Click here to check out all songwriting programmes and resources.
Following the huge success of this year’s songwriting camp we’ve booked dates to return next year and we’re now open for bookings! We only have 45 places available so please book soon. Click here to book your place.
Our residential songwriting camp is designed for aspiring young songwriters to develop their songwriting skills, connect & collaborate on exciting songwriting briefs over 4 days & immerse themselves in all parts of the songwriting process, from finding inspiration, lyric writing, melody improvisation and composition to producing and performing. Our expert team of top songwriters and producers all share a passion for inspiring the next generation.
The 4 day programme includes engaging sessions on:
Creating song concepts and understanding song structure
Creative lyric writing
Chords, Melody and Harmony improvisation (with some music theory)
Ways to develop your sound and style
Recording and producing your songs
Choir & Band
How to engage your audience
How the Songwriting/Music industry works and latest trends
How to create your own brand & fanbase
Masterclasses where we give feedback on songs previously written and work in progress songs
Open songwriter/mic night
Quiz night
Special guest speaker nights with opportunity for Q&As
Performances at the end of camp showcase from 2-3:30/4pm on the last day.
Here are some highlights of the end of summer camp 2023 showcase.
Scarlet and Brendan from Song Academy will talk you through each stage of the songwriting process to write your own song – from start to finish – deciding on a concept for your song, writing lyrics, improvising melodies, creating chord progressions and recording your song.
You don’t need to be able to play an instrument to write your first song with our new video course as we’ve created backing tracks for each part of your song. If you do play an instrument we’ve shown you how to play the chords (on piano and guitar).
There are useful worksheets for each stage of the process to make it really easy to write your song. For example worksheets on: suggested song structure, song map outline (blan and an example) piano chords chart, guitar chords chart, writing rhyming couplets and putting your song together.
“This is such a fun course! Thank you! My daughter Sara is 11 years old and loves singing, she wrote a fantastic song with your help and now spends most of her free time writing songs. Watch out Taylor Swift!” Paul, Father
The main things that we listen out for when judging The Young Songwriter competition entries are captivating melodies, evocative lyrics, a coherent structure, a catchy chorus, emotive performances, clever use of rhyme, a sense of anticipation, and strong concepts.
It’s important to say at the outset that songs which break all the rules and defy any expectation can be the biggest hits of all! Therefore, in as much as there are so called ‘rules’, feel free to bend and break them if you feel inspired to!
The power of songwriting is that no matter what inspired the songwriter to write a song, the listener interprets the song in their own unique way, and finds strength from the message and connection.
One of the key components, and biggest challenges, of songwriting is trying to express common, relatable feelings in an original and interesting way. The more inventive you can be when describing your feelings or experiences (for example, the pressures and joys of growing up and living in our society), the better. It’s a great way to express yourself by talking about issues you are passionate about in an engaging way.
Young Songwriter competition entries always cover a huge spectrum of topics, from personal experiences and feelings, to wider issues involving the writer’s communities, or even the entire world. Looking back on prior years, a popular theme was the state of the planet and awareness of environmental issues such as climate change. Another theme that came up a lot was mental health, with songs exploring anxieties, depression, drugs, death and high expectations. We also received many entires that explored the need be who you are, embrace your individuality and go for your dreams. Many songs took a stand for equality and freedom from barriers. Love and heartbreak always feature highly in Young Songwriter entries, with many different spins: we broke up, we’re breaking up, we’re about to break up, we’re not going to break up, I wish I could break up with you, we didn’t break up, I wish I had someone to break up with. Also, songs about the pain of toxic relationships and unrequited love.
But not all songs have to be dramatic and poignant – many people wrote songs about aspects of everyday life, like nature, sunlight, boredom, society, the stars, anything! Through lyrics and harmony the seemingly banal can sometimes be lifted onto another plain. It is great to be able to find inspiration in ordinary things, and it’s an amazing skill to be able to present those things in a way that people find exciting.
Plested, one of the fabulous Young Songwriter competition judges gave a great songwriting tip ‘Try to find a word or a phrase that a lot of people say in everyday life but not many people have sung about”, then write a song about it.
A song title is almost like a book cover, so make it interesting! Compare a heartbeat to a flashing light or the feeling of losing fear by roaring it away – the more inventive the concept around the ordinary, the better. Think of recent hits Dark Horse, Wrecking Ball, Pompeii – interesting titles and concepts talking about everyday feelings to do with fear, love and empowerment. It can also be a good way to start a song, having a strong title that sets the theme of the song can inspire more lyrics around it!
