MUC140 – Songwriting

Pop melodies are a crucial part of pop music and they are composed of several key elements ^1 2:

1. Pitch: When the melody moves to a higher pitch it generates more energy, and vice versa when it moves lower it creates a feeling of rest ¹.
2. Intervals: The distance between a note and the note next to it is referred to as the ‘interval’. Typically, a melody will have small intervals as they are more comfortable for our ears to follow, but we can use larger intervals to create moments of tension ¹.
3. Scale: Each scale has a different musical flavor and mood. For example, we might use the minor scale to write a scary piece of music ¹.
4. Rhythm: The rhythm is the pattern in which notes are played. For example, a melody with a fast and even rhythm can create an energetic feeling ¹.
5. Phrasing: We can play around with the length of different sections of the melody, as well as the melodic motion ¹.

Melodic motion is the direction a melody is moving in, also known as the motion or contour, and is an important part of “phrasing”. Here are a few common types ¹:

• Ascending Motion: The melody moves in an upwards motion.
• Descending Motion: The melody moves downwards.
• Repeated or Static Motion: Notes stay on the same pitch.
• Conjunct or Stepwise Motion: Notes move up or down to the note right next to them. Smooth and easy to sing or play.
• Disjunct or Skipwise Motion: Notes jump a larger distance, creating heightened energy and a feeling of disruption.

In pop music, a melody is usually written to support lyrics ¹. The four elements of pop music—melody, lyrics, hooks, and production techniques—work in harmony to create songs that are universally appealing ³. A typical pop song structure includes verses, pre-choruses, choruses, and a bridge ⁴. These elements work together to create songs that are catchy and appealing to a wide range of listeners ⁴.

Learn more   1. creatorsinmusic.com    2. emastered.com    3. ourmusicworld.com    4. audiosorcerer.com    5. recording-history.org    6. en.wikipedia.org

A great example of a popular pop melody is the song “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran. The melody of this song is very catchy and has become widely recognized.

Here’s a simplified representation of the melody in the chorus:

E  E  E  D  D  E  E  G  A
I'm in love with the shape of you
A  A  G  E  E  D  D  E  E  G  A
We push and pull like a magnet do
A  A  G  E  E  D  D  E  E  G  A
Although my heart is falling too
A  A  G  E  E  D  D  E  E  G  A
I'm in love with your body

This melody is simple, yet very effective. It uses a small range of notes and repeats the same melodic phrase four times, creating a catchy hook that’s easy to remember. The rhythm is also very steady, which makes it easy to dance to.

Please note that this is a simplified version and does not include all the nuances of the actual song. For the full experience, I recommend listening to the song itself.

Remember, the best way to understand pop melodies is to listen to a lot of pop music and try to notice these elements in the songs you listen to. 

Learn more    1. timeout.com  

Here are a few examples of popular pop melodies:

1. “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran: This song has a catchy melody that’s become widely recognized ¹. It uses a small range of notes and repeats the same melodic phrase four times, creating a catchy hook that’s easy to remember ¹.

2. “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys: This song is a combination of many different styles: R&B, classical music, and country music². It’s one of the most popular pop songs today ².

3. “Umbrella” by Rihanna featuring Jay-Z: This song introduced the world to one of pop’s biggest stars. As soon as you hear the intro (and the ‘uh-huh, uh-huh), you know you’re in for a ride, but nothing can prepare you for the chorus after the bridge ¹.

4. “Toxic” by Britney Spears: On this iconic 2003 single, Britney transforms into a stealthy femme fatale, her voice soaring and dipping over a deranged synth-string arrangement that wouldn’t seem out of place in a Hitchcock film ¹.

5. “Padam Padam” by Kylie Minogue: After hearing this song approximately one million times in London during summer 2023, ‘Padam Padam’ has solidified itself in the very top tier of songs that are surefire to induce dancefloor euphoria ¹ .

These songs are great examples of pop melodies that are catchy, memorable, and have stood the test of time. They each have their own unique elements that make them stand out, but they all share the common characteristic of having a strong, catchy melody that resonates with listeners ^1 2.

Learn more    1. timeout.com    2. damvibes.com    3. liveabout.com    4. bing.com    5. nashvillesongwriters.com

The Pop Songs Professor   -  https://www.popsongprofessor.com/

Repetition and variation are two fundamental techniques used in songwriting to create engaging and memorable melodies.

