Welcome to “The Music Lab,” a brand new column powered by SongTown and featured in American Songwriter each month. 

I’m obsessive about trying below the hood of nice songs to determine what makes them hum. If we hear carefully, some function cool rhythm patterns within the melody, others defy the norms of kind, whereas different songs showcase distinctive chord progressions. However, what sort of voodoo pulses by the veins of one-chord songs? 

Let me unravel a few of the thriller—there’s even a playlist of songs to get you within the temper. So, begin spinning, it’s time to get this one-chord social gathering began!

Tempo and Power

One-chord songs groove and transfer. Virtually all are mid to up-tempo. It’s close to inconceivable to tug off a one-chord ballad. Why? As a result of with out the help of a number of chords, the author should pay extra consideration to the rhythmic groove parts within the melody and instrumental monitor. Quicker tempos create extra vitality and interact the listener to maneuver their physique, or at the very least, bob their head.

Riffs and Motifs

Riffs are important to one-chord tunes. A riff is a repeated melodic motif on a number of devices within the monitor. Riffs create the grand phantasm of chord modifications with out truly making any. Take a hearken to Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up.” The rhythm guitar performs one chord all through, whereas the bass and second electrical guitar play a slinky riff in opposition to it. This produces sufficient ahead motion that the listener doesn’t discover the dearth of chord modifications.

Pressure and Launch

So, how do one-chord songs foster pressure and launch with out chord modifications? Simply as a majority of these songs want rhythm and tempo to select up a few of the slack, your selection of melody notes turns into an important system, too. Discover how songwriter Don Covay pulls this off within the basic Aretha tune. 

Take heed to Aretha sing the refrain lyric to “Chain Of Fools:”

Chain, chain, chain…

Chain of fools

Her voice stretches the third “chain” out longer, beginning the be aware a half step beneath earlier than slowly bending as much as its eventual conclusion. This sluggish bending motion creates pressure within the track though the chords by no means change. The melody rubs in opposition to the chord after which is resolved.

Blake Shelton’s “Neon Mild,” written by Mark Irwin, Josh Keare, and Andrew Dorff, is one other nice instance of pressure and launch in a single chord track. Blake holds out the be aware on the phrase “mild” and bends as much as the be aware from a decrease pitch creating lovely pressure, after which, launch. 

There’s a neon mild…

On the finish of the tunnel

Each songs use the identical approach to start with of their respective choruses. This can be a nice system for creating distinction between verses and choruses in one-chord songs.

The Tune Arc

All through literary historical past, nice novelists grasp the story arc. An arc is the trajectory of the story from the place it begins to the place it ends, representing a journey. The story takes us on an emotional experience with ups and downs, contrasts between moments or sections, and gives up a theme or motif that threads itself by the story. With each intense and calm moments, an excellent story has each pressure and reduction of pressure.

An awesome track has an arc, too. If a whole track holds the identical depth stage, the listener would seemingly get bored or turned off. That’s why songs have louder elements, softer elements, larger notes, decrease notes, and even, silence. One of many high methods to create part distinction in a track is thru using chord progressions. Nevertheless, in one-chord songs, we don’t have the luxurious of chord progressions, proper? So, different parts within the track tackle heightened significance to arrange distinction.

A vocalist sings brief phrases and lengthy phrases, legato melodies and fast-paced melodies, longer line lengths, and shorter line lengths. A melody needs to take us on a journey. All of those non-chordal parts are sufficient to do the job when deftly positioned. 

Try Pink’s hit “Get This Occasion Began.” The verse melody consists of all brief be aware durations. All of the strains are ten to 12 syllables fired off in fast succession. 

Get this social gathering began on a Saturday night time
All people’s waitin’ for me to reach
Sendin’ out the message to all of my mates
We’ll be lookin’ flashy in my Mercedes Benz
I acquired lotsa fashion, acquired my gold diamond rings
I can go for miles if you already know what I imply

Subsequent, the downbeat of the refrain begins with an extended held-out be aware on the phrase “I’m.” 

I’m……………………… comin’ up so that you higher get this social gathering began
I’m……………………… comin’ up so that you higher get this social gathering began

Pink stretches that first phrase over a bar and a beat every time it comes round. The listener is aware of the refrain has arrived as a result of it clearly contrasts from the verse. 

Tempo, vitality, riffs, motif, pressure, reduction, track arc—these are time-proven strategies that many one chord songs share. I encourage you to take your personal deep dive into the one-chord track. Hear first, then attempt your hand at writing a couple of. Relatively than limiting your inventive course of, writing a one-chord track would possibly simply level-up your writing in shocking new methods.

Till subsequent time, write on! 

~ CM

Clay Mills is a six-time No.1 hitmaker and multi-Grammy nominated songwriter/producer. His songs have been recorded by main artists in nation, pop, rock, dance, bluegrass, and gospel. His voice and songs have discovered their means into nationwide advert campaigns and film soundtracks.  He co-founded SongTown, the world’s main songwriter schooling website, with fellow hit author Marty Dodson. Clay is as keen about educating songwriting as he’s about writing himself.