Spotlight on the Country song genre

The aim of our spotlights on different song genres is to make it easy for Music teachers to bring to life the different contemporary music styles.  In addition, for English teachers to have the knowledge and a great instrumental track for pupils to write song lyrics in a style of music they choose.

There could be some difficulties to distinguish Country and Folk music as they share a lot in common. The difference is that Country is a music genre within the big family of Folk music but a folk song is not necessarily a country song.
Country music originated from Blues, Church music and several forms of American folk music in the 1920s. It continued to evolve until nowadays with influences from other traditional genres music but also more commercial styles like Pop since the 2000s.

We’ve looked at some of the key features of instrumentation, rhythm & beat and chords & harmonies in Country songs.  Plus we’ve selected some Country songs to have a listen to.  Pupils can use our demonstration instrumental track to write their lyrics & melodies over.

Instrumentation
In the 1920s, there were no electric instruments and the drum kit was just about to be developed. That’s why the first country musicians mostly used acoustic instruments to accompany their singing like the guitar, the banjo or the accordion and other European instruments like the harmonica and the violin. Drums was at the beginning described as being “too loud” and “not pure” and musicians started to have a drummer only from the 1950s while Electric guitar was used in country music for the first time in 1938. Although it continued to be influenced by other modern genres, the authentic sound of country remains with acoustic instruments.

Rhythm and Beat
Although many country songs tends to be ballads, it’s difficult to say what it the typical rhythm for country. Through time since 1920s it evolved a lot, influenced by many other genres, but mainly by Blues, Rock and Pop music. Some country songs have a shuffle feeling like in Rock”n”roll while others like in contemporary country music sounds similar to Pop music.

Chords and Harmonies
Country took a lot from Blues’ harmonies and scales but like most music, it also uses the normal chord progressions of European diatonic scales.

Demonstration instrumental track
You can use our demonstration instrumental track below to have a go at putting your lyrics and melodies over a Country style instrumental.   The Demo has a 4/4 feel groove with typical country slide electric but also acoustic guitars.  The song structure of this instrumental track is:

Refrain – 4 bars
Verse 1 – 8 bars
Pre Chorus – 8 bars
Chorus – 8 bars
Refrain – 4 bars
Verse 2 – 8 bars
Pre Chorus – 8 bars
Chorus – 8 bars
Refrain – 4 bars
Bridge – 16 bars
Double Chorus – 16 Bars
Refrain – 4 bars

SONG REFERENCES

The following references are here to give you an idea of country music from different period of time. From traditional country to a more commercial one.

JOLENE – DOLLY PARTON

A very well known country song released in 1974 with a typical country sound by an artist still active today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixrje2rXLMA

FOLSOM PRISON – JOHNNY CASH

Around the same time as Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash was one of the most influential country singer and songwriter of all time. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeZRYhLDLeU

HUMBLE AND KIND – TIM MCGRAW

Tim McGraw is a very successful country artist since 1994 with his blending of traditional and Rock music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awzNHuGqoMc

I HOPE – GABBY BARRETT

This was the most listened country song of 2020 but you can already hear that it sounds very far away from the authentic sound. It’s more a blend of pop music with guitars that reminds you of the traditional country genre. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcCH6JpcK5w

Click here to explore more of our songwriting resources for Teachers.

Information on The Young Songwriter 2023 competition, entry period 1st February to 31st March 2023

Spotlight on the Reggaeton song genre

The aim of our spotlights on different song genres is to make it easy for Music teachers to bring to life the different contemporary music styles.  In addition, for English teachers to have the knowledge and a great instrumental track for pupils to write song lyrics in a style of music they choose.

Reggaeton is a music style that originated in Puerto Rico during the mid-1990s and is now regarded as one of the most popular music genres in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. Over the 2010s the genre has increased in popularity across Latin America, as well as acceptance within mainstream western music and nowadays the grooves of Reggaeton are used in many crossovers with other mainstream styles like RnB, Hip Hop and Pop music.