Repetition is a powerful tool that reinforces memorable melodies and lyrics by repeating them, thereby fixing the tune firmly in the listener’s ear ¹. This can be achieved by repeating entire sections like verses or choruses, or by using smaller repetitions within those sections such as repeating a catchy hook or chorus line². The main idea behind repeating elements in your music is to make the tune so familiar to your listener that they both expect it when it happens again, and remember it once it’s over ¹.

However, too much repetition can risk becoming monotonous ³. That’s where variation comes in. Variation involves subtly altering certain aspects of your melody to maintain listener interest while preserving the memorable core of your tune ³. This can involve altering the melody, rhythm, or instrumentation of a repeated section to add new elements and maintain listener engagement ². For example, changing the chord progression or adding additional instruments in the second verse can create variation while still maintaining the overall structure of the song ².

In summary, the balance of repetition and variation is essential in songwriting. While repetition helps to establish familiarity, variation keeps the melody fresh and engaging ⁴ . These techniques, when used effectively, can help you craft a song that resonates with listeners and leaves a lasting impression.

Learn more    1. musicradar.com    2. bantamnyc.com    3. blog.daisie.com    4. speedsongwriting.com    5. bing.com

In songwriting, motive development and hook development are techniques used to create engaging and memorable songs.

A motive (also known as a motif) is a compact cluster of musical information, often smaller than a melody itself ¹. Motives can be modular, meaning they can shape the rest of a song around them, as well as move around the song in different ways ¹.

Motive development involves using a variety of techniques to evolve and transform the motive throughout the song. Here are a few techniques for developing a motive ¹:

1. Direct Repetition: This involves making a phrase longer by repeating the same motif, sometimes a few times ¹.
2. Antecedent-Consequent: This is a bit like a question-answer format. It’s an effective way of developing a melody where two motifs complement each other ¹.

A hook, on the other hand, is the cornerstone of a song’s appeal, serving as its most memorable and engaging element ². It usually comes back over and over because that’s what choruses do — they reappear after every verse, and then again after the bridge ³.

Hook development involves crafting a hook that has a melodic shape that’s easy to remember and fun to sing. It usually needs to be supported by a short, tonally strong chord progression ³.

While a hook sounds pretty much the same each time you hear it, a motif might actually change over the length of a song ³. Motifs are subtle; they do their work mainly in the background, in the sense that you usually only notice the effect of a good motif ³.

In summary, motive/hook development and transformation involve creating, repeating, varying, and evolving musical ideas throughout a song to create a cohesive, engaging, and memorable musical experience.

Learn more    1. flypaper.soundfly.com    2. recording-history.org     3. secretsofsongwriting.com     4. secretsofsongwriting.com

Adding contrast to a song is a key technique in songwriting to create variety and maintain listener interest. Here are some ways to add contrast to your song:

1. Contrast in Pitch: If your verse primarily circulates around certain notes, try writing your chorus so it utilizes higher or lower pitches ¹. This creates an audible change in the pitches that we hear you sing in the two neighboring sections ¹.

2. Contrast in Rhythm: The vocal rhythms of the verse should be shorter and quicker than the vocal rhythms of the chorus ². Longer note values in the chorus help to accentuate the emotional content of the lyric ².

3. Contrast in Instrumentation: The chorus instrumentation should be as full or fuller than what is found in the verse ². This helps create an increase in momentum and general song energy ².

4. Contrast in Melody: The chorus melody should be simpler than the verse, and comprised of shorter, repetitive phrases ². Repetition and melodic simplicity is a crucial part of what makes song choruses work ².

5. Contrast in Chord Progressions: Chorus chord progressions should be simpler and stronger than the verse progression ².

6. Contrast in Vocal Harmonies: Vocal harmonies should be used more in a chorus than in a verse ².

7. Contrast in Lyrics: By skillfully incorporating lyrical contrast – whether through diverse rhyme schemes, unexpected metaphors, shifting perspectives, or varied line lengths – you infuse your songs with a captivating vibrancy ³.

Remember, the goal is to create a balance between repetition and contrast. Too much contrast can be as off-putting as too much repetition. The key is to find the right balance that works for your song and resonates with your audience.

Learn more

1. izotope.com    2. secretsofsongwriting.com    3. blog.lyricstudio.net    4. youtube.com    5. youtube.com    6. dawter.com.au

How to Effectively Use Contrast and Repetition | Songwriting | Secrets | Berklee Online -

In this video, Berklee Online course author Ben Camp discusses the fine balance of using contrast and repetition in your songs to achieve its purpose. Using the metaphor of buildings, he explores the ways using repeating or contrasting rhythms, melodies, and harmonies can be used (or misused) to fulfill the overall purpose of your song.