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Hooks to Hits: The Key to Writing Songs That Sell

The main ingredient that distinguishes a perfectly respectable “album cut” from a hit song is the presence of a killer hook. But if those hooks were that easy to create, we would all be millionaires! How can you improve the impact of your song hooks to appeal to both audiences and people behind the desks? Keep reading!

To make this article more useful, put together your 3 strongest or most recent headlines, hooks, or choruses so that you can apply what we are discussing to the “real world” of your material.

Take advantage of your personal experiences to get “real nuggets”

I firmly believe that the old adage “write what you know” is applicable to both composition and prose. Although some of us prefer to believe that we can write about anyone and anything, our most meaningful and successful songs generally stem from “real life” experiences and our responses to and interpretations of those experiences. Every day we spend on the planet, seen through the prism of composition, offers countless creative possibilities. The seeds of brilliant songs are often just below the surface, but the writer must be willing to nurture their growth.

Let’s say you’re starting with a blank slate: germ of an idea in the making, recording device turned on, and instrument, voice, or blank page ready and waiting. How do you go about extracting the proverbial Killer Hook from your precious “nuggets of truth”?

o First, ask: what is true, really and intensely felt RIGHT NOW in your life? Be on the lookout for those flashes of understanding, their “aha! Moments.”

o What experiences do you have a burning desire to share?

o What contribution do you want to make to the world?

o What makes your perspective on life unique, compelling, and interesting?

o In the movie “Walk The Line,” Sam Phillips asks Johnny Cash what song he would sing if he were dying in a ditch on the side of the road and he only had 3 minutes left. What hook would you sing in that situation?

o How can you arrange the words and / or musical notes so that your “soul” begins to sing?

o Go crazy, be daring, discover your deepest truth or your dumbest notion.

o Your job as a composer is to express what others cannot. Go overboard!

Now take a few minutes and blurt out whatever comes to your mind. He really digs there and fearlessly sings, writes or plays something, anything, as long as it rings true. This is a great exercise to try anytime you have 10 minutes to spare.

Then start putting that spark of inspiration in song form. Stay connected to the essence of your personal experience as you begin to experiment with lyrics and music.

Ways to improve the hook impact of your song

In the Verse / Chorus song form, the most common form these days, the chorus, and especially the hook, is where you “deliver the goods.” It’s the equivalent of the jury summary, the joke punchline, the mountaintop reveal. Every verse, every pre-chorus, every bridge, every line, and every note leads to this ultimate reward. A great hook (and chorus) is full of meaning, fun, passionate intensity … or all three! It cannot be emphasized that your hook has to really rock their world. But first, you have to rock YOURS. It has to sound true to you.

o Boil your Big Idea in the smallest possible expression of its essence: your hook.

o Keep it simple but elegant. Less is usually more.

o Don’t walk around. Be bold and risky. Always take a strong point of view!

o A large line has repetition. If it’s worth saying, it’s generally worth repeating.

o Make your song move rhythmically. People want their song to tell them more than one way.

o Think of it this way: your hook is the axle of the wheel and the other elements of the song are the spokes.

o Marry your melody with your lyrics so that each one intensifies and deepens the other.

o If you’re excited about your hook, “they” probably will be, too. And if you’re holding back, they probably will too!

o Show your “money” note, your slammin’-est beat, your smartest line, your most unusual concept on your hook. Aim for the stands, emotionally and creatively.

Make your massive call from Hooks

Singles are distinguished from album tracks by their appeal, accessibility, and freshness. And the hook is the key to that mass appeal. Most listeners and people behind desks couldn’t sing all the verses of a song to you if they tried. But most CAN remember a killer chorus or hook. For those of you who are driven by thoughts of financial gain, singles are where the money is too. (But remember: selling doesn’t mean selling!) When you hit your main hook, hit us with fresh language, chords, and melodic movement to wake us up physically, emotionally, and spiritually. He could mean:

o A passionate title or lyrical line: a phrase twist, an unforgettable image or an emotional outpouring that rings true

o A peak moment for the vocalist. This could be a high note, a long note, a rhythmically cool pulse or movement, a cool interval, a repeating pattern or melodic sequence, etc.

o A catchy instrumental riff or chord pattern

o An underlying rhythm or groove that sweeps away everything in its path

o Enough repetition to be catchy without getting boring

o A striking contrast to what comes before and after (verses, pre-chorus, bridge), so that your hook stands out in an obvious way.

Remember, more hooks per square inch is better! In this age of sensory overload, listeners thrive on intense songs that cut through clutter. WE WANT to be moved at all levels. We are hungry for depth, truth, emotion, humor. Strive to discover the universal within the personal, the specific in real life. Have your song paint a picture or create an environment where people can live.

By following these guidelines and learning from songs that are hits in your chosen genres, you can make your songs more accessible, satisfying, and commercially viable.

Happy composition!

Copyright 2006 Alex Forbes

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