Pop Music Composition 101

Hey everyone! So today, I’m going to be giving you guys a lesson on music composition for pop music. 

Let’s get into it.

1. The drums

So what happens is that I feel like drums are simple for me to create because I know the principles behind them. 

And that’s what I’m going to show you guys right now as well. 

I’m going to show you guys the principles behind great pop drums. 

So basically for most of the song, you’re going to keep the songs within pocket. 

And within pocket means that you keep that steady groove that you hear in most songs. 

You know the bass on one and three and the snare on 2 and 4 is just an example. 

And then, you could use the drums in a transitional way. 

To add variety and to not make your drums sound all one dimensional, you add the transitions where it sounds appropriate. 

So basically keep the drums within pocket for most of the song and then use transitions where needed. 

2. The chords

Chords offer harmony to the song. They offer a way to make the melody shine. 

So basically for the chords, you keep the chords within 2 to 4 chords and you make them with simple chord progressions. 

And the chord progressions don’t have to be anything wild and extreme, it can be the same chord progressions that everyone in pop music already uses. 

So the I-IV-vi-V chord progression is one chord progression you could use, and as a matter of fact is one of the most used chord progressions in pop music. 

And what you could do is add variety to your music by putting in a bridge that makes a difference in the rest of the song. 

Change it up however you want, but you could make a great song by changing it up in the bridge and then go back to the chorus all the way at the end. 

The melody

So there are a few approaches to the melody that you could take, but one way to take it is by knowing that repetition is key. 

So repeating the same verse in the melody by changing up the words can make a huge impact. 

And then go up between a fifth and an octave in the chorus to make a big impact. 

So say for example if you’re repeating your melody at c4, d4, and e4 then move that melody up to c5,d5, and e5 for the chorus. 

Melodic contours can also be another powerful way to build your songs. 

If you have an ascending melodic contour in the verses, then make it a stagnant one in the chorus or a jagged one. 

Just depends on how you want to shape the song. 

Remember also to make contrast with the melody. 

Specifically with the rhythm. 

If you have long slow rhythms in the verses, then make fast rhythms in the chorus and vice versa, this will add variety to your songwriting styles. 

Bass lines

Remember that bass lines are supposed to add harmony and groove to a song to help push the song forward. 

And yes simplicity is key in a bass line, but don’t be scared to jump around and use different notes in your bass lines. 

Most punk rock musicians like to stick with the root notes of the chords, and that’s a good theory in some applications. 

But in others, it’s better to add rhythm and other notes to create a really grooving bass line. 

Don’t forget to layer with different sounding instruments that still compliment the song

So this is more so of a music production tip. 

Layering helps to add more thickness to your song. 

So if you have a guitar playing a certain chord progression, then play the exact same chords except with some violins or a piano.

You do the same for your drums, it creates rich and thick drums so you can have big sounding music. 

Broadcast

I sure hope that I have been an inspiration and a hope to you all. Please remember to pray, read your bible, go to church, and love God above all else. Like, comment, share, subscribe, and I will see you all next time.

If you want to go to heaven, then believe in Jesus and you will go to heaven. (John 3:16)

Thank you all for listening in on this blog post. 

German Gonzalez, signing out!