Pop Music Formulas PDF

Pop music formulas Introduction With the passing of the decades of the last century and the one that goes on from this, there have been countless professionals in the music industry who have dedicated themselves to studying the causes that led to a musical single being placed in the firs...

Pop music formulas Introduction With the passing of the decades of the last century and the one that goes on from this, there have been countless professionals in the music industry who have dedicated themselves to studying the causes that led to a musical single being placed in the first places of preference. In doing so, they have discovered a pattern among those who achieved their dream success and compared them to songs that were rarely heard or that practically did not go out. Introduction They discovered many rules or formulas that pop music composers generally follow for their masterpieces to achieve maximum commercial success. Although it is not a guarantee that a song will reach number one on the list of preferences, it does condition it to travel the right path to reach success if an opportunity presents itself. A review of the singles that have been number one in 2018 and 2019 was carried out, to update these rules to the changes that technology is forcing the record industry to make and other industries. The formula was found similar in all of them. Introduction For the vast majority of songwriters, having one or more singles at the top of the charts is the biggest goal they want to achieve. One song at the top of the chart is more than enough to live comfortably for the rest of your life. But achieving that success is not an easy task; you as a composer may be wondering: Is there a magic formula to write successful pop music? That dream may not be that far off, if you work in an organized and hard way. Introduction All artists may not use this formula, but using it ensures that the tracks you write reach the widest possible audience. The duration of a song For successful songwriting, one of the integral parts of a pop song is its length. When a song is too long, people cannot listen to it fully, and aurally it is exhausting. Also, songwriters don't want their songs to be either so long or so short that people quickly forget them. The vast majority of the singles that have reached number one in popularity are approximately 3 minutes and 30 seconds long.  The duration of a song It is a rarity that there is a track longer than 4 minutes or less than 3 minutes that has reached the peak of popularity in the main music reports. That is why it is recommended for all composers of pop music to be within the time patterns established in the formula. One of the main reasons for this standard is that commercial radio has maintained over time the standard of 3 and a half minutes to air any music; the purpose is to rationalize the time of musical exposure, allowing commercial lapses between these exposures and thus maximize profits.  The duration of a song There are even pop artists and any other genre that release albums with singles that last longer than the average of the songs, and then relaunch it with a version adjusted for the radio standard. An example is Justin Timberlake's album 20/20 Experience. Another point to consider is the focus of attention of the average person. Many researchers have determined it between 8 and 12 seconds. This means that humans can fully concentrate on an activity for a fraction of a minute.  The duration of a song In musical terms, successful artists must perform songs that can consistently hold people's attention to be relevant to average listeners…..  The duration of a song Listeners want to hear something catchy to what they can grasp. In short, they want the chorus or phrase that anchors them and keeps them going. If the song takes too long to reach the chorus, the audience can lose interest in it quickly. The most advisable thing is that the choir is reached expeditiously without diminishing the quality of the song. This should be in about 45 seconds.  The duration of a song To achieve the goal through this formula, many pop music composers begin their songs with the chorus or at least with a contagious phrase, drawing the listener's attention from the beginning. The vast majority of singles that have catapulted to the top of the main charts of musical successes in the world comply with this pattern, which has allowed them to stay in that place for long periods, even breaking audience records.  a hook phrase In music, a hook is simply the part of the song that catches the ear of the listener. The part of the song that hooks you in. It's a lyrical line or melodic phrase that makes the song memorable and stand out. Think of the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love" -- after several verses, that phrase is repeated; followed by "bah bah bah bah bah bah;" followed by the refrain, "Love is all you need." The chorus and refrain become the hook -- the thing you remember.  a hook phrase memorable hook phrase is one of the most important parts of formulating a successful pop song. When a songwriter sits down to write a song, the hook is a great starting point. That phrase is what the music listener will always remember. Hence, it is very important to have it very well defined. Think of that phrase as the song you would sing to your partner so that she will always keep you in mind.  a hook phrase It has to be pompous and extremely catchy to stay in people's minds even after the song ends. That phrase can be lyrical, musical, or something as simple as waka-waka, following refrains. The most important thing of all is that a song needs to be successful for a hook phrase. Even if writing a song, the goal is not to make it successful, and it is advisable to do so.  a hook phrase Waka waka is a slang phrase from Cameroon that means “do it,” and Shakira based elements of the song on the marching chant that sprung from an '80s song by Camaroon band Golden Sounds.  