Name: __________________________ ( ) Class: _______

SONG WRITING

SONG WRITING = HARMONY + MELODY + LYRICS

TIMELINE

Duration Task
1 lesson Overview
3 lessons Melody writing
2 lessons Lyrics writing
2 lessons Music Arrangement
2 lessons Performance

CHECK LIST

☐ Choose one of the 4-chord harmonies for the entire song.

o I-V-vi -IV (C-G-Am-F)
o vi-IV-I-V (Am-F-C-G)
o I-vi-IV-V (C-Am-F-G)
☐ The pulse of your song has 4 beats in a bar.

☐ Decide on the tempo of the music (example, 100 bpm)

☐ Melody includes:
o 4 lines of Chorus
o 4 lines of Verse (optional)
o The melody sets the mood for the lyrics.
☐ Lyric
o The number of syllables fit the melody of the music.
o There are rhyming words used at the end of sentences.
o The lyric is aligned to the chosen theme.
☐ Music Arrangement includes:
o Piano/guitar/strings, drum and vocals or any other instruments
o Minimum of 3 different instrumental layers.
o The style of the music suits the melody and the lyric.
☐ One-page PowerPoint slide to screen your lyrics

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COMPONENT 1: HARMONY

The harmony of a song is made up of chord progressions. Each chord is made up of two or
more notes belonging to the chord.

What is a Chord?

C D E F G A B C
I ii iii IV V vi viiº I

Typically, a chord is made up of a triad. A triad consists of the first, third and fifth note of a
chord.

If the key is in C major, the notes of C major will be

C D E F G A B
1st (I) 2nd (ii) 3rd (iii) 4th (IV) 5th (V) 6th (vi) 7th (viio )
C Maj D min E min F Maj G Maj A min B dim

If the key is in C major, Chord I is C major

Chord V is __ major Chord IV is __ major

Chord vi is __ minor

Triad

Chords: (I) __ __ __ (V) __ __ __ (vi) __ __ __ (IV) __ __ __

Chords: (vi) __ __ __ (IV) __ __ __ (V) __ __ __ (I) __ __ __

Chords: (I) __ __ __ (vi) __ __ __ (IV) __ __ __ (V) __ __ __

Activity Time!

Choose a chord structure from above and play each chord for 4 beats on the Piano
(GarageBand).
How does it sound?
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COMPONENT 2: MELODY
The melody of a song is made up of a succession of pitches in musical time.

How to Write a Melody?

C D E F G A B C
I ii iii IV V vi viiº I

Method 1
A melody can be built from the notes of the chords.

Write down the notes of the following chords in the key of C major:

C Chord F Chord G Chord

(I) (IV) (V)

Practise Time!

On your first try, play the melody of the notes (below) on the keyboard. Once you are
familiar with the tune, play the chords and the melody on the keyboard.

Example: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Chords C F C
Melody C C G G A A G -
Chords F C G C
Melody F F E E D D C -
Chords C F C G
Melody G G F F E E D -
Chords C F C G
Melody G G F F E E D -
Chords C F C
Melody C C G G A A G -
Chords F C G C
Melody F F E E D D C -

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 C D E F G A B C
I ii iii IV V vi viiº I

Method 2

A melody can be built using passing notes.

A passing note refers to a melodic embellishment (note that does not belong to the chord)
that creates a stepwise motion.

Write down the notes of the following chords:

C Chord F Chord G Chord

(I) (IV) (V)

Task

Identify and circle the passing notes in the example below.

Example: Havana by Camila Cabello

Chords Am F E
Melody E E C C A - - E D E F E D C
Chords Am F E
Melody E E C C A - - E D E F E D C
Chords Am F E
Melody E E C C A - - E D E F E D C
Chords Am F E
Melody E C - E D E D C E B - C B C B E

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Method 3

A melody can also be built using motifs (patterns).

A motif is a short musical phrase that recurs in a song and it possesses a thematic identity.

Task

Identify and circle the motif in the example below.

Example: Havana by Camila Cabello

Chords C C C C
Melody C C C D E E D E F G -
Chords C C C C
Melody C^ C^ C^ G G G E E E C C C
Chords G G C
Melody G - F E D C - - -

Song Writing

The above methods are some ideas for you to use when you write a melody. Typically, all 3
methods are incorporated in melody writing.

When you build a song, the melody should be built out of a motif.

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COMPONENT 3: LYRICS WRITING
The lyric of a song is built out of a theme in mind.
The number of syllables for each phrase should fit the melodic phrase.

At the end of most sentences, the last word of the sentence should rhyme with the last word
of a preceding sentence.

Activity Time!

1. Listen and observe how the lyrics fit into the melody.
2. Count the number of syllables for the first 2 lines of the song.
3. Circle the rhyming words in the song below.
4. Is the theme of the song obvious?

Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi

C G Am F

[Verse 1]
I'm going under, and this time, I fear there's no one to save me [ ]
This all or nothing really got a way of driving me crazy [ ]
I need somebody to heal, somebody to know
Somebody to have, somebody to hold
It's easy to say, but it's never the same
I guess I kinda liked the way you numbed all the pain

[Chorus]
Now the day bleeds into nightfall
And you're not here to get me through it all
I let my guard down and then you pulled the rug
I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved

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[Verse 2]
I'm going under, and this time, I fear there's no one to turn to
This all or nothing way of loving got me sleeping without you
Now, I need somebody to know, somebody to hear
Somebody to have, just to know how it feels
It's easy to say, but it's never the same
I guess I kinda like the way you help me escape

[Chorus]
Now the day bleeds into nightfall
And you're not here to get me through it all
I let my guard down and then you pulled the rug
I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved

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FINAL SUBMISSION

1. Chord Structure

Write down the chord (e.g. C, Am, etc.) in every bar in the table below. Include your final lyric
below as well.

Introduction (Optional)

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Verse (Optional)

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Chorus

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

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2. Melody

Record the work-in-progress melody each lesson for review. Share the recording with your
group members before the end of every lesson.

3. Lyric Writing

Themes for Lyric Writing

1. Pollution 4. Social Media

2. Health is Wealth 5. Self-discipline

3. Save Electricity 6. Kindness

Development of the Lyric (Brainstorming of Ideas)

Theme: __________________________________________________________________

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 10
Instruments
Introduction Verse Chorus
(Optional) (Optional)
Sections
Music Arrangement
Assessment Rubrics
Emerging Proficient Exceeding Marks
0 – 3 [10m] 4 – 6 [10m] 7 – 10 [10m]
Lyrics No rhyming Some rhyming Many rhyming
word was used. words were words were
Lyrics does not used. Lyrics used. Lyrics
bring out the expressed the was well-
storyline. storyline. expressed and
was relatable
to the mood of
the melody. 10
Melody The melodic Motifs were
phrases were used and the
independent, melodic
and no motifs phrases were
were used related and
Song-writing

throughout the developed.

song.

10
Arrangement The The The
arrangement of arrangement of arrangement
the music does the music of the music
not contain a consists of the consists of the
melody, melody, melody,
harmony and / harmony and / harmony and /
or pulse. or pulse. It has or pulse. It
a good choice of complements
instrumental well with the
parts for the melody and
harmony. lyrics. 10

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 Teamwork Group members Group
were not members were
focused on their independent
task and and on task
needed each week.
reminders. They were
Some members able to work
were unable to on their own
work together. components
harmoniously
and put the
song together. 10
Performance Not all members All members All members
work together to worked together worked
put up the to put up the together to put
performance. performance. up the
There were performance.
some hiccups in All were
the confident and
performance. were able to
perform their
work with good
sound balance
and clarity. 10
Total
50

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