How to Write a Rock Song
There are many different types of rock songs, and it would be extremely hard to cover all of them on one page., Get a pen or pencil and a piece of paper to record your ideas., Develop the main melody., Often melody starts with the same note as the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: There are many different types of rock songs
However, most rock songs all break down to 4 parts:
The Hook, The Melody, the Bridge, and The Chorus. (but there are so many other kinds of ways to set a rock song, so don't worry about it).
But before you begin to record the song, before you begin to develop the song, before you begin writing the song, before you even have an idea, you must have inspiration.
You can't force inspiration, it comes to you in the right moment.
Like, you have just broke up with your girlfriend, or you've just have been kicked out of your school, so don't waste your time, this is the best moment, write down the first thing that comes in your brain, now you've got the idea.
The idea is the very first part of everything.
So, how do you get the idea? First, start thinking about the message and the mood the song will carry out.
This doesn't have to be very detailed or anything, just a basic idea. -
Step 2: and it would be extremely hard to cover all of them on one page.
Start thinking about the hook.
The hook is a sort of a sub-melody, a riff, something you can easily hum, or the part of the song that gets stuck in your head.
The hook generally sets the mood for everything else.
Keep the hook simple as it is not the main melody of the song.
After thinking about how the hook should sound, start to actually write it.
Rock music is generally based on the major/minor/power chords of two sets of chords:
I, bIII, IV, V, bVII (In the key of E the bar chords begin on the frets: 0,3,5,7 and 10) or I, bIII, IV, bVI and bVII ( these are 0,3,5,8 and 10).
The first set will give you a more "classic Rock" sound whereas the second set sounds more modern.
Mess around with the chords from one of the sets above until you get something that works. , The main melody usually appears in the verses of the song.
It is usually played in an Intro and then sang as the vocals throughout the song.
However, it's too early for the lyrics yet, so just think up a general melody.
One thing you can do is record the hook and just jam to it until you find a clear melody that sounds good and goes well with the hook. , Then melody might lift up to third or fifth above, or drift to third or fifth below the note where it began from. (In key of D major, to f# or a and then down to B or G.) Usually a verse ends up returning to the same note as begun with or go one octave below. , Each time the verse is played the words differ, whereas the words for the chorus stay the same throughout.
Verse pretty much follows the hook and the main melody.
But the chorus should be catchier and more memorable than the verse. , Then write the melody.
Another thing to keep in mind is the transition from verse to chorus.
A good idea would be to add a bridge.
A bridge is like a verse but the music is different and it is only played once. , Add a bassline (base it roughly around the chords used by the guitar), drums, and any other instruments you think are necessary.
They should go along with the theme and the hook.
Also, add any backing vocals.
It is a good idea to work through this step parallel to the previous ones.
Now, it's time for the lyrics.
The lyrics should relate to the mood and the message of your song.
They are the part that speaks to people.
Lyrics in the verse should be more like telling a story.
Lyrics in the chorus, on the other hand, outline the main theme(s) of the song.
Some rock lyrics will have a statement, some will have a suggestion, some will tell the story and some will just be gibberish.
The lyrics that write a great song are the lyrics that a crowd can sing along to. , Solo is usually played on a guitar, however there are no limitations.
Solo should be like the verse, chorus, or both, except instead of the lyrics the guitar (or another solo instrument) is playing the melody.
Note, though, the solo instrument should not be playing the main, secondary, or any other melody used previously in the song.
Good solo-writing technique is simply improvising. if you are a beginner solo-er, then a great rock solo would be playing the pentatonic scale. , Most rock songs are organized in this manner:
Intro, Verse 1, Chorus, Verse 2, Chorus, Chorus (repeated), Solo.
Some songs have another part after the solo:
The Outro.
There also might be another verse somewhere inside the song.
But as a beginner, you should stick to the general structure and then, as you gain more experience, develop your own.
Get a piece of paper and write all of these down.
Insert parts of the song in appropriate places. , Start practicing the song.
Then you might want to put ads somewhere to get some members.
During the practicing time, you may make some final changes to the hook, melody, and any other part of the song.
Then, you are ready to record. , (Pawn shops or music stores usually have all you need.) , You want to have other opinions other than your own.
Then make necessary changes according to feedback you got. , -
Step 3: Get a pen or pencil and a piece of paper to record your ideas.
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Step 4: Develop the main melody.
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Step 5: Often melody starts with the same note as the "ground note" or root in the key chord
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Step 6: for example in D major it would be a d-note and in E minor an e-note.
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Step 7: The two main components of a song are the verse and the chorus.