We’ve had many interesting song titles in The Young Songwriter competition past entries, including; Biting Into Ice, Concrete Sheets, Sneaks & Geeks, Dead Plants, Like Lava, T-shirt, Packet Full Of Noodles, Armour, Paperclips, Shine in the Darkness, Blue Fingertips, Burnt Peaches, Lies In Makeup, Sungrazer, Hijacked By Parasites, Reset, Little Alchemy, Dopamine, Me Myself and I, Mrs Ocean, Keyboard Warrior, Battlecry, Muddy Clear, Growing Gills, Swim Against The Stream, Muddy Boots & Messy Hair, Ode To Ego, Painting With Colour, Helvetica, Puppeteer, Head Full Of Clouds, Same Blood, Mindless Town, Can’t Buy Forgiveness, Cat And Mouse, Fading Rainbow, The Taste Of Dust.
The great songwriter Ralph Murphy says it very well in his books on the laws of songwriting – if the first four lines of your first verse can link back to your title then you’re onto a winner. Take for example Roar by Katy Perry:
I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath,
Scared to rock the boat and make a mess,
So I sat quietly,
Agreed politely,
Now you’re gonna hear me roar.
You create an expectation, and then you fulfil it. By doing this, you never lose sight of the message of your song, you keep in mind what you’re trying to say by always referring back to the title, thus never losing your listeners’ attention or the concept you’re expressing in your song. It also helps emphasise the message of the song and helps people remember it!
Here’s an example of a great song structure:
Introduction — An opening passage, either instrumental or vocals without lyrics
Verse I — Introduces the song’s message and sets the scene
Pre Chorus — Link between the verse and chorus
— Builds up both melodically and lyrically
Chorus — Main message of the song
— Catchiest part and most memorable part of the song (normally includes a ‘hook’)
— Most dynamic part of the song
Verse II — Continuing the explanation of the song
— Solidifying the message and introducing new imagery
— Lyrics change, melody stays broadly the same as verse 1, but you can tweak it a bit to keep it interesting!
Bridge or Middle Eight — A contrasting section that brings the song to a new level
— Rhythmically and melodically the song changes
— Looking at the message from a different view point
— Can build up tension leading up to the climax of the song
Chorus — Repeat (can add hooks to the outro of it)
Outro — The closing passage. It can be instrumental or vocal
Young Songwriter finalists write lyrics that show the listener a scene unfolding rather than simply telling the listener how they feel. American songwriter Jason Blume, who has had hits with Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys, says whilst there are no rules to songwriting, there are tools to help you craft that perfect hit. And all you need is a simple AID – action, imagery, detail.
Action:
Use verbs (action or doing words) to help illustrate what is going on in your song. For example, instead of saying ‘I miss you and I’m sad’, try and show what missing someone and being sad looks like :
The action words are ‘wipe’ ‘clutch’ ‘drove’ ‘walk’.
And instead of saying ‘I love you’ or ‘I’m in love’, why not show what a person in love does?
The action words are ‘wrote’ ‘picked’ ‘carried’ and ‘sing’.
Write a list of action words down before starting on your next song and try and use at least 5 of them in your next song to show what your feeling.
Imagery:
Blume says ‘whilst you cannot see heartbreak you can see the images and actions that convey that a person is heartbroken’:
The images are ‘knees’ ‘flowers’ ‘grave’ ‘photo’ ‘tears’ ‘floor’ ‘waterfall’. Blume also states that by including ‘tangible items’ and nouns in your lyrics like ‘furniture, clothing, a car, a house, a specific place, food’, you enable your audience to enter your song.
Along with your list of action words, try and write down a list of images and every day nouns to try and include in your next song.
Detail:
This is the third part of AID that will help you to show your listener what is going on in your song. This time we’re searching for adjectives and adverbs to help the listener visualise your song more clearly. For example, if we were to go one step further with some of our examples from the Imagery section above and add a bit more detail to the floor, or the grave, you have something like this…
Even with a few additional adjectives and adverbs, the scenes are much clearer to visualise; you can hear the creak of the old rocking chair, you can taste the bitter tears that fall onto the floor and see him in the kitchen, you can feel the cold muddy ground that she falls to – instantly you have transported your listener directly into the scene of your song, as if they are there with the singer, watching over what is happening.
So next time you’re stuck for lyrics, all you need is a little AID to help you on your way!
Play around with different combinations until your find the melody you’re looking for. Choose a key for your song and then try out the I, IV and V primary chords as well as the II III, VI and VII chords.