a hook phrase That some songs quickly become hits and others sound a few times on the radio stations cannot be attributed solely to luck or work its seals records; having a catchy phrase guarantees the song's success.  The key to success Although it is difficult to believe if a song is not in the right key, that may affect its success. After analyzing the singles that were in the first place of the most popular lists in the world, it was determined that 99 percent of them were in a major key.  The key to success This condition is essential in the formula to achieve a suitable pop composition. It is then presumed that people prefer listening to music, making them feel very happy instead of listening to music that depresses them. This is an important key that can influence a song to achieve the desired success, even with sad or melancholic lyrics. This type of music usually doesn't make it to number one on the charts so easily.  Tempo If there is one element that affects music, it is the tempo. Its influence on the musical work is excessive, adding different sensations or even completely deforming the work. However, its influence goes beyond the work and appears in the environment. The attitude and mood of those who hear the music, affect states and behavior, even in human life's basic rhythm  Tempo That said, there are upbeat, slower songs topping the charts, each with its ideal tempo. A few years ago, the ideal tempo for an upbeat track was 120 BPM, which is still a great starting point. However, recent years have seen an increase in the pace of number-one singles. Currently, trends indicate that songs with a fast beat have an average BMP of 135 BPM.  Tempo Fix the tempo of the work we are composing depending on what we want to convey if we want to give a little more "joy" or "excitement.” We can increase the tempo and conversely decrease the tempo produces relaxation, melancholy. The question arises: What is the correct tempo of a musical work? There is no correct tempo, and the tempo is given by the sensation we seek to generate with the musical work.  Sentences: short and simple After the defined basic rhythm and composed melody , you add lyrics. Keeping the verses simple will make them memorable and easy to identify when the second verse appears. Not only that, but a short verse will help you get to the main attraction, the hook, even faster.  Sentences: short and simple In pop music, short verses have a great place. With them, the duration of the songs is drastically reduced. The solution to this situation is often seen in songs that achieve the expected success and add a pre-chorus. The pre-chorus, often nowadays called the lift, as the name suggests, sets the listener up for the chorus. It's used to create anticipation and give the chorus more impact when it does finally hit. It creates a separation between verse and chorus and uses musical devices to prepare the listener for chorus.  These pre-choruses add great emotion to the song by greatly increasing the chorus's gratification or chorus. Although the lyrics are changed each time it is sung, the pre-chorus and chorus are usually kept as the song progresses. However, any technique that the composer does to make his single easily digestible by the public is always welcome, even if it is not part of the formula to make his pop music a success. However, the pre- chorus is an excellent and proven technique with which listeners will learn more than half the song as soon as they hear it for the first time.  STRUCTURE what would be the best structure for composing a successful song? he formula for pop music is as follows: Intro, verse 1, pre-chorus, chorus, catchy phrase, verse 2, pre-chorus, chorus, catchy phrase, bridge, and chorus. The catchy phrases are necessary for any part of the song for the single to achieve the desired success. Verse Chorus Verse Chorus Bridge Chorus A B A B C B Basic song structure Intro- Chorus- attract verse-tell the story, Pre-chorus- building main theme or message. Bridge Outro attention, introduce give the details anticipation for chorus repeated more than -brings - listeners to contrast conclusion. the song once  Concluding remarks Unfortunately, there is no sure way for a song with the certainty that it will reach the top of the charts in the recording industry. Some factors contribute to the success of a song beyond the song itself. You may compose a song with enough quality to be the most successful song in the world. Still, if you place it in the wrong place and without following it up, you will probably not be successful.  Concluding remarks In the same way, there are pop songs that were not composed complying with the established formula, and even, so, they managed to reach the first places in the list of record hits. Simply put, there is no magic formula that allows songwriters to write hit songs.  Concluding remarks It may seem like stating the obvious, but a vital and enduring element of popular music is the voice. Whether male or female, it is the voice and the unique sound or timbre of that voice that features in all pop songs. This not only includes lead vocals but in many tracks backing vocals too. In the case of some pop bands like Queen, the individual sound that the layered backing vocals created became a major characteristic of the group’s sound. This together with the unparalleled talents of the lead singer Freddie Mercury made them amongst the most successful bands ever.  Concluding remarks Popular music is for the most part created to generate revenue for the record companies and the leading artists of the day. Some would argue that much of the music that is produced today is lacking in individuality and craftsmanship, where technology has replaced skill.