I need to improve song structure.... what should I start with?

[Bryan!]

So i've been working on recording a song for a while (i'll admit that I can't really read sheet music and don't know much about music theory). I think I've got a few cool sections that I could put together to make a song, and I've recorded a few stray keyboard leads and chords, but I really need to learn about song structure and how to tie all of the parts together. Should I spend time mapping out the structure or just make it up as I go? How should I approach composing buildups / breaks? Any tricks or techniques I should learn? I don't necessarily want to use the typical verse - chorus type stuff. I tend to like music with unusual structures. (i'm going for an electronic- style type of music, and I'm playing my casio keyboard hooked up to garageband on my macbook. I plan to get a synthesizer sometime in the future.)

Thanks!!

 

[GeraldR]

Both Rick Beato and David Bennett do deconstruction of 'great' songs ... they pry open the structure of songs to see what makes them tick and also do some sessions on harmonic structure: Some things that come to mind: half-tone transitions particularly leading notes, large steps, 6, 7 and flat 5 and flat7 melody, chromatic lines including bass/root notes, major/minor shift, use of modes, rhythm, etc.

 

[happyrat1]

While the music theory comments are always welcome I do hope you realize that you are responding to a 12 yr old thread...

Gary

 

[GeraldR]

While the music theory comments are always welcome I do hope you realize that you are responding to a 12 yr old thread...

Gary

Yep. But this is still topical and modern times have improved the picture. I think any player can improve by thinking more about music structure and how it informs interpretation of a piece. Most written music comes with little or no indication of what the composer was going for ... that's frequently something one has to decode. It's not just about how you hold your wrists and move your fingers.