It has been said that the most successful ABBA songs have 5 hooks in each of their songs. A hook is a musical idea, melodic instrumental part, rhythmic phrase or a vowel/consonant sound or word repeated, that catches the ear of the listener to draw them into the song and helps to create its ‘catchiness’. According to popular commercial music today, the more hooks you can introduce throughout the song, the catchier it will be, because it’s constantly enticing the listener and, most importantly, keeping them interested. Listen to the start of Dancing Queen and the vocal ‘ahh’s and piano part before the hooky first line of the chorus, or Jessie J’s Price Tag (It’s all about the money, money, money/We don’t need your money, money, money). Other songs with simple but strong hooks include One Kiss by Calvin Harris featuring Dua Lipa, or Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen.
A lot of hooks are incredibly simple and may even be made by manipulating vocal parts, cutting them up or re-pitching them in an interesting way, songs that do this include Latch by Disclosure featuring Sam Smith, or Stay High (the Hippie Sabotage remix of Habits) by Tove Lo. Try and think about hooks for your own song, either lyrically, melodically or instrumentally. They can be incredibly simple and consist of a couple of notes, or a bit more interesting, just make sure they stick in your head!
Rhythm is an important part of many songs, it’s what makes people dance, or makes them nod their head and tap their feet. A solid rhythm can be a hook in itself, and it will lay the foundation on which to base the rest of your song around. It will also determine what kind of song it is, is it a fun, dancey song that makes you want to dance, like Get Lucky by Daft Punk? Or is it a slow, wistful song that people will sway along to, like Imagine by John Lennon? It could even be a fast, uptempo song that sounds exciting and triumphant, like Feel The Love by Rudimental ft John Newman. If the aim is to make the listener dance, try writing a song to the BPM of 120. If you’re writing a romantic acoustic song, experiment with different time signatures like 6/8 as this will get people swaying along to your song!
Another thing to experiment with is using triplets, it can open up a whole new world of melodic and rhythmic possibilities! A good example that we mentioned in the previous section about hooks is Latch by Disclosure featuring Sam Smith, you’ll hear the hi hat doing triplet rhythms where traditionally for that genre you would expect an even number of hi hats (either quarter notes, eighth notes or sixteenth notes).
Beats and rhythms also don’t have to be perfectly on beat, and often a beat that makes you want to dance will be a ‘swing’ or ‘shuffle’ rhythm, this is a technique that changes the length of notes to create a more uneven but interesting rhythm. An example of a swung rhythm is Ex’s and Oh’s by Elle King, hear how some of the hits are slightly late which gives a driving feel to the song.
The Young Songwriter competition entries are mainly judged on the song itself rather than the production, but there are some entries that use the production to help present their song in a stronger way. For example, a more pop/electronic entry might rely on solid drum sounds and more bass than an acoustic entry. Both are totally acceptable approaches and it’s important to note that you do not need incredible production skills and a top mix in order to submit a successful song, many of the best songs ever written would still be just as good whether they were produced fully or just played on one instrument!
We receive many different styles of recordings, many people record themselves at home, even in their bedroom with a phone! We understand that not everyone has access to recording studios or fancy equipment, and much like the production, if your song is strong it will shine even without an expensive or time consuming recording process. The most important thing is that the recording is clear enough for our judges to hear the individual parts, try to avoid recording in noisy environments that may make your recording difficult to hear, or distract from the song itself. You can record elements separately and combine them in a DAW (SoundTrap, Logic, Pro Tools, Reaper, Ableton or any other suitable software) or record with one microphone in one go, whichever you feel most comfortable with! If recording onto voice memos be sure to sing as clearly as possible as the judges don’t want to miss out on hearing your amazing lyrics. That goes for all recordings.
THE POWER OF SONGWRITING IS THAT NO MATTER WHAT INSPIRED THE SONGWRITER TO WRITE A SONG, THE LISTENER INTERPRETS THE SONG IN THEIR OWN UNIQUE WAY, AND FINDS STRENGTH FROM THE MESSAGE AND CONNECTION.
Check out our insightful song feedback service to make sure your songs are the best they can be before entering The Young Songwriter 2024 competition!
Our holiday songwriting workshops are a perfect opportunity, in a condensed time frame, to write an original song with professional songwriters. Participants will develop their lyrical & musical skills with new ideas and techniques. They will develop their confidence and ability to express themselves…as well as meeting other like-minded young creatives and having a lot of fun!
Small groups for beginners and those already writing their own songs and wanting some inspiration/guidance.
Here are some of the reasons why parents love their children taking part in our songwriting workshops.
Check out all details including dates and prices.
First work out what style of song you’d like to write. Listen to some songs in different genres to get a feel of what style of song and topics you want to speak up about. Check out our suggestions of songs to inspire you
One of the key components, and biggest challenges, of songwriting is trying to express common, relatable feelings in an original and interesting way. The more inventive you can be when describing your feelings or experiences (for example, the pressures and joys of growing up and living in our society), the better.
