If our melody of the verse was made up of short punchy notes, our hook melody at the beginning of the chorus will stand out if we use longer notes instead. The hook is spotlighted through contrast.Ī musical hook stands out from the section that came directly before it. Whatever our lyrical phrase, a hook has the ability to interest the listener without giving it all away. Interesting words like “Falter” or “Unconditional” spark my curiosity because of their uniqueness or a character that is larger-than-life. “ (Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” expresses a simple, conversational and also visual message. Hooks like “ Unbreak My Heart,” or “ Make Every Word Hurt” are commanding, with an impossibility that makes me want to hear more. Long hooks, short hooks, partial phrases in parentheses (we’ve seen it all), killer hooks deliver no more and no less than necessary. The lyric of the hook is concise and sparks curiosity in the listener. Without the tension of the verse setting up the hook, it won’t provide the relief I want listeners to feel. If it isn’t clear what I’m getting at in the verse, I haven't poised the listener to be curious about my chorus message. Making sure most lines and the overall idea of the verses and prechoruses point indisputably towards the hook makes the hook feel like it’s summarizing the entire point of this song and only this song. Without the tension of the verse setting up the hook, it won’t provide the relief I want listeners to feel as I reveal it as the crux of the idea. If it isn’t clear what I’m getting at in the verse, I have not poised the listener to be curious about my chorus message. The lyric of the hook is the only “answer” to the verse’s “questions.”Įvery line of lyric we sing points the listener towards a conclusion. LEARN SONGWRITING ONLINE WITH BERKLEE! 2. I believe that our more special songs have greater effect because of these moments of intense agreement between melody and lyric and chords.
Sometimes the feeling caused by the lyric and melodic connection is subtle, but sometimes it’s blatant. Add to that a lyric that says with words what the melody says with movement and pitch, and we get believability: a genuine feeling that what the song is saying is significant and true. Long soaring notes might cast a triumphant glow, or on the other side, intense sorrow. Short punchy notes on a single pitch might insinuate persistence, or a frantic or anxious feeling. Different rhythmic elements like rest space, long notes, short notes, on-the-beat or off-the-beat settings combine with pitch elements like wide or clustered intervals, descending or ascending or static shapes to suggest emotion. How does a melody speak emotion? Think of it like body language. This means that the emotion in the lyric is supported by the inherent emotion in the melody. The melody, harmony, and lyric speak the same message. Here are five characteristics of great hooks. That way, I can have more confidence in my hooks as I consider them as song ideas. Instead of relying on my feelings alone, I like to hold up my hooks against a short list of characteristics killer hooks tend to carry.
But writing one, and knowing one when we write it, can be a whole ‘nother thing. When a hook comes from the harmonic element of the song-the chord progression and feel-we might refer to it instead as the “groove.” Songwriters who write with a groove in mind (think Stevie Wonder), will have a melodic and lyric hook as well (think “ Superstition”).īy these definitions we can understand what a hook is. They help distinguish our song from other songs, give it a distinct fingerprint that listeners can recognize within the first few bars.
Hooks often gain influence with repetition, becoming more familiar to the ear and carrying greater depth of meaning as the lyric develops. It’s usually the title of the song, repeating throughout the chorus and sitting in the most prominent positions of the first or last line. It’s part melody, part lyric, and most likely it’s both. As a songwriter, I know that a hook is a powerful tool that can make my song unforgettable, but what exactly is a hook? And how do songwriters harness this musical and lyrical power? What is a hook in a song?Ī hook is the capstone of a well-crafted song. I wasn’t even alive during the “Summer of ’69,” and was too young to question why “Dude Looks Like a Lady,” but those song hooks wrote the film score to my childhood movie. Great song hooks break boundaries surrounding genre, generational listening preferences, and longevity.