We’ve looked at some of the key features of instrumentation, rhythm & beat and chords & harmonies in Reggaeton songs.  Plus we’ve selected some Reggaeton songs to have a listen to.  Pupils can use our demonstration instrumental track to write their lyrics & melodies over.

Instrumentation
Reggaeton comes from music styles that used mainly acoustic instruments, drums, guitars, percussions. But with the influence of western electronic music, Reggaeton which is meant for dancing in clubs, blends synths sounds with more percussive traditional instruments. It is also common to hear some acoustic guitars and sometimes even horn sections.

Rhythm and Beat
Typical is the drum beat with the kicks going “4 on the floor” like in a EDM beat but with the snare playing more syncopes (syncopated rhythm). The guitar, accordion or piano sometimes play the typical reggae “Skunk” which is about playing all the “off-beats”. The rhythms are generally accompanied with a lot of percussions like shakers and congas that add fills and dynamics.

Chords and Harmonies
The roots of Reggaeton are close to folk-music but at the same time, it wants to get modern and trendy. That is why there are some songs that use traditional chord progressions while others sounds more pop. But reggaeton is also loved in RnB where we use more colourful jazz chords.

Demonstration instrumental track
You can use our demonstration instrumental track below to have a go at putting your lyrics and melodies over a Reggaeton style instrumental.  The Demo instrumental has a typical medium dance Reggaeton groove.  The song structure of this instrumental track is

Intro x4
Verse x8
Prechorus x8
Chorus x8
2nd Verse x8
2nd Prechorus x8
Chorus x8
Outro x4

SONG REFERENCES

The following references are here to help you understand the classic Reggaeton sound but also different crossovers possibilities.

DESPACITO – LUIS FONSI
This classic has almost 8 billions views on Youtube. It’s a typical Reggaeton song with acoustic instruments like guitars and traditional percussions.

MI GENTE – J BALVIN, WILLY WILLIAM
Another big hit for Reggaeton using sampling, electronic drums and percussions.

LOOSE MY COOL – AMBER MARK
This is an RnB song but using Reggaeton´s beat. It’s a very trendy crossover that uses jazzy harmonies, soulful vocals and Latinos rhythms.

DINERO – JENNIFER LOPEZ
An great crossover between Reggaeton and Hiphop mainly electronically produced but using samples.

DON’T GO YET –
CAMILA CABELLO
This is a pop song but with a rich production blending Reggaeton beats with Salsa elements. You can recognise the traditional instruments like the piano, the guitars, the choir.

Click here to explore more of our songwriting resources for Teachers.

Information on The Young Songwriter 2023 competition, entry period 1st February to 31st March 2023

Spotlight on the Hip Hop song genre

The aim of our spotlights on different song genres is to make it easy for Music teachers to bring to life the different contemporary music styles.  In addition, for English teachers to have the knowledge and a great instrumental track for pupils to write song lyrics in a style of music they choose.

Hip Hop developed in the 1970s by African Americans, Latino Americans and Jamaicans in the bronx borough of New York City, but through times it became more than just a music genre. It started mainly with DJs that would mix music with turntables, experimenting with scratches and breaks while singers would Rap. And the use of new technologies like sampling and drum machines allowed the creation of new music by using old records. Nowadays Hip Hop culture include MCing/rapping, DJing, Break dancing, Grafiti writing, Beatmaking, Beatboxing, Autotuning.

We’re looked at some of the key features of instrumentation, rhythm & beat and chords & harmonies in Hip Hop songs.  Plus we’ve selected some Hip Hop songs to have a listen to.  Pupils can use our demonstration instrumental track to write their lyrics & melodies over.

Instrumentation
While Hip Hop has evolved since the 1970s, creating many subgenres on its way, it is mainly defined by having strong drum beats that uses electronic sounds and samples from old records. The mix of synthesised sounds and samples of acoustic and even exotic traditional instruments from all over the world is a blending of modern and old times which until today has always been trendy.