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Step 8: Think of a chord progression that is a little different from the hook and (possibly) in a different key.
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Step 9: Develop a background.
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Step 10: You should now be able to write your solo.
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Step 11: Put them all together.
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Step 12: Organize a band.
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Step 13: Get some good recording equipment and record the song.
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Step 14: Show your song to your friends and family.
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Step 15: You can now burn the song to a CD and release it to public
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Step 16: or write more songs and produce an album.
Detailed Guide
However, most rock songs all break down to 4 parts:
The Hook, The Melody, the Bridge, and The Chorus. (but there are so many other kinds of ways to set a rock song, so don't worry about it).
But before you begin to record the song, before you begin to develop the song, before you begin writing the song, before you even have an idea, you must have inspiration.
You can't force inspiration, it comes to you in the right moment.
Like, you have just broke up with your girlfriend, or you've just have been kicked out of your school, so don't waste your time, this is the best moment, write down the first thing that comes in your brain, now you've got the idea.
The idea is the very first part of everything.
So, how do you get the idea? First, start thinking about the message and the mood the song will carry out.
This doesn't have to be very detailed or anything, just a basic idea.
Start thinking about the hook.
The hook is a sort of a sub-melody, a riff, something you can easily hum, or the part of the song that gets stuck in your head.
The hook generally sets the mood for everything else.
Keep the hook simple as it is not the main melody of the song.
After thinking about how the hook should sound, start to actually write it.
Rock music is generally based on the major/minor/power chords of two sets of chords:
I, bIII, IV, V, bVII (In the key of E the bar chords begin on the frets: 0,3,5,7 and 10) or I, bIII, IV, bVI and bVII ( these are 0,3,5,8 and 10).
The first set will give you a more "classic Rock" sound whereas the second set sounds more modern.
Mess around with the chords from one of the sets above until you get something that works. , The main melody usually appears in the verses of the song.
It is usually played in an Intro and then sang as the vocals throughout the song.
However, it's too early for the lyrics yet, so just think up a general melody.
One thing you can do is record the hook and just jam to it until you find a clear melody that sounds good and goes well with the hook. , Then melody might lift up to third or fifth above, or drift to third or fifth below the note where it began from. (In key of D major, to f# or a and then down to B or G.) Usually a verse ends up returning to the same note as begun with or go one octave below. , Each time the verse is played the words differ, whereas the words for the chorus stay the same throughout.
Verse pretty much follows the hook and the main melody.
But the chorus should be catchier and more memorable than the verse. , Then write the melody.
Another thing to keep in mind is the transition from verse to chorus.
A good idea would be to add a bridge.
A bridge is like a verse but the music is different and it is only played once. , Add a bassline (base it roughly around the chords used by the guitar), drums, and any other instruments you think are necessary.
They should go along with the theme and the hook.
Also, add any backing vocals.
It is a good idea to work through this step parallel to the previous ones.
Now, it's time for the lyrics.
The lyrics should relate to the mood and the message of your song.
They are the part that speaks to people.
Lyrics in the verse should be more like telling a story.
Lyrics in the chorus, on the other hand, outline the main theme(s) of the song.
Some rock lyrics will have a statement, some will have a suggestion, some will tell the story and some will just be gibberish.
The lyrics that write a great song are the lyrics that a crowd can sing along to. , Solo is usually played on a guitar, however there are no limitations.
Solo should be like the verse, chorus, or both, except instead of the lyrics the guitar (or another solo instrument) is playing the melody.
Note, though, the solo instrument should not be playing the main, secondary, or any other melody used previously in the song.
Good solo-writing technique is simply improvising. if you are a beginner solo-er, then a great rock solo would be playing the pentatonic scale. , Most rock songs are organized in this manner:
Intro, Verse 1, Chorus, Verse 2, Chorus, Chorus (repeated), Solo.
Some songs have another part after the solo:
The Outro.
There also might be another verse somewhere inside the song.
But as a beginner, you should stick to the general structure and then, as you gain more experience, develop your own.
Get a piece of paper and write all of these down.
Insert parts of the song in appropriate places. , Start practicing the song.
Then you might want to put ads somewhere to get some members.
During the practicing time, you may make some final changes to the hook, melody, and any other part of the song.
Then, you are ready to record. , (Pawn shops or music stores usually have all you need.) , You want to have other opinions other than your own.
Then make necessary changes according to feedback you got. ,
About the Author
Zachary Martin
Zachary Martin is an experienced writer with over 12 years of expertise in education and learning. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Zachary creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.
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