verse exists primarily to support the chorus or refrain...both musically and lyrically."
- Pre Course:
- An optional section that may occur after the verse is the "pre chorus." Also referred to as a "build", "channel," or "transitional bridge," the pre chorus functions to connect the verse to the chorus with intermediary material, typically using subdominant or similar transitional harmonies. "Often, a two phrase verse containing basic chords is followed by a passage, often harmonically probing, that leads to the full chorus. "Often when the verse and chorus involve the same harmonic structure, the pre chorus will introduce a new harmonic pattern in order to make the harmony reappearance of the verse harmonies in the chorus seem fresh.
- Course:
- "The difference between refrain and chorus is not always cut and dried; both refer to passages of unchanging music and text providing a periodic sense of return." "At times, the term 'refrain' has been used interchangeably with 'chorus.' Technically, the refrain may be considered anything that's not the verse....a song part that contains the hook or title and appears more than once in a song is usually called 'a chorus." "The chorus contains the main idea, or big picture, of what is being expressed lyrically and musically. It is repeated throughout the song, and the melody and lyric rarely vary. "A refrain is," a repeated line or musical phrase that ties a song together...A refrain is only a phrase, or a word, while a chorus contains many more words." A refrain may be defined as a repetitive phrase or phrases that serve the function of a chorus lyrically but are not placed in a separate section and/or long enough so as to be considered a chorus. For example, refrains are found in AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long", Paul Simon's "The Sound of Silence", and "Deck the Halls" ("fa la la la la").
- The element of the song that repeats at least once both musically and lyrically. It is almost always of greater musical and emotional intensity than the verse. "The chorus, which gets its name from a usual thickening of texture from the addition of backing vocals, is always a discrete section that nearly always prolongs the tonic and carries an unvaried poetic text. "In terms of narrative, the chorus conveys the main message or theme of the song. Normally the most memorable element of the song for listeners, the chorus usually contains the hook. "If a song has a chorus, then that song should exist because of that chorus, not the other way around. "In popular music, the chorus normally follows the verse, but there are notable exceptions including The Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love", The Black Eyed Peas' "Imma Be", Pink's "Get the Party Started", and Linkin Park's "Crawling"
- Bridge:
- A bridge may be, "a transition," but more often in popular music is, "a section that contrasts with the verse...[,] usually ends on the dominant...[, and] often culminates in a strong retransitional V". "The bridge is a device that is used to break up the repetitive pattern of the song and keep the listeners attention....In a bridge, the pattern of the words and music change. "For example, John Denver's "Country Roads" is a song with a bridge while Stevie Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" is a song without one.
- In music theory, "middle eight" (a common type of bridge) refers to the section of a song which has a significantly different melody and lyrics, which helps the song develop itself in a natural way by creating a contrast to the previously played, usually placed after the second chorus in a song. (Typically, a song consists of first verse, pre chorus, chorus, second verse, pre chorus, chorus, middle eight, chorus).[citation needed] Such sections often consist of new chords, but also frequently just alternate between two chords. It is called a middle 8 because it happens in the middle of the song and the length is generally 8 bars. Jazz players also call this "the release".[citation needed]
- A typical song structure employing a middle 8 is:
- Intro {Verse Chorus}{Verse Chorus} Middle 8 {Chorus} {Chorus} (Outro)
- Middle 8s are often quieter than the remainder of the song,[citation needed] in contrast with the solo, which is generally more energetic. In slower songs, however, a middle 8 can be used to generate energy.[original research?] By adding a powerful upbeat middle 8, musicians can then end the song with a hook in the end chorus and finale.
What is a Blueprint?
A blueprint is like a report card for your lyrics. It contains a lyrical breakdown and analysis of all the words, syllables, and rhymes in your song.
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