Rhythm and Beat
Old school and contemporary Hip Hop have the same essence but different drum grooves. While the old school beats tend to be medium fast for break-dancers, it is very common nowadays to have slow beats that have a lot of drum movements and energy using sub basses and crunchy kicks.

Chords and Harmonies
Hip Hop is all about energy and beat. There are no rules really for chords and harmonies because there are many different sub-genres that uses all kind of combinations. Lofi-Hip Hop has a strong jazz influence while Trap is more defined by having less chords and a moving bass line.

Demonstration instrumental track
You can use our demonstration instrumental track below to have a go at putting your lyrics and melodies over a Hip Hop style instrumental.  The Demo instrumental is typical for nowadays Hip Hop beats. It uses mainly a sample of an instrument that reminds traditional instruments from somewhere in the world.  The song structure of this instrumental track is:

Intro x4
Verse x8
Prechorus x8
Chorus x8
2nd Verse x16
Prechorus (buildup) x8
Chorus x8
Chorus (or bridge) x8
Outro x8

SONG REFERENCES

Following song references are here to give you a wide idea of the hiphop sound.

STILL D.R.E – DR. DRE
This is a classic for old school hiphop. A strong drum loop, a repetitive piano pattern, some strings in the background and a lot of rapping.

I LIKE IT – CARDI B
Great production using a lot of traditional instruments and samples in the style of cuban music.

OLD TOWN ROAD – LIL NAS
Fun song blending country singing style, traditional instruments like banjo with autotune and hiphop beat.

GOD´S PLAN – DRAKE
This production is made of 2 chords, a looped synth and a drum beat. Typical contemporary hiphop beat that feels slow but on which we move and dance double time.

Click here to explore more of our songwriting resources for Teachers.

Information on The Young Songwriter 2023 competition, entry period 1st February to 31st March 2023

Spotlight on the Dance song genre

The aim of our spotlights on different song genres is to make it easy for Music teachers to bring to life the different contemporary music styles.  In addition, for English teachers to have the knowledge and a great instrumental track for pupils to write song lyrics in a style of music they choose.

EDM are the initials for Electronic Dance Music which is a wide range of genres made for nightclubs and festivals.
Disco is one of the biggest precursor of EDM that started to use mostly these so called “4 on the floor” beats where the drum kick stays steady, typical for most dance music nowadays. With the appearance of synths, samples and electronic drum beats, several genres were born from the 1980s like Electro, House and Techno music. The clubbing culture evolved differently in Europe and America but from the 2000s EDM music’s popularity increased globally and many different sub-genres continued to develop.

We’ve looked at some of the key features of instrumentation, rhythm & beat and chords & harmonies in Dance songs.  Plus we’ve selected some Dance songs to have a listen to.  Pupils can use our demonstration instrumental track to write their lyrics & melodies over.

Instrumentation
EDM music like the name says is mainly made of electronic sounds and synths. The development of digital production on computers made easy and accessible the manipulation of audio files, complex arrangement with many details and sections, sampling and the use of synthetic effects.

Rhythm and Beat
We are talking about club music so obviously, the goal is to dance, to feel energised. The grooves are mostly fast using strong drum kicks, a lot of percussions and synths that moves with a lot of up beats. Depending of the genre, we could eventually hear a funky guitar or keys that adds even more rhythm.

Chords and Harmonies
The energy of any kind of EDM music comes from the rhythm, the hooks and the sound aesthetic. Some genres use only a few basic chords. some others get influenced by jazz, soul or even classical music.

Demonstration instrumental track
You can use our demonstration instrumental track below to have a go at putting your lyrics and melodies over a Dance style instrumental.  The Demo instrumental has a typical fast beat using a lot of effects, electronic sounds and synths.  The song structure of this instrumental track is:

Intro x4
Verse x8
Prechorus x8
Chorus x8
2nd Verse x8
2nd Prechorus (Buildup) x8
Chorus x8
Chorus x8
Outro x4

SONG REFERENCES

WAKE ME UP – AVICII
Avicii was one of the well known producers that made an impact on the EDM scene. This production has a pop song character but have some typical dance parts led by melodic synths.

