Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Stop writing songs even your friends don't remember
Citation preview
HIT SONG STRUCTURE
By TotalControlAudio.com
Copyright 2013. All Rights Reserved. Total Control Audio, LLCHit song structure analysis performed by totalcontrolaudio.com
HACKING
Stop Writing Songs Even Your Friends Don’t Remember
First Edition
HIT SONG STRUCTURE
Even if your goal isn’t writing a hit song, you can quickly learn the framework to make your songs catchier and more memorable. In this eBook, we’re hacking hit songs to understand the similarities and differences from one hit song to
another hit song. We hack across popular genres...so you don’t have to!
Song structure for the Songwriter is like the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling1 was for Michelangelo’s painting. It’s your canvas.
Now let’s get started.
HACKING
Stop Writing Songs Even Your Friends Don’t Remember
1. The Sistine Chapel ceiling is a cornerstone of Renaissance art that Michelangelo painted between 1508 and 1512.
“Just because you can sing the phone book doesn’t mean you can write with weak song structure. Unless you’ve had a hit, always start with intro, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, verse, pre-chorus,
chorus, bridge, outro.” 2
~ Desmond Child3
2. Desmond stated this during the ASCAP Expo 2008 Presentation on Hit Songwriting.3. He has written over Seventy Top-40 Hits and has sold 300 million records.
6 Reasons to Read this eBookEven If You HATE Hit Songs (As I Do, Sometimes)
Hacking Hit Song Structure isn’t an eBook about how fantastic Hit songs are, though it might look like it. Even if you hate Hit songs, here are six reasons why you should glance through the Hit Song Structure examples:
#1 We start with AC/DC! Okay, maybe you hate rock songs too, but “Shook Me All Night Long” has stood the test of time. And, it’s very similar in structure to the global smash hit “Firework” by Katy Perry. We’ll show you both.
#2 It doesn’t take much work. The eBook will take you less than 15 minutes to peruse. We use big diagrams so you don’t have to read much.
#3 It’s interesting stuff. We’re hacking into the structure of Hits. It’s fascinating to see the similarities and differences.
#4 We’ve done the analysis for you. For Free!
#5 There aren’t any wrong answers. You just might get inspired to try something new. It’s the awesome thing about songwriting. Write what you want to write.
#6 Because it’s fun to write songs people like. And, maybe you’ll get rich! As Bruce Lee said, “Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.”
HACKING
Summary of the Song Sections:
The Intro has become a very short part of the hit song. Today’s Hits often have Intro’s less than 10 seconds long. Many Hits have Intros of 5-8 seconds. Yes, “Livin’ On A Prayer” had a 38-second Intro, but that was 1986. “Wrecking Ball” has an 08-second Intro today.
Most of today’s Hits have only two Verses of 12 -16 bars each.
The Pre-Chorus is a 2 - 8 bar lift prior to the Chorus. Using a Pre-Chorus is common in Hit Songs. Since we’re hacking the Hits to understand the basic structure, we simply define the Pre-Chorus as any lift that happens prior to the Chorus. What others might call a B-part, extended verse, pre-hook, or lift, we simply call a Pre-Chorus.
The Chorus or Hook in Hit Songs is typically 12 - 16 bars, with 16-bars being extremely common. Most Hits have two Choruses.
The majority of today’s Hits have a Bridge, which is sometimes called the Middle-8 because the Bridge is often 8-bars.
The Outro almost always repeats the Chorus and sometimes elements of the Pre-Chorus, Bridge, and Intro. Most Hits are less than four minutes long.
Hit Song StructureThe Sections
Intro VersePre
Chorus Chorus BridgeVersePre
Chorus Chorus Outro
Six Steps to a Hit Song:1. Make your Intro extremely short2. Try a Pre-Chorus in your song 3. Get to the Verse within one minute4. Use only two Verses (or three for Rap)5. Include a Bridge6. Skip the solo
HACKING
“It is possible to become world-class in just about anything in six months or less. Armed with the right framework, you can seemingly perform miracles, whether it’s Spanish, swimming, or anything
in between.”
~ Tim Ferriss4
4. Tim is the #1 New York Times Best Selling author of “The 4-Hour Workweek. Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich.”
Hit Song Structure
On the following pages we’ll hack into the “framework” of Hit Songs. We’ll start with classic songs and work our way to current Hits.
