Repetition, Repeated
Repetition makes the world of commercial music go round. It’s in our lyrics, in our melodies, in our harmonic progressions, the arrangements – every aspect of a song uses repetition to make it memorable. Even song forms utilize repetition on a larger scale of verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus. So how do we know how much repetition is necessary in getting the audience to remember our song, and how much is just beating a dead horse?
The answer depends a bit, I think, on what we’re trying to accomplish with our songs. We could try to compare the value of repetition in a variety of songs across the board and wind up with very different conclusions on how much is enough. But, for the sake of keeping it simple and straightforward, I’d like to throw some rough guidelines up and leave the exceptions for each person to decide for themselves.
A chorus is where most of the repetition in a song happens. It’s no wonder why. That’s where the main message of the song is delivered, and without that repetition, the listener is at risk of missing it. Many songs use the power positions in a chorus section to provide that repetition of the main message – the title. The power positions are the first line and last line, and sometimes the middle of the chorus too depending on the structure. Sometimes all four lines are used to repeat that one title message, ‘dude looks like a lady.’ But one thing’s for sure, if we don’t set our title message in the power positions in the chorus and we don’t provide repetition, our listener will almost surely miss the main point of the song. And what’s worse, our song will come across unfocused on any particular point. What listener wants to listen to a song in which even the songwriter himself isn’t sure of the message? So repetition in the chorus is highly important, as well as using those power positions to our advantage.
One other area in which we can take advantage of repetition is the prechorus. If I’m writing a fairly wordy tune, which I sometimes do, I find that after a long verse section the listener needs a break. In this case, I try to begin my prechoruses with the same phrase. I may not repeat the prechorus section exactly, though that’s certainly an option, but instead repeat the first few words and let them introduce the new thought. This allows for some consistency in my message, while still enabling further development of the story.
Sometimes we need to identify whether the song we’re writing is going to fly within the commercial market, or whether it’s going to appeal to a more niche-oriented audience. In other words, the songs that immediately capture the attention of our audience within 45 seconds to a minute may be our ‘singles’, while those that require the full attention of the listener to digest may be our ‘album cuts’. I myself have fallen completely in love with songs deep within an obscure artist’s album, just as I have immediately fallen for singles that require only half of my attention to keep me up at night. The singles undoubtedly involve much more repetition, shorter song sections, and perhaps a more universal and simple message. But whether that’s better depends on what the artist is trying to accomplish with those songs.
As a songwriter looking to make a living from my songs, it is pivotally important my listeners (and the industry folks I pitch to) remember my songs after just one listen. And, I need to capture their precious attention within a very short period of time. So for my needs, repetition is critical. Simplicity is also critical. I must think about using the chorus melody as the melodic hook in my intro, keeping the lengths of the verse and prechorus short so that my chorus enters between 40 and 55 seconds, and making sure that the first line of the chorus is hooky and generates plenty of energy to bop the listener’s head all the way through the chorus. I know that the more repetition I use, the fewer new ideas I introduce to my listener, and the more focused my song can become. As songwriters, we have a tendency to write dense lyrics when we’re unsure whether our idea is really coming together. In taking great care to say what we want to say, we ironically dance around it, and what results is an idea that requires too much of the listener’s attention to digest. Try challenging yourself to write a song of short sections, such as a verse of six lines followed by a two-line prechorus and four-line chorus. Or, try a four-line verse followed by a six-line chorus. Try writing a chorus where the title is in the first and third line of four lines. Or, try setting the title in the first, fourth, and seventh lines of a seven-line chorus. You might even challenge yourself to write a four-line verse followed by a four-line chorus in which all four lines repeat the title. See how simple you can get, and see how quickly it forces you to get to the main point. Sometimes by trying to be subtle, we end up vague. And vague has a terrible effect of malaise over audiences everywhere.
Finally, repetition can always be replaced with an original line if you feel you’ve overdone it. Try to imagine yourself listening to your song for the first time. Would you be able to take it all in? Complex isn’t better, just complex. Set your song aside for a month and bring it out again, listening to a demo or a rough work tape. Sometimes distance is just what we need to be able to put ourselves in the shoes of those we hope will live and breathe to the sounds of our heartstrings.
Happy writing –
Andrea Stolpe
