Songwriting is truly an art form, and much like painting a picture, you need many different colours. True artists understand all the different colours and how they “play” together. The way they flow from one to the next, how they contrast, and how different shades and lines influence the final product. Much like a painting, a song has so many different parts – but none are as important as the hook. The hook is what pulls listeners in and grabs their attention. It’s memorable, and is what keeps the listener playing the song again, and again!
There are two main types of hooks
A great song has multiple hooks. There will usually be a melodic hook – this can be an introduction, turn around or where the beat drops!
Then there are your lyrical hooks. Most of the time the title of your song will be the big lyrical hook. However, there can be multiple lyrical hooks in a song as well.
If you’re anything like me, the best song ideas you have come at the most inconvenient times – right?! I’m usually in a public place, trying to sleep, and nowhere near an instrument or a place to just sit down and write a song. Writing when inspiration hits is great, but it’s not always possible to do.
Luckily, we have technology on our side here! You should have a note keeping app on your phone, as well as a voice recorder. These two little tools are great for capturing song ideas and inspiration.
When you think of a melodic hook, simply sing or hum it into your recording app. When awesome lines or lyrical hooks hit you just jot them down in your notes app. I like to call this a “hook list” and leave it pinned to the top so it’s easy to find
Okay! Here we are. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
Alliteration – the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.
Ex. Small City Sundown
Internal rhymes – rhyming words in the middle and the end of one or more lines.
Ex. I waste my lines, all the time
Just to try and make things rhyme
Need help with rhyming? Check out this article!
Opposites – use opposite words within the same phrase.
Ex. We Get Down and Live it Up
Play on words, dual meaning – a humorous or clever way of using a word or phrase so that more than one meaning is suggested.
Ex. She’s Got Good Genes (Jeans)
Interchange word with unexpected word – this is used to create a bit of surprise and catch the listener off guard.
Ex. I can read you like a blog post!
There you have it – If you have any tips on creating hooks, leave them in the comments for others to see!
One Response
Thanks Steven very helpful blog.I like the bit about the apps.I have always used note pad and recorder like you say a good idea hits you when you least expect it and usually when you cannot write it down.Thanks for the blogs they are always helpful.