HACKING
16-Bars
SHOOK ME ALL NIGHT LONG - AC/DCHit Song Structure
Intro Verse Pre Chorus Gtr Solo Outro
12-Bars 4-Bars 8-Bars 16-Bars 24-Bars
:30 @ 1:02 Song Length 3:30
Tempo 125 BPM
FAST FACTS About “Shook Me All Night Long”
Written by Young, Young and Johnson
Tempo: 125 BPM
Time Signature: 4/4
Key Signature: G Major
Length: 3:30
Intro Length: 30 seconds
Hit Song Information
US Billboard Hot 100 #35
No. 10 on VH1's list of "The 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s"
Back in Black Album 26m+ sales
Played at every AC/DC concert
Released August 19, 1980
Youtube Link: Shook Me All Night Long
Verse Pre Chorus
12-Bars 4-Bars 8-Bars
Hit song structure analysis performed by totalcontrolaudio.com
16-Bars
LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER - Bon JoviHit Song Structure
VersePre
Chorus Chorus SoloVersePre
Chorus Chorus Outro (fade)
16-Bars 8-Bars 16-Bars 16-Bars 8-Bars 16-Bars 9-Bars 20-Bars
:38 @ 1:25 sec Song Length 4:10
Tempo 122 BPM
FAST FACTS About “Livin’ On A Prayer”
Written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Desmond Child
Tempo: 122 BPM
Time Signature: 4/4
Key Signature: E minor
Length: 4:10 (Album) & 4:47 (Full Version)
Intro Length: 38 seconds
Hit Song Information
Billboard Hot 100, #1 Hit Song for 4 weeks
Top five on 12 charts around the world
Slippery When Wet album has sold 28m+
Released October 31, 1986
Youtube Link: Livin’ On a Prayer
Intro
Hit song structure analysis performed by totalcontrolaudio.com
SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT - NirvanaHit Song Structure
FAST FACTS About “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
Written by Cobain, Novoselic, and Grohl
Tempo: 115 BPM
Time Signature: 4/4
Key Signature: F minor
Length: 4:30 (Single Version)
Intro Length: 11 seconds
Hit Song Information
US Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks: #1
Nominated for two Grammy
Sold over 2 million copies
Released September 10, 1991
Youtube Link: Smells Like Teen Spirit
Tempo 115 BPM
Hit song structure analysis performed by totalcontrolaudio.com
Intro Verse Chorus Solo Outro
12-Bars 16-Bars 8-Bars 16-Bars
:16 @ :57 sec Song Length 4:30
Pre Chorus
8-Bars8-Bars
Verse Chorus
12-Bars 16-Bars
Pre Chorus
8-Bars
Verse
12-Bars
Pre Chorus
8-Bars
8-Bars
LIVIN’ LA VIDA LOCA - Ricky MartinHit Song Structure
Intro VersePre
Chorus ChorusPre
Chorus Outro
20-Bars 10-Bars 28-Bars 8-Bars 10-Bars 28-Bars 10-Bars 55-Bars
:11 @ :53 sec Song Length 3:59
Tempo 178 BPM
FAST FACTS About “Livin’ La Vida Loca”
Written by Luis Gómez Escolar, Desmond Child, Draco Rosa
Tempo: 178 BPM
Time Signature: 4/4
Key Signature: C# minor
Length: 3:59
Intro Length: 11 seconds
Hit Song Information
Billboard Hot 100, #1 Hit Song for 5 weeks
#1 on 20 charts around the world
Sold over 8 million copies
Released March 23, 1999
Youtube Link: Livin’ La Vida Loco
Verse ChorusPre
Chorus
Hit song structure analysis performed by totalcontrolaudio.com
8-Bars
LIVE LIKE YOU WERE DYING - Tim McGrawHit Song Structure
Intro VersePre
Chorus Chorus BridgeVerse Outro
16-Bars 5-Bars 14-Bars 16-Bars 11-Bars 6-Bars 24-Bars
:24 @ 1:05 sec Song Length 4:28
Tempo 80 BPM
FAST FACTS About “Live Like You Were Dying”
Written by Tim Nichols and Craig Wiseman
Tempo: 80 BPM
Time Signature: 4/4
Key Signature: G Major
Length: 4:21 (Radio) & 4:58 (Album)
Intro Length: 24 seconds
Hit Song Information
Billboard Country charts #1 seven weeks
Billboard’s #1 Country song 2004
ACM Single & Song of the Year, NSAI Song of The Year and CMA Song of the Year, and Grammy Best Male Country Performance
Released June 7, 2004
Youtube Link: Live Like You Were Dying
Pre Chorus
5-Bars
Chorus
Hit song structure analysis performed by totalcontrolaudio.com
EMPIRE STATE OF MIND - Jay ZHit Song Structure
FAST FACTS About “Empire State of Mind”
Written by Hunte, Keys, Shuckburgh, Keyes, Sewell-Ulepic, Carter, Robinson
