Find Your Song Title Before Writing the Chorus
30sMost songwriters start without a title, and this callout triggers an instant 'that's me' reaction.
▶ Play ClipAI Summary
This video reveals the first and most important tip for writing a chorus: find the song's title before you start writing. Many songwriters skip this step, leading to choruses that lack focus and emotional impact. The title is the 'pointy end' of the chorus, carrying the central message of the entire song.
Chapters
[00:03]
Find the Title First
The first chorus writing tip is to determine the title of the song before anything else. This is because the title holds the core idea and direction for the chorus.
[00:16]
Common Songwriting Mistake
It is very common for songwriters to start writing without knowing the title, and they often figure it out only after the chorus is written. This happens because of a misunderstanding about the chorus's purpose.
[00:45]
The True Function of a Chorus
A chorus is not just the section that repeats. Its real job is to deliver the central message, core idea, or peak emotion of the entire song.
[01:00]
The Title as the Pointy End
Within the chorus, there is a 'pointy end' which is the title. The title is a single line, phrase, or even a single word that carries the central image, message, idea, or emotion of the song.
The key to writing a powerful chorus is to identify the song's title first. The title is the concentrated essence of the song's message, and building the chorus around it ensures focus and emotional resonance.
Tutorial Checklist
1
00:03
Find the title of your song first. Decide on a clear phrase or word that captures the central idea.
2
00:45
Understand the chorus's function: it must deliver the central message, core idea, or peak emotion of the song.
3
01:00
Treat the title as the 'pointy end' of the chorus. Ensure the chorus drives toward that title as its focal point.
Study Flashcards (5)
What should you find first when writing a chorus?
easy
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What should you find first when writing a chorus?
easy
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The title of the song.
00:03
What is the true function of a chorus?
easy
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What is the true function of a chorus?
easy
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To deliver the central message, core idea, or peak emotion of the entire song.
00:45
What is the 'pointy end' of a chorus?
medium
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What is the 'pointy end' of a chorus?
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The title.
01:00
What can the title of a song be?
medium
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What can the title of a song be?
medium
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A single line, phrase, or even a single word.
01:13
Why do many songwriters struggle with the chorus?
hard
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Why do many songwriters struggle with the chorus?
hard
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Because they start writing the chorus before figuring out the title or understanding the chorus's true purpose.
00:16
💡 Key Takeaways
🔧
Title-first approach
Establishes a clear, actionable technique that can immediately improve songwriting focus.
00:03
💡
Chorus delivers peak emotion
Reframes the chorus from a repetitive section to an emotional peak, which is a deeper songwriting principle.
00:45
⚖️
Title as pointy end
Offers a memorable metaphor that simplifies the relationship between chorus and title.
01:00Full Transcript
[00:03] The first chorus writing tip is to find the title of your song first. This might sound obvious to some people, but it's actually incredibly common for songwriters to start the songwriting process just kind of figuring out what
[00:16] they're writing about and then they get to the chorus and even start writing the chorus and are still yet to figure out what the title of the song is. This often happens because of a misunderstanding about what a chorus
[00:29] actually is and what it's there to do in a song. So, a chorus is not actually just the section that repeats in a song. Yes, that's kind of what it looks like and sounds like, but it has a much more specific function to play. And we need
[00:45] to know what that function is in order to write a great chorus. So, a chorus is not just the bit that repeats. It's the section of a song that delivers the section of a song that delivers the central message, the core idea or the
[01:00] central message, the core idea or the peak emotion of the entire song. And not only that, but within the chorus, there's a pointy end. And that pointy there's a pointy end. And that pointy end is the title. So even though the
[01:13] chorus is the section that delivers it, it's the title that is that single line phrase or even sometimes just a single word whose job it is to carry that
[01:25] central image, message, idea, or emotion.