TITANIUM – DAVID GUETTA
One of the oldest players in the clubbing game released this classic with the iconic SIA

THIS IS WHAT YOU CAME FOR – CALVIN HARRIS
Another DJ who created this Dance production in collaboration with Rihanna.

SYMPHONY – CLEAN BANDIT
Clean Bandit is a band that is well know for creating clever dance songs with a touch of classical music by using a lot of strings.

Click here to explore more of our songwriting resources for Teachers.

Information on The Young Songwriter 2023 competition, entry period 1st February to 31st March 2023

Spotlight on the RnB song genre

The aim of our spotlights on different song genres is to make it easy for Music teachers to bring to life the different contemporary music styles.  In addition, for English teachers to have the knowledge and a great instrumental track for pupils to write song lyrics in a style of music they choose.

RnB are the initials for Rhythm and Blues, a genre of music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. That was the time where musicians transformed jazz based music by using new popular instrument like electric guitar and bass and more heavy consistent drum beats.

Some artists who made this genre well known were Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Little Richard.  Nowadays, RNB music has evolved a lot, using electronic sounds and production technics like in modern pop music. But the essence is still the same as at its beginning, some Jazz, some Blues and a lot of Soul.

We’ve looked at some of the key features of instrumentation, rhythm & beat and chords & harmonies in RnB songs.  Plus we’ve selected some RnB songs to have a listen to.  Pupils can use our demonstration instrumental track to write their lyrics & melodies over.

Instrumentation
In contemporary RNB, it is very often to hear electric or acoustic guitars. Synths and keys are used to add more colours and its even possible to hear sometimes horns sections which comes from jazz and soul music. And of course all kind of drum beats with modern effects, reversed sounds and noises that add character to a track.

Rhythm and Beat
RNB evolved a lot through time and it is difficult to define one typical groove for this kind of music. The early “Rhythm and Blues” sounded very similar to Rock”n”roll. It had a fast tempo with the intention to make people dance. Nowadays RNB tends to be slower than typical dance Songs and they are sometimes even very slow. Most songs are in 4/4 which means that the rhythm goes 1, 2, 3, 4 but RNB is a genre that has a lot of songs using 6/8 rhythms like in the demo instrumental.

Chords and Harmonies
Pop and RnB music seems to be very similar nowadays because they are both very popular, very flexible, they use both acoustic and electronic sounds. But the roots of RNB are Jazz and Blues so you need to play jazzy chords to get the colours of a H.e.r or Jorja Smith´s song. By adding the 7th of each chords like Am7 instead of just Am, it will already get much closer to the authentic RNB sound.

Demonstration instrumental track
You can use our demonstration instrumental track below to have a go at putting your lyrics and melodies over a RnB style instrumental.  The Demo instrumental has a 6/8 feels which means that we count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.  The song structure of this instrumental track is:

Intro x4 (bars)
Verse x8
Prechorus x8
Chorus x8
2nd Verse x8
2nd Prechorus x8
Chorus x8
Chorus x8
Outro x8

SONG REFERENCES

Following songs are here to help you understand the groove of it, make you discover variations with different moods and also inspire you with melodic ideas.

FALLIN – ALICIA KEYS
One of the most well known RnB songs of the 2000s. Alicia Keys loves to use the acoustic piano everywhere and a lot of backing vocals to add more dynamics while the electronic drum beat is almost just a loop.

FORFEIT – KIANA LEDÉ
Typical 6/8 guitar based RnB song with many movements and variations in the vocal melodies.

COMFORTABLE – H.E.R
Intimate song with simple hooks with the choruses that leaves a lot of space for the music to vibe.

IF YOU LET ME – SINEAD HARNETT
This doesn’t have a 6/8 feel but it is a great song with a lot of energy and passion although it is very slow and uses only electronic sounds.

DANGEROUS WOMAN –
ARIANA GRANDE
This would probably be described more as a Pop song rather than a RnB one but it is also in 6/8 and Ariana Grande is anyway known to have sung anything from EDM, Pop, HipHop, Jazz and of also RnB.