Try these two ways of starting a song:
1. Select 5 things in your bedroom i.e bed, chair, window, guitar, books – and then turn them into interesting song titles. For example: Bed – Safe Haven, Chair – Where I’ll Stay, Guitar – Broken Strings, Books – Read All About It
2. Find a quote you like. For example: “It is never too late to be what you might have been”, “an obstacle is often a stepping stone”, “to avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing”, “your only limitation is your imagination”.
Thinking of your object or quote, focus your senses on it and write freely for 10 minutes non-stop. Anything goes. Use all 7 senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, organic (awareness of inner bodily functions, eg, heartbeat) and kinesthetic (your sense of relation to the world around you. For example, when the train you’re on is standing still and the one next to it moves, your kinethetic sense goes crazy!)
After your 10 minute writing exercise, think more about the lyrics you’ve written and write some rhyming couplets. Remember that lyrics have a rhythm and using different rhyming schemes can help to shape your lyrics and make your songs more engaging. Here are two rhyming schemes for you to start with:
A-A-B-B
lines 1 and 2 rhyme, and lines 3 and 4 share a different rhyme.
OR
A-B-A-B
lines 1 and 3 share a rhyme, and lines 2 and 4 share a different rhyme.
Choose the one that works best for you and the song that you are writing.
Below are some examples of well known songs that use both rhyming schemes:
‘Happy’ Pharrell Williams (Chorus) in AABB form.
A Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
(Because I’m happy)
A Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
(Because I’m happy)
B Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
(Because I’m happy)
B Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do
‘Anyone’ by Justin Bieber (Verse 1) in ABAB form.
A Dance with me under the diamonds
B See me like breath in the cold
A Sleep with me here in the silence
B Come kiss me, silver and gold
Once your rhyming couplets have been written, you can now count the syllables in each line. If you count the syllables whilst tapping your foot (creating a tempo) you will notice that you are naturally creating a rhythm. This can be extremely helpful when working out your melody and figuring out how long your lines are going to be. From here you can improvise melodies over the lyrics singing to the rhythm you have created. The song now can start taking shape before you have even come up with the chords!
Think about creating some metaphors with the words that are connected to your song to give your song a unique twist. Write a list of 5 interesting adjectives, then write a list of 5 interesting nouns. Think about each combination and write some sentences. Write a list of 5 interesting nouns and then 5 interesting verbs. Think about each combination and write some sentences. Write a list of 5 interesting nouns and then 5 interesting nouns. Think about each combination and write some sentences. You get the idea!
Once you have loads of lyrical ideas, organise them into the different sections of your song to build your song’s story. Try using the suggested song structure below starting with the lyrics for your chorus (the ones which paint a picture of the main message of your song).
Suggested Song Structure for your song:
Verse 1 — Introduces the song’s message and sets the scene
— 4 lines
A
A
B
B
or
A
B
A
B
Pre Chorus — Link between the verse and chorus
— Builds up both melodically and lyrically
— 2 lines
A
A
or
A
B
Chorus — Main message of the song
— Catchiest part and most memorable part of the song (normally includes a ‘hook’)
— Most dynamic part of the song
— 4 lines
A
A
B
B
or
A
B
A
B
Verse 2 — Continuing the explanation of the song
— Solidifying the message and introducing new imagery
— Lyrics change, melody stays the same as verse 1, possibly with a few small changes to keep it interesting
— 4 lines
A
A
B
B
or
A
B
A
B
Bridge or Middle Eight — A contrasting section that brings the song to a new level and adds depth
— Rhythmically and melodically the song changes
— Looking at the message from a different view point
— Can build up tension leading up to the climax of the song
— 4/8 lines
A
A
B
B
or
A
B
A
B
Chorus — Repeat (can add hooks to the outro of it)
Outro — The closing passage. It can be instrumental or vocal
Check out our examples of song structure including rhyming scheme and chord movements at the end of this blog post.
There are three main chord progressions for songs in popular music. First, a bit of background about chords. A chord is a collection of notes played at the same time. The most simple chord is made up of 3 notes (called a triad). Every chord is built from a scale, and each scale has 7 separate notes (for example, in the key of C major there are C, D, E, F, G, A, B). Each note of a scale has a chord built from it and the order of these chords is referred to in the Roman numerals I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII. The sequence of chords is the same in any major scale. I is major (‘happy’ sounding), II is minor (‘sad’ sounding), III is minor, IV is major, V is major, VI is minor and VII is diminished. A triad is made up of the I, III and V notes. These are called the primary chords as there are all major (for example, in the key of C major C, E, G).
