A song is a musical composition with vocals. Generally, the words tell a story or emotion, and the melody and rhythm carry them to life. The music can be acoustic (without instruments) or instrumental, like many classical works. Song lyrics and melodies are often protected by copyright separately. The author of the song’s lyrics is called a lyricist, and the composer of the melody or music is called a composer.
Most experienced songwriters have a process that they use to help them write songs efficiently. They know that clear communication with collaborators is essential to a successful outcome and having their own process helps them keep on track.
The most common way to compose a song is to start with the lyrics, then create a melody and chord progression to accompany them. Sometimes the song will change from the initial lyrical idea, but this is an important part of the creative process.
Songs can have a simple structure of one or two verses, or a complex structure with several verses and a refrain. The lyrics are usually written in rhyme and can be sung to a traditional tune or in free meter. The song may also contain a pre-chorus, which is similar to the chorus but is shorter and less complex. A chorus typically contains the title of the song and is repeated throughout the song.
Songs can be composed to be sung by solo singers, a lead singer with backing singers, or larger ensembles such as a choir. They can also be sung without accompaniment by musicians, as in folk or popular music. Art songs, however, are intended for performance by professional or carefully trained singers and are accompanied by piano or instrumentation. They are more formally complex than popular or folk songs and require excellent vocal technique and diction for interpretation.