How To Succeed With Writing Bridges
Manage episode 453333665 series 3479097
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Now for today's episode!
Anne’s Top 10 Tips for Writing A Bridge
- It’s a good idea to have a unique chord at the very beginning of your bridge. Signals to the listener that something different is about to happen here. It can be a minor chord unless that doesn’t fit the feeling of your song.
- A bridge often gives us more direct insight into the thoughts of the song’s narrator or the song’s message. Go deeper then you’ve gone in the verses.
- To help your bridge be distinctive from the rest of your song, give your bridge a unique chord progression and melody.
- Take us somewhere you haven’t yet in the song, walk us over a wooden bridge off the main path of the song. Then bring us back!
- Is your bridge necessary? I wouldn’t write a bridge just because you think you should. It should have purpose and give us a welcome diversion before it brings us back to the familiarity of the song.
- The bridge is usually located about three-quarters of the way into the song. You’ve already given us some verses and a chorus (familiar) before you introduce this new part. Study other songs for placement ideas.
- Just like your Chorus has a different melody than your verses that preceded it, the bridge has its own unique melody.
- Best way to learn how to write great bridges (especially if you still feel uncertain on how to create one) is to listen to some of your favorite songs with a curious ear. What is the purpose of the bridge in this song? How is it different from the rest of the song? What chord progression did they use?
- Do you have to write a Bridge in your song? Nope. Always a good idea not to force it because you think you “should”. What does the song want and need?
- If you are a new songwriter and new to writing bridges, play around, experiment and learn. Bridges are pretty amazing components of songs when they come together (and fun to sing and play!).
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