The three main chord progressions are:
1. I, IV, V (Which is C, F, G when played in the key of C Major)
2. I, V, VI, IV (C, G, Am, F in C Major)
3. I, VI, II, V (C, Am, Dm, G in C Major)
Choose a key for your song and choose one of the three chord progressions, perhaps start with the key of C, E, F or G. Play your chords and improvise different melodies for your lyrics.
It works well to have different chord progressions for your verses, chorus and bridge. Here’s an example of the different chord movements between sections for ‘Castle On The Hill’ by Ed Sheeran.
Verse 1: Standard 4 chord progression to lay the foundations and set the scene
D – G – Bm – A (I – IV – VI – V)
Pre-Chorus: Change in movement, going to chord IV here creates a lift in the song and allows tension to build towards to chorus
G – A – D – G (IV – V – I – IV)
Chorus: With tension, comes release and the song feels like it needs to resolve from the pre-chorus leading into the chorus. The pre chorus ends on chord IV and the chorus starts on chord I which in musical terms is a plagal cadence which gives us the resolve we need.
D – G – Bm – A (I – IV – VI – V)
Verse 2:
D – G – Bm – A (I – IV – VI – V)
Middle 8: Chord progressions moves to minor first which helps convey the change in perspective in the song
Bm – G – D – A (VI – IV – I – V)
Soundtrap is a perfect tool for creating your song. Add instrumental parts and beats and sing in your melodies and harmonies!
Chords that run throughout are Bm/Em/A/D (VI, II, V, I) which proves that great songs can be written with the same 4 chords running through the song.
Verse 1 — Introduces the song’s message and sets the scene
— 4 lines
A Shoes on, get up in the morn, cup of milk, let’s rock and roll
A King Kong, kick the drum, rolling on like a Rolling Stone
B Sing song when I’m walking home, jump up to the top, LeBron
B Ding dong, call me on my phone, ice tea and a game of ping pong
Pre Chorus — Link between the verse and chorus
— Builds up both melodically and lyrically
— 2 lines (In this case the pre is in 4 lines)
A This is getting heavy, can you hear the bass boom? I’m ready (woo hoo)
A Life is sweet as honey, yeah, this beat cha-ching like money, huh
B Disco overload, I’m into that, I’m good to go
B I’m diamond, you know I glow up, hey, so let’s go
Chorus — Main message of the song
— Catchiest part and most memorable part of the song (normally includes a ‘hook’)
— Most dynamic part of the song
— 4 lines
A ‘Cause I-I-I’m in the stars tonight
A So watch me bring the fire and set the night alight (hey)
B Shining through the city with a little funk and soul
B So I’ma light it up like dynamite, whoa oh oh
Verse 2 — Continuing the explanation of the song
— Solidifying the message and introducing new imagery
— Lyrics change, melody stays the same as verse 1, possibly with a few small changes to keep it interesting
— 4 lines
A Bring a friend, join the crowd, whoever wanna come along
B Word up, talk the talk, just move like we off the wall
A Day or night, the sky’s alight, so we dance to the break of dawn
B Ladies and gentlemen, I got the medicine, so you should keep ya eyes on the ball, huh
Bridge or Middle Eight — A contrasting section that brings the song to a new level and adds depth
— Rhythmically and melodically the song changes
— Looking at the message from a different view point
— Can build up tension leading up to the climax of the song
— 4/8 lines
In this instance BTS use this section as a post – chorus to reinforce the message of their song. This is very popular thing to do particularly in the most commercial sounding songs. Another example of a song using this technique is ‘Shape of you’ Ed Sheeran when he repeats: ‘Come on be my baby, come on’.
A Dy-na-na-na, na-na, na-na, ayy
A Dy-na-na-na, na-na, na-na, ayy
A Dy-na-na-na, na-na, na-na, ayy
B Light it up like dynamite
A Dy-na-na-na, na-na, na-na, ayy
A Dy-na-na-na, na-na, na-na, ayy
A Dy-na-na-na, na-na, na-na, ayy
B Light it up like dynamite
Chorus — Repeat (can add hooks to the outro of it)
Outro — The closing passage. It can be instrumental or vocal
As you can see from the example above, each section can have a different rhyme scheme so don’t feel like you need to be restricted to one.
Verse 1 — Introduces the song’s message and sets the scene
— 4 lines
Verse chords: G – D – Bm – A (IV – I – VI – V) (songs don’t always have to start with the first root chord!)