Click here to explore more of our songwriting resources for Teachers.

Information on The Young Songwriter 2023 competition, entry period 1st February to 31st March 2023

Songwriting workshops at Half-Term & Easter holidays

A must for aspiring young songwriters!  Develop your songwriting skills.  Be inspired.  Meet like-minded young people. Write great songs.  Enter your songs into The Young Songwriter 2022 competition!

Bookings are now open for our popular online and in-person songwriting workshops over the February half-term & the Easter holidays! Songwriting workshops for beginners, intermediates & advanced young songwriters.  Small groups of like-minded young creatives get inspired by Song Academy professional songwriters & take on songwriting briefs to express themselves with lyrics & music….writing their own original songs. Collaborative technology used with Zoom and Soundtrap to create an excellent online experience.  Builds confidence & creative skills……and great fun!

Two types of songwriting workshops:

  • Want to write a song with others? Join a group of up to 8 young people to write a song from scratch together. Then start writing your own song. 3 hour workshop
  • Want to write your own song? Join a group of up 4 young people and write your own original song over 2 days (2 hours each day) or over 3 days (2 hours a day)

All groups have young people the same age and songwriting/musical experience.

CHECK OUT DATES & HOW TO BOOK YOUR PLACE. Don’t miss out! Limited places available.

Testimonials:

“A perfect holiday activity – creative, fun, great group of kids, inspiring leaders and a fantastic song written & performed in such a short time. Bravo!” Emma, Mother
“I’ve come away with loads of ideas to try out with my new songs. Plus I’m going to start writing some with the friends I’ve made!” Anya, aged 16

Songwriting tips from SAYS22 judges & ambassadors

Get inspired with these songwriting tips from The Young Songwriter competition 2022 (#SAYS22) judges & ambassadors!

We’re running a campaign to help inspire and share wisdom with the next generation of songwriters.  Over the #SAYS22 competition period we’ll be sharing 15 second songwriting tips from our judges, Song Academy ambassadors & professional songwriters around the world.  Some are in the YouTube videos below and keep a watch on our social channels for more!

We’d also like all young songwriters around the world to share their top songwriting tip.  Alternatively, to share how they are using the songwriting tips we’ve shared in writing their own songs. To get involved, upload an Instagram story on your channel and tag song_academy and #SAYS22.  We’ll share them on our social media channels!

Would you like to enter your original songs into The Young Songwriter 2022 competition?  Find out more here.

Songwriting resources for Teachers – 3 steps to student songwriting

Inspire your students to write their own songs & give them tools to get started.  Songwriting helps students find their voice & find their tribe.

Music is central to youth culture. One of the key questions that young people ask when they first meet is “what music do you listen to?” It matters to them because it’s part of defining who they are. It is also well-researched that music-making develops creativity, confidence, mental agility and mental health in young people. It provides an opportunity for students to shine in the limelight with solo performances and collaborate as one with others when playing in ensembles. In addition, music can be used in other academic subjects as a powerful way to increase young people’s motivation to learn, articulate what they’ve learned, and help memory retention.

In music education, songwriting provides an inspiring context for students to practice the musical elements they’ve learned in the music curriculum and bring them to life with their creative compositions, as well as practicing their skills of figurative speech learned in their English lessons.

The amount of songwriting taught in school music programs varies widely, but it’s an important opportunity that we should try to provide for students. By learning songwriting, students find their voice and express themselves in all new ways. Here are 3 steps to get started with your students:

Step 1 ― Creating a strong concept and an engaging title
Listening to some songs in different genres is a good step for students to get a feel for the style of song they’d like to write and the topics they want to speak up about. This list of songs is a great place to start.

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 students can be when describing feelings or experiences (for example, the pressures and joys of growing up and living in our society), the better. These are two exercises students can try when starting a song:

• Have students select five things in their bedroom (chair, window, guitar, books, etc.) 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.
• Encourage students to find a quote they like ― For example, “It is never too late to be what you might have been,” “an obstacle is often a stepping stone,” or “to avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing,” and use that as the main concept to build around.

