Chorus Tips and Tricks
The chorus. The word is both the songwriting jargon we use to identify a certain part of a song and the crowd we hope will sing it back to us. In order for us to amass a crowd singing us back the songs we write, we must first master the art of writing the chorus. It is nearly always the most important part of the song so we want to make sure that we are doing it write….I mean right!
Have you ever heard the phrase “melody is king”? Well that phrase is particularly true when we’ve discussing the chorus. Your chorus melody should be something catchy that a non-singer could easily sing back to you. You want to engage the audience listening through their car speakers or headphones with something they can remember after the first time they hear the song. Crafting a melody that sits at the highest notes of the songs can help differentiate a chorus from a verse and signal to the listener that they are in chorus land. Repetition can play a huge part in making a compelling chorus as well. I’m not talking about the repetition of the chorus itself - which will inevitably reoccur within a song. I’m instead talking about repeating short melodies within a single chorus in order to drive home a strong melodic motif. Using any of these little melody writing tips will help you craft a grate chorus.
Lyrically, the chorus is the part of the song that should feel the most general. You’re attempting to drive at some sort of universal truth. Verses are where you can tackle the specifics of the story you’re trying to tell - date, time, place, sequence of events. The chorus should be where you try and communicate an overall lyrical theme - I love you, I hate you, I look amazing, this party sucks. Stick to words that honestly communicate the emotion of a song or feel like a tag line that someone could add to an instagram post and you might just hit the nail on the head.
Overall, your chorus should be simple and catchy, both melodically and lyrically. Remember that the chorus has multiple functions: hook your listener, communicate the main theme of the song, and create a catchy moment that the listener can remember immediately after a first listen. The success of your song hinges on the chorus - especially if you want a chorus to sing it back at you.