Songwriting Basics Flashcards

Grade 6 · Music · Flashcards

Study the key terms and concepts behind the craft of writing songs.

Flashcards

Verse: The storytelling section of a song — same melody, different lyrics each time to develop the narrative
Chorus: The repeated emotional peak of a song — same words and melody each time, usually contains the main hook
Pre-chorus: Optional section between verse and chorus that builds energy and tension leading into the hook
Bridge: A one-time contrasting section near the end that changes perspective and builds to the final chorus
Hook: The catchiest, most memorable element of a song — a melodic phrase, lyric, or rhythmic pattern that sticks
Verse-Chorus-Bridge: The most common song structure in popular music: V-C-V-C-B-C
Rhyme scheme: The pattern of end rhymes in lyrics — AABB (couplets), ABAB (alternating), or other patterns
AABB: A rhyme scheme where consecutive lines rhyme in pairs — lines 1 and 2 rhyme, lines 3 and 4 rhyme
ABAB: A rhyme scheme where alternating lines rhyme — lines 1 and 3 rhyme, lines 2 and 4 rhyme
Meter: The rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in lyrics
Melody: The sequence of pitches that creates the singable tune of a song
Lyric specificity: Using concrete visual or sensory details in lyrics to make them feel authentic and real
Universal emotion: A feeling most listeners can personally relate to — love, loss, hope, fear — that gives songs broad appeal
Song title as hook: Placing the song title in the most prominent moment of the chorus as the main memorable phrase