Tempo: 86 BPM
Time Signature: 4/4
Key Signature: E Major
Length: 4:34
Intro Length: 11 seconds
Hit Song Information
US Billboard Hot 100, Rap, R&B: #1
Grammy, Best Rap Song
Sold over 5 million copies in the US
Released October 20, 2009
Youtube Link: Empire State of Mind
Tempo 86 BPM
Hit song structure analysis performed by totalcontrolaudio.com
:11
Intro Verse Chorus Bridge Outro
14-Bars 10-Bars 6-Bars 10-Bars
@ :55 sec Song Length 4:34
Pre
2-Bars4-Bars
Verse Chorus
14-Bars 10-Bars
Pre
2-Bars
Verse Chorus
14-Bars 10-Bars
Pre
2-Bars
4-Bars
FIREWORK - Katy PerryHit Song Structure
Intro VersePre
Chorus Chorus BridgeVersePre
Chorus Chorus Outro
16-Bars 8-Bars 16-Bars 16-Bars 8-Bars 16-Bars 8-Bars 24-Bars
:08 @ :54 sec Song Length 3:44
FAST FACTS About “Firework”
Written by Katy Perry, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Sandy Wilhelm, Ester Dean
Tempo: 124 BPM
Time Signature: 4/4
Key Signature: Ab Major
Length: 3:44
Intro Length: 7.7 seconds
Hit Song Information
Billboard Hot 100, #1 Hit Song in 2010 and 2011
Top five on 20 charts around the world
Sold over 10 million copies in the US
Released November 24, 2010
Youtube Link: Firework
Hit song structure analysis performed by totalcontrolaudio.com
Tempo 124 BPM
8-Bars
GANGNAM STYLE - PsyHit Song Structure
Intro Verse Pre Chorus Chorus BridgeVerse Chorus Outro
16-Bars 13-Bars 16-Bars 16-Bars 13-Bars 16-Bars 8-Bars 11-Bars
:14 @ :1:07 Song Length 3:39
FAST FACTS About “Gangnam Style”
Written by Park Jae-Sang, Yoo Gun-Hyung
Tempo: 132 BPM
Time Signature: 4/4
Key Signature: G minor
Length: 3:39
Intro Length: 14 seconds
Hit Song Information
#1 Hit Song on 35 charts globally
1.8 billion Youtube views
Sold over 4.5 million copies in the US
Released August 14, 2012
Youtube Link: Gangnam Style
Hit song structure analysis performed by totalcontrolaudio.com
Tempo 132 BPM
Pre Chorus
4-Bars
DIAMONDS - RihannaHit Song Structure
Intro VersePre
Chorus Chorus BridgePre Chorus Outro
8-Bars 8-Bars 16-Bars 8-Bars 4-Bars 16-Bars 4-Bars 16-Bars
:11 @ :52 sec Song Length 3:45
FAST FACTS About “Diamonds”
Written by Sia Furler, Benjamin Levin, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen
Tempo: 92 BPM
Time Signature: 4/4
Key Signature: B minor
Length: 3:45
Intro Length: 11 seconds
Hit Song Information
#1 on 23 Charts around the world
Top five on 36 charts around the world
Sold over 7.5 million copies worldwide
Released September 27, 2012
Youtube Link: Diamonds
Hit song structure analysis performed by totalcontrolaudio.com
Tempo 92 BPM
Verse
THAT’S MY KIND OF NIGHT - Luke BryanHit Song Structure
Intro Verse Chorus BridgeVerse Pre Outro
10-Bars 15-Bars 10-Bars 2-Bars 15-Bars 8-Bars 19-Bars
:08 @ :35 sec Song Length 3:10
FAST FACTS About “That’s My Kind of Night”
Written by Dallas Davidson, Chris DeStefano, Thomas Walker, and Ashley Gorley
Tempo: 110 BPM
Time Signature: 4/4
Key Signature: E Major
Length: 3:10
Intro Length: 7.7 seconds
Hit Song Information
US Billboard Hot Country Songs: #1
Sold over 1 million copies in the US
Released August 5, 2013
Youtube Link: That’s My Kind of Night
Pre
2-Bars
Chorus
4-Bars
Tempo 110 BPM
Hit song structure analysis performed by totalcontrolaudio.com
4-Bars
WRECKING BALL - Miley CyrusHit Song Structure
Intro VersePre
Chorus Chorus BridgePre
Chorus Chorus Outro
8-Bars 9-Bars 10-Bars 8-Bars 8-Bars 18-Bars 16-Bars 25-Bars
:08 @ :41 sec Song Length 3:32
FAST FACTS About “Wrecking Ball”
Written by Gottwald, McDonald, Moccio, Skarbek, Walter
Tempo: 120 BPM
Time Signature: 4/4
Key Signature: D minor
Length: 3:32
Intro Length: 8 seconds
Hit Song Information
Billboard Hot 100, #1 Hit Song
Released August 25, 2013
Youtube Link: Wrecking Ball
Hit song structure analysis performed by totalcontrolaudio.com
Tempo 120 BPM
Verse
Now What?5 Steps Toward a Hit
Alright, so we’ve looked at a handful of massive Hits. What can you do with this song structure stuff?