A We’re in the homestretch
B Of the hard times
A We took a hard left
B But we’re alright
Pre Chorus — Link between the verse and chorus Pre-chorus chords: G – D – Bm – A (IV – I – VI – V)
— Builds up both melodically and lyrically
— 2 lines (In this case the pre is in 4 lines)
A Yeah, life sure can try to put love through it,
A But we built this right, so nothing’s ever gonna move it
Chorus — Main message of the song
— Catchiest part and most memorable part of the song (normally includes a ‘hook’)
— Most dynamic part of the song
— 4 lines
Chorus chords D/F# – G – A – Bm (I – IV – V – VI) The chorus resolves to the root chord giving the song a perfect cadence
A When the bones are good, the rest don’t matter
A Yeah, the paint could peel, the glass could shatter
B Let it rain
B ’cause you and I remain the same
C When there ain’t a crack in the foundation (Introduces a new rhyme)
C Baby, I know any storm we’re facing
D Will blow right over while we stay put
D The house don’t fall when the bones are good
Verse 2 — Continuing the explanation of the song
— Solidifying the message and introducing new imagery
— Lyrics change, melody stays the same as verse 1, possibly with a few small changes to keep it interesting
— 4 lines
Verse chords: G – D – Bm – A (IV – I – VI – V)
A Call it dumb luck,
B But baby, you and I
A Can’t even mess it up,
B Though we both try
Bridge or Middle Eight — A contrasting section that brings the song to a new level and adds depth
— Rhythmically and melodically the song changes
— Looking at the message from a different view point
— Can build up tension leading up to the climax of the song
— 4/8 lines
Chorus chords D/F# – G – A – Bm (I – IV – V – VI)
In this instance Maren Morris repeats the chorus but varies the dynamics of the music to give the song a little twist. This is also common in pop music.
A Bones are good, the rest, the rest don’t matter (baby, it don’t really matter)
A Paint could peel, the glass could shatter (oh, the glass, oh, the glass could shatter)
A Bones are good, the rest, the rest don’t matter (ooh)
A Paint could peel, the glass, the glass could shatter (yeah)
Chorus — Repeat (can add hooks to the outro of it)
Outro — The closing passage. It can be instrumental or vocal
Now enter your songs into The Young Songwriter 2023 competition!
We can help you can your songs ready – we offer a song feedback service and you can join our Spring Term 2023 clubs and Holiday workshops.
Soul originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the 1950s and early 1960s after rhythm and blues was born. It uses elements of Jazz, Rhythm’n’Blues and Gospel music.
We’ve looked at some of the key features of instrumentation, rhythm & beat and chords & harmonies in Soul & Funk songs. Plus we’ve selected some Soul & Funk songs to have a listen to. Pupils can use our demonstration instrumental track to write their lyrics & melodies over.
Instrumentation
Soul and Funk music are characterised by using modern instruments for the time like the electric guitar and the fender Rhodes but also typical jazz instruments like horns and upright bass. The organ is often present and drums of course which are important for providing the energy and dynamic, often accompanied by percussions like shakers and congas.
Rhythm and Beat
We talk about a funky groove when an instrument like the drums, the guitar or the piano plays a rhythm with many ghost notes and most of the time with straight or swung 16th notes. You will not hear a funk ballad because I am not sure they exist. Soul can also be fast but not necessarily, we can also listen to many beautiful soul ballads by Ray Charles or Etta James.
Chords and Harmonies
Soul and Funk come directly from Jazz and were most of the time played by musicians and singers who had a strong Jazz background. We can recognise it in the improvisations parts and the chord progressions that use many colourful chords with 7th, 9th and more.
Demonstration instrumental track
You can use our demonstration instrumental track below to have a go at putting your lyrics and melodies over a Soul & Funk style instrumental. The Demo has a 4/4 feel made of several parts using organ, percussions, drum breaks, guitars riffs to create dynamical evolution through the song. The song structure of this instrumental track is:
Intro – 4 bars
Verse 1 – 8 bars
Pre Chorus – 8 bars
Chorus – 8 bars
Re Intro – 4 bars
1/2 Verse – 4 bars
Pre Chorus – 8 bars
Chorus – 8 bars
Bridge – 8 bars
Chorus – 8 bars
Outro – 4 bars
SONG REFERENCES
Following references gives you a quick idea of the authentic sound of Soul & Funk as well as more contemporary artists that recreated it.
I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPE WINE – MARVIN GAYE
Marvin Gaye also nicknamed “the prince of soul” was an icon of Motown and soul music in the 1960s and 1970s. He wrote several hits songs that became classics.
REHAB – AMY WHINEHOUSE
Contemporary artist who made a big impact on the music scene with her retro style.
I FEEL GOOD – JAMES BROWN
The King of Funk was known for his energy, his dance moves and his funky songs full of hooks and grooves that make everyone dance. I feel good is definitely a classic funk song that many musicians play at jam sessions.
