LYRIC SECTION REPETITIONS allow the creative usage of building instant familiarity
in a song’s hook in melodic themes, choruses and instrumental sections. The
placement and frequency of lyric repetitions are key factors in creating simple familiarity of a song. “Less is more” becomes an artistic design in song design.
Creatively using the repeating section of short catchy phrases that are written with catchy meter, phrasing, rhythm
and rhyme are powerful tools. The key is to have enough repetition
without inducing boredom.
Repetitions can be used as effective tension creators with hooky pay-offs. Repetitions are
more easily accepted if they are short lyrical phrases that are catchy and fun to sing.
This is an art of crafting short lyrical hooks where meter, phrasing, rhythm, rhyme, assonance and alliteration work
together. The amount of repetition depends on purpose of song, target audience
and music format. Repetitions of Music Sections include the following:
Melody Repetition: serves to let the listener’s mind rest
where verses are giving information but the repeated chorus reinforces the song message hook.
Pick-ups right before the repeated chorus lyric serve to let the listener know of the change. The use of
melodic departure and return keeps the song interesting and listener involved so departing from the main theme with the right
amount of contrast is important.
Phrase Repetition: repetition of words or short phrases and repetition
of a familiar melody and lyric that creates a great tension creator in a song. There
should be a good balance of predictability in the repetition and surprise without too much of either.
Pre-Chorus Repetition: superb lead-ins that build tension in a song to
increase the feeling of release in the chorus to the point where there is a great sense of resolve going into the chorus. The Pre-Chorus is made up of a series of short lines.
The repetition of those lines sets up a tension that begins to release in the last line of the Pre-Chorus where the
lyric meter changes, “setting up” the chorus signaling the listener. Groups
of three are a powerful setup to make the last line of the third repeat pay off strongly.
Chorus Repetition:
consistent with the same melody and lyric, the song’s title usually appears in the first and/or last line and
sometimes more. The lyric is usually the same each time however new lyric information
in subsequent choruses is used to develop the story. An example is a “turnaround” where a “twist”
is not revealed until the last chorus.
.