Step One: Decide if experimenting with Hit Song structure is for you. If it seems cool then proceed. That’s easy!
Step Two: Pick one Hit Song from this eBook and listen to it while referring to our structure hack. We’ve include a YouTube link on each song’s page to make it easy for you. When you feel confident in identifying each section of the song, listen to another one of the Hits and do the same.
Step Three: Play the best song you’ve ever written. Listen to the structure. How similar is it to the Hits?
Step Four: Use your favorite audio program (i.e. GarageBand, ProTools, Sonar, etc.) drop in one of the Hit Songs and use our free Songwriter Loop Pack to build a new drum track.
Step Five: Delete the Hit Song track. Write a new song using the drum track you built!
HACKING
Now What?FIREWORK Example in GarageBand
HACKING
Watch Ron Wikso’s video demonstration
ASCAPBMI
SESACHFA
Nashville Songwriter Association InternationalBerklee Online
SOCANNational Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
Songwriters Guild of America
Songwriter Resources
Lilac Writer Hooktheory
Groove3 Chromatik
SoundCloudWriting Hit Country Lyrics
Songwriter Tools
Inspiration
“I'm sick to death of people saying we've made 11 albums that sound exactly the same. In fact, we've made 12 albums that sound exactly the same. It’s just rock and roll. A lot of times we get criticized for it.
A lot of music papers come out with: 'When are they going to stop playing these three chords?' If you believe you shouldn't play just three chords it's pretty silly on their part. To us, the simpler a song is, the
better, 'cause it's more in line with what the person on the street is.”
~ Angus Young5
5. Angus has a band called AC/DC that has sold over 200 million records worldwide.
“My vocation is more in composition really than anything else—building up harmonies using the guitar, orchestrating the guitar like an army, a guitar army. I always felt if we were going in to do an album,
there should already be a lot of structure already made up so we could get on with that and see what else happened.”
~ Jimmy Page
“I didn't really know what I was doing when I started. I just started writing songs. After two songs I just continued to explore it. I don't force it. If you don't have an idea and you don't hear anything going over
and over in your head, don't sit down and try to write a song. You know, go mow the lawn.”
~ Neil Young
“There’s a lot of craft that goes into achieving a hot song—at the beginning of your career, you’re usually more inspiration than craft, and you get great when those intersect.”
~ Kara DioGuardi6
6. Kara has over fifty Top-40 Hits, 160 million records sold and was an “American Idol” judge.
“I've just really been into melody and lyrics and songwriting. Writing a rap, to me, is easy. I could write a rap like that. But writing songs and melodies and s**t that's hopefully going to stick around for 30, 40 years is f**king hard. If you have good songs and you're talented, people will eventually come to your
shows, people will buy your music.”
~ Kid Rock
“I don't think rock n' roll songwriters should worry about art. I don't think it comes into it. As far as I'm concerned, Art is just short for Arthur. I look for ambiguity when I'm writing because life is ambiguous.
A painter's got a canvas. The writer's got reams of empty paper. A musician has silence.”
~ Keith Richards
Copyright 2013. All Rights Reserved. Total Control Audio, LLC | Contact us at [email protected] song structure analysis performed by totalcontrolaudio.com
Hit song structure is not just about what you’re reading in this eBook. There was much more we wanted to include. We’re busy doing song analysis and building useful tools for songwriters and recording musicians. Yes, we specialize in drum loops, but we’re about
writing memorable songs.
If you’re not on our email list, please sign up here. We give away useful stuff.
And, since you’ve read all the way to the end of this book, we have some bonus drum loops for you!
www.totalcontrolaudio.com/bonus/
Bonus Material
Now go write a memorable song!