Step 2 – Getting started with writing
Thinking of their object or quote, encourage students to focus their senses on it and write freely for 10 minutes non-stop. Anything goes. All seven senses should be involved in the process: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, organic (awareness of inner bodily functions, e.g. 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 kinesthetic sense goes crazy!)

After this 10-minute writing exercise, have students think more about the lyrics they’ve written and write some rhyming couplets. Remember that lyrics have a rhythm and using different rhyming schemes can help to shape the lyrics and make songs more engaging. The best two rhyming schemes to start with are A-A-B-B and A-B-A-B.

Once students’ rhyming couplets have been written, they can now count the syllables in each line. If they count the syllables while tapping their foot (creating a tempo), they’ll notice that they’re naturally creating a rhythm. This can be extremely helpful when working out a melody and figuring out how long the song’s lines are going to be.

Next, ask students to think about creating some metaphors with the words that are connected to their song to give it a unique twist. They can write a list of five interesting adjectives, then a list of five interesting nouns, thinking about each combination and writing some sentences. Then, a list of five nouns and five interesting verbs, and repeat the process of thinking about combinations, and so on. Once students have loads of lyrical ideas, they can organize them into different sections to build the song’s story.

Suggested Song Structure:
• Verse 1 — Introduces the song’s message and sets the scene (four lines, A-A-B-B or A-B-A-B)
• Pre Chorus — Link between the verse and chorus, builds up both melodically and lyrically (two lines, A-A or A-B)
• Chorus — Main message of the song, catchiest part and most memorable part of the song (four 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 (four 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 viewpoint (four or eight 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

Step 3 ― Creating a chord progression and adding a melody
It’s at this stage when we put music together with the lyrics. Sometimes this may involve students playing instruments, but technology is also hugely beneficial in modern music-making. Soundtrap is a recommended tool for student songwriters to add instrumental parts and beats.

Chord progressions are the foundation of pop music. A chord is a collection of notes played at the same time, and a chord progression is when a series of chords are played in a sequence. There are three main chord progressions for songs in popular music:
• I, IV, V (Which is C, F, G when played in the key of C Major)
• I, V, VI, IV (C, G, Am, F in C Major)
• I, VI, II, V (C, Am, Dm, G in C Major)

Once you become familiar with these progressions, you’ll find yourself hearing them again and again in popular songs. For the next step in songwriting, each student should choose a key for their song and select one of the three chord progressions. They can play the chords and improvise different melodies for the lyrics. It works well to have different chord progressions for the verses, chorus, and bridge of the song. If students are using Soundtrap, they can test out many options.

Taking it to the next step
Once students get started with their songwriting, it’s hard to stop. Encourage them to continue exploring and trying new ideas. And, if they feel really strongly about what they’ve created ― and want to continue developing the idea more, they can enter The Song Academy Young Songwriter 2022 competition, which brings together students from around the globe. When students find their voice through song, they are excited to make sure it’s heard.

More information on The Young Songwriter 2022 competition and how to enter.

 

Songwriting resources for Teachers – Turning a poem into a song

Turning a poem into a song.  Poetry and songwriting are very closely connected – in fact, many songwriters have stated that they started out writing poems before they wrote songs, and those poems became the basis for their lyrics.

So what do a poem and a song have in common? Both make use of RHYTHM and RHYME.

RHYTHM refers to the speed and pace of words, how fast we say them, and which words we emphasise.

RHYME refers to words that sound the same. You’ll often see rhyming words at the ends of lines in poetry. There are many types of rhymes, including single-syllable – like ‘cat’ and ‘hat’ – double syllable – like ‘missing’ and ‘kissing’ – and more.

In poetry, rhythm and rhyme provide a flow to a poem as it is spoken or read. However, in a song, rhythm and rhyme combine with the melodies and production. The rhythm of the words contributes to the overall mood of the song, and the rhyme enhances certain lines, making them more memorable and catchy.