SEVEN NATION ARMY – BEN L´ONCLE SOUL
Contemporary French artist who also recreate a retro soul sound of the 1960s with originals songs and new interpretations of hits from different styles.
Rock music is a broad style that originated directly from Rock’n’Roll but which evolved into many sub-genres since the early 1950s. It has often accompanied cultural movements and social protests and it influenced daily life, attitudes, fashion and language in a way few other social developments have equalled.
We’ve looked at some of the key features of instrumentation, rhythm & beat and chords & harmonies in Rock songs. Plus we’ve selected some Rock songs to have a listen to. Pupils can use our demonstration instrumental track to write their lyrics & melodies over.
Instrumentation
There is no Rock without electric guitars. They already existed since the 1930s in Jazz music and Blues but they got more presence in ‘rock and roll’ when distortions were used on purpose from the 1950s. Taking more and more space, performing solos, using effects, the Electric guitar became soon the iconic Rock instrument and from the 1960s the typical band formation was made of 2 e-guitars, 1 e-bass and drums. But of course, the genre continued to evolve with time and be influenced by new technologies. Contemporary Rock sounds sometimes similar to pop music, using electronic sounds and modern music production techniques but the signature has always been the same, electric guitars.
Rhythm and Beat
Rock is most of the time in 4/4 although there were times in the 1970s during the psychedelic apogee where musicians experimented with asymmetric rhythms, like Led Zepplin. The drum beats are characterised by big acoustic drum sound that can have different kind of grooves. Sometimes Rock music is influenced by Funk music, Pop, Rock’n’Roll.
Chords and Harmonies
Rock comes from Rock’n’Roll which originated from Blues. It is no surprise that the Blues scale and the Blues form play a big part of this genre which also has elements of many other styles. From Pop, Jazz, Country and more, Rock has had many influences and that is why there are so many names describing these sub genres: Rock alternative, Jazz Rock, Garage Rock, Indi Rock and much more.
Demonstration instrumental track
You can use our demonstration instrumental track below to have a go at putting your lyrics and melodies over a Rock style instrumental. The Demo instrumental has an upbeat tempo with the dynamical guitars mostly playing 8th notes all along. The song structure of this instrumental track is:
Intro – 2 bars
Refrain – 8 bars
Verse 1 – 8 bars
Pre Chorus – 8 bars
Chorus – 8 bars
Refrain – 8 bars
Verse 2 – 8 bars
Pre Chorus – 8 bars
Chorus – 8 bars
Chorus – 8 bars
Break – 2 bars
Bridge – 16 bars
Refrain – 8 bars
Refrain – 8 bars
SONG REFERENCES
Following references are here to help you get an idea of rock songs from different sub-genres.
NOTHING BUT THIEVES – AMSTERDAM
This band represents here contemporary rock music from our time. The formation is the same as classic Rock bands in the 1960s with 2 guitars, a bass, a drum and a singer.
WHOLE LOTTA LOVE – LED ZEPPLIN
This English band was formed at the end of the 1960s during the hippies highest times. They became famous for their dynamical songs but also for their melancholic ones.
SEX ON FIRE – KINGS OF LEON
Great song by this alternative/indie rock band.
SMELL LIKE TEEN SPIRITS – NIRVANA
Kurt Cobain is one of those artists that created something really special.
GREEN DAY – AMERICAN IDIOTS
One of the most known Punk band from the 2000s that made an impact with their provocative style.
Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted orally, music with unknown composers, music that is played on traditional instruments, music about cultural or national identity. It has been contrasted with commercial and classical styles.
We’ve looked at some of the key features of instrumentation, rhythm & beat and chords & harmonies in Folk songs. Plus we’ve selected some Folk songs to have a listen to. Pupils can use our demonstration instrumental track to write their lyrics & melodies over.
Instrumentation
Traditional folk music is often related to national cultures which includes their traditional instruments and singing styles. Flutes, percussions and string instruments are the most common. The Mandolin, the Sitar, Bongos and the Marimba are among the best known instruments of nations around the world but there are many many more. In the western culture, folk music is mainly guitar based but it also includes drums, violin, upright bass, banjo and accordion just to name a few.
Rhythm and Beat
Folk musics around the world can sound very different from each other. Samba rhythms in Brazil is different to the grooves in Indian music. In the western countries, folk music has cohabited with Pop, Rock, Blues, Jazz, classical and many other genres so of course it has always been influenced since the 20th century. Taylor Swift is a good example of contemporary artists who started out with Folk music although we could described her music as Pop.
