Creating A “Standout” Chorus

One of the most common musical traps songwriters fall into is having sections that sound too similar. The verse sounds like the chorus, the bridge sounds like the verse, etc. Remember that the whole point of having different sections in your song is to have sections that sound different. As a general of thumb, different musical sections in a song should contrast each other. This makes each section stand out, which keeps the song musically interesting. Within each section, you can use small changes or variations on your theme to keep the listener tuned in (we’ll talk about that in a future article).One of the most common musical traps songwriters fall into is having sections that sound too similar. The verse sounds like the chorus, the bridge sounds like the verse, etc. Remember that the whole point of having different sections in your song is to have sections that sound different. As a general of thumb, different musical sections in a song should contrast each other. This makes each section stand out, which keeps the song musically interesting. Within each section, you can use small changes or variations on your theme to keep the listener tuned in (we’ll talk about that in a future article).

This brings us to the question of how we can apply the idea of contrast to the music. Since music has three fundamental components (melody, harmony, and rhythm), we have three ways of creating a contrast between different musical sections. Let’s explore each of these methods of contrast a little more carefully.

Melodic Contrast– To create an effective melodic contrast between sections, make sure that the chorus is higher than the verse. The easiest test of this is to try and draw a line representing your melody when you’re through writing the song. If you have a hill or a peak in the chorus compared to the verse, then you’ve probably done your job. On the other hand, if you end up with a fairly straight line, you’ll probably have what I call a “flatline” melody (it means exactly what the term implies-the song has been pronounced melodically dead). A common reason this happens is because writers begin the verse in their highest singing register. When they do get to the chorus, there’s nowhere higher they can sing, so it stays in the same range. The end result is a melody that doesn’t move enough. The simplest way to avoid this trap is to write the verse in a comfortable, but low melodic range. This gives you plenty of room to move upward in the chorus. If you write the chorus first, try to keep in your upper singing register. This will give you room to make the verse melody lower while still creating an effective contrast. Naturally, you have to keep an eye on the overall range to make sure it’s not beyond a typical singer’s range (usually an octave plus three or four notes).

Harmonic Contrast– A second way to make different musical sections contrast is harmonically. The chords used in a song supply the musical foundation for the melody as well as establishing the emotional feel of the song. If both verse and chorus use the same chord progression, there’s a good chance those sections will sound too similar. The same goes for the bridge or lift section. Try to consciously choose a different chord progression for each different musical section. The easiest way to achieve this is to try and start each section on a different chord. If the verse starts on a G chord then begin the chorus on a chord like C, and your bridge on an Am chord. For example, the verse to the Grammy award winning song, “Wind Beneath My Wings” (Henley/Silbar) starts on a G chord while the chorus begins on an Em chord. This doesn’t mean you can’t start both your verse and your chorus on the same chord, but if you do, be sure to include some other method of contrast.

Rhythmic Contrast– A third way we can create an effective contrast between sections is by changing the rhythm of the melody between the verse and the chorus. The best example I can think of is the perennial song, “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” (Howard/Arlen). Try to imagine the rhythm of the verse melody in your head. Hear all those big long half notes? For the most part, the verse rhythm is composed of half notes. Now try to hear the bridge section of the song (someday I’ll wish). Can you tell the difference? The bridge section is comprised mainly of eight notes, which creates an effective contrast to the half notes in the verse. It’s also interesting to note that both the verse and the bridge begin on the same chord and are in the same melodic range. The rhythmic change supplies the only musical contrast between the verse and bridge sections and it’s enough to keep us tuned in to the song. If you’re solely a lyricist, rhythmic contrast is a great thing that you can build into your lyrics by simply paying particular attention to the rhythm of the words in each section.

So when you’re looking for a way to create a distinctive chorus, remember you have several options.