ACTIVITIES TO TRY WITH YOUNG BEGINNER SONGWRITERS

Step 1:  Find a short poem to use – 4 to 8 lines. A limerick might work particularly well. First have the children identify the rhymes, and label matching rhymes with matching letters. (If unsure on this system, consult resources such as https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z4mmn39/articles/z83g2nb )

Step 2:  Set a pulse beat going, either using a metronome or clapping, and have an individual child or children recite the poem over it. Identify which words were emphasised – this is the rhythm of the words. It may help to underline these emphasised words, for memory.

Step 3:  Discuss melody – what sort of melody would go with this poem? Which words would the pitch move up and down on?
Have the children create their own melodies to fit with the rhythm of the words they have found.
If this is going well, challenge them to find more than one melody, and experiment with the rhythm of the words – lengthening, shortening and emphasising different words than before.

More songwriting resources for Teachers are at

All information on The Song Academy Young Songwriter 2022 competition, open for entries for the 1st February to the 31st March 2022.

How to win The Young Songwriter 2022 competition

Every year we get asked the questions “what type of song should I enter into The Young Songwriter competition?” and “do you have any songwriting tips?” so we thought we would put together some ideas and guidelines to help you write a winning song!

We believe the key way to raise your songwriting game is practice – write more and more songs and get feedback on how you’re doing.  Take on different ideas and challenges.  Write songs on your own and collaborate with others who have different skills sets to spark ideas off each other.

As well as running The annual Young Songwriter competition, we inspire many aspiring young songwriters throughout the year and help make sure their songs are the best they can be by offering an insightful song feedback service, weekly online and in-person songwriting clubs in term-time and online/in-person holiday workshops throughout the year.  Being part of a vibrant community helps to raise everyone’s songwriting level.  In addition, across our social media platforms we offer songwriting tips and challenges to accelerate your songwriting progress.

The main things that we listen out for when judging The Young Songwriter competition entries are originality, captivating melodies, evocative lyrics, a coherent structure, a catchy chorus, emotive performances, clever use of rhyme, invention, a sense of anticipation, and strong concepts.  The songs can be in any genre.

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.

 

Here are some elements of the songwriting process which we think are important:

Have a strong theme/concept

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 boost self-respect and self-identify through song, and to talk about issues you are passionate about in an engaging way.

Young Songwriter competition entries 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.

 

Come up with an interesting song title

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.

 

Have a good song structure

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

— 4 to 8 bars long

Pre Chorus — Link between the verse and chorus
— Builds up both melodically and lyrically

— 2 or 4 bars

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

 

Write engaging lyrics

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 :

  • ‘I wipe the tears falling from my eyes’
  • ‘I clutch a tear stained picture of you’
  • ‘I drove by where we first met’
  • ‘I couldn’t walk through the door where we said our last goodbye’

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?

  • ‘I wrote our names inside a heart, engraved upon a tree’
  • ‘I hand picked and carried home 100 flowers for you and put a vase in every room’
  • ‘I sing your name like a favourite song’

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’:

  • ‘She fell to her knees, laying flowers on his grave’
  • ‘He kisses her photo’
  • ‘His tears hit the floor like a waterfall of pain’

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 (describing words) and adverbs (describing verbs) 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…

  • ‘She falls to her knees on the cold, muddy ground and lays white lilies on his grave’
  • ‘He tenderly kisses the photo of their wedding day in his old rocking chair
  • ‘His bitter tears slowly hit the wooden floor of his kitchen, like a cascading waterfall of pain’

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 new melodies and chord sequences

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.

Make sure your chorus stands out from your verses with different melodies and chords.

Hooks
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

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.

 

Production

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!

 

Recording

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.

 

Remember to check out our insightful song feedback service to make sure your songs are the best they can be before entering The Young Songwriter 2022 competition!  Entries can be sent from 1st February to 31st March 2022.  We also run online songwriting clubs and holiday workshops throughout the year.  In addition, across our social media platforms we offer songwriting tips and challenges to accelerate your songwriting progress.

 

 

 

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