Chords and Harmonies
Same as for the rhythms and instrumentations, folk musicians in Arab countries felt the music differently than in asian countries for example. They perceived and structured music from their own ears that is why they use different scales and harmonies. In western countries, folk has been influenced by other genres to create crossovers like rock folk, jazz folk although the roots of Folk mainly are influenced by Classical music, using the Main I, IV and V degrees.
Demonstration instrumental track
You can use our demonstration instrumental track below to have a go at putting your lyrics and melodies over a Folk style instrumental. The Demo instrumental uses mainly 2 acoustic guitars which is very common in American folk music. It’s in 6/8 time. The song structure of this instrumental track is:
Intro – 4 bars
Verse 1 – 8 bars
Pre Chorus – 4 bars
Chorus – 16 bars
Intro – 4 bars
Verse 2 – 8 bars
Pre Chorus – 4 bars
Chorus – 16 bars
Bridge – 8 bars
Drop – 1 bar
Chorus – 16 bars
Following songs are here to show you the similarities of western folk songs from different times.
RIPTIDE – VANCE JOY
Contemporary Folk Song that uses mainly the ukulele. A folk instrument that originated in Hawaii.
GEORGE EZRA – BUDAPEST
An other contemporary Pop Folk song that could actually be a pop song. The element that mainly make it sounds as a Folk song is the instrumentation: the acoustic guitars, the way of singing, the acoustic drums and the percussions (especially the tambourine which is often present in most pop folk productions)
BLOWING IN THE WIND – BOB DYLAN
One of the most important Folk´s characteristic are stories that are told with poetical lyrics. Bob Dylan is a master of it and has had a big influence on songwriting in Popular music since the 1960s with his deep messages but also his unconventional singing skills.
CLOSER TO FINE – INDIGO GIRLS
This is an acoustic folk song from 1989 that uses mainly guitar rhythms. The main vocal is accompanied by a typical and single folk backing vocal.
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities from a bond of African-American and European-American musical parentage and culture. It finds its roots in Blues and Ragtime in the late 19th century and is characterised by swing and blue notes, complex chords, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation. Jazz has roots in European Harmony and African rhythmic rituals. It’s a genre that rapidly evolved through the whole century and influenced almost every other kind of music that already existed or that came after it.
We’ve looked at some of the key features of instrumentation, rhythm & beat and chords & harmonies in Jazz songs. Plus we’ve selected some Jazz songs to have a listen to. Pupils can use our demonstration instrumental track to write their lyrics & melodies over.
Instrumentation
From the beginning, Jazz was unique for using a mix of classic instruments like the piano and the trumpet but also more modern ones like the drums and from the 1930s the e-guitar. Jazz ensembles with only 5 or 6 musicians became so popular that bigger ensembles were soon formed. Called “Big Bands”, they are like orchestras but with a more jazzy instrumentation by having a small rhythm section based of the guitar, the piano, the drum, the upright bass and a horn section composed of several trumpets, trombones, saxophones and sometimes clarinets. Nowadays, we can see all kind of ensembles, small or big, using all kind of instruments: vibraphone, violin, accordion etc…
Rhythm and Beat
The rhythms of Jazz is known for being swung. The swing consists of delaying the off beats until the rhythm feels like in three. Also called the ternary rhythm.
Chords and Harmonies
Jazz is known for having very rich chords. The structures were influenced by European classical theory but with the influence of Blues music and talented musicians, Jazz harmonies developed so much that it can even be too complicated to understand for non-educated ears. Many other genres have been influenced by Jazz and have used its chords to add new colours and create crossover genres.
Demonstration instrumental track
You can use our demonstration instrumental track below to have a go at putting your lyrics and melodies over a Jazz style instrumental. The Demo instrumental has a medium swing feel structured with the typical jazz standard form AABA. Instead of having verses and choruses alternating with each other, most jazz songs used this form that means having twice the same part A, then a bridge B, then back to the first part A. The song structure of this instrumental track is:
Intro x8
A part x8
A part x8
B part (bridge) x8
A part x8
A part x8 (Piano solo)
A part x8 (Piano solo)
B part (bridge) x8
A part x8
Outro x4
L-O-V-E – DIANA KRALL
Contemporary singer and pianist who is well known for her elegant, swingy and minimalistic style interpreting old Jazz standards with fresh energy.
A FOGGY DAY IN LONDON TOWN – MICHAEL BUBLÉ
An other modern Jazz artist singing this swingy song with a Big band.
SMILE – NAT KING COLE
A very charismatic jazz singer and pianist successful in the 1940s until his death in 1964.
FEVER – PEGGY LEE
A Classic jazz tune with a lot space and minimalism.
