Many creators are wary of learning how songwriting actually works, as if the knowledge could make their music feel less genuine or “real”. But a deep understanding of these elements is essential to creating music that connects with listeners. From the refined stringency of a classical composition to the lilting symphony of soul music, a song can be anything that musically transforms the heart and mind of its composer into a unique work of art.
A song is a musical composition that is performed using the human voice, and can contain lyrics or other text. Most songs are very short in length, a matter of minutes at most; however, operas and other longer compositions are often called “songs”. Music serves many functions in our lives: it can alleviate boredom, fill uncomfortable silences, promote social cohesion and communication, or evoke emotion. It has even been shown to affect our mood and emotions, triggering positive feelings in happy music and negative feelings in sad music1.
While some of these functions are attributed to the melody of a song, it is important to note that lyrics play an equal role in a song’s success. Lyrical content has been shown to influence the emotional valence of a song, and research into the relationship between a song’s tempo, rhythm, beat, harmonic progression and lyrics continues to grow.