Section 5: The Hook

NOTE: It is important to note here that this section is a bit out of place, as you will often have a hook in mind BEFORE you design the structure of your music. This was done deliberately in this book for the advancement of your education.

While it is a mental process to generally create a hook first, it would be more beneficial to a writer if he/she can understand and place the structure of the hook first before writing anything down. It is much easier to the writing process to first understand the structure involved.

The hook is deserving of a section of it's own for one reason. It is the point of the song. Often times it is the intro to the music you are listening to, and it is designed for one purpose... to hook your listener's attention and interest.

It is the most memorable part of the song, whether it's the beat or the melody itself. When you hear someone sing or hum a song, it's the hook that is stuck in their mind. Similarly when someone is mimicking a drum beat and bobbing their head, again, it is the hook that has been running through their minds.

The hook can be of any length, though usually short. A song's title is usually angled around the hook so that the person will remember the song's title as well as the music. When writing music, the hook will most often than not, be the most fun part to work on.

A good hook will make the listener remember your song. A great hook will make sure your song is never forgotten. Probably one of the greatest hooks ever written is that childhood song "The Song That Never Ends." Already most of you can hear the words rolling around in your head, "This is the song that never ends. It just goes on and on my friend."

While, (personally speaking), this is one of the most annoying songs, the hook is one of the greatest ever created. All I had to do was mention the title and most of you could remember the tune. Another great mark of a hook is that it helps stir the emotion and message in the song. Think back to the first step of the exercise in the Songwriting Concepts section. What is your inspiration? Let us take it to the next step. What was your mood surrounding your inspiration?

Great hooks that capture attention are patriotic songs. Take for example, Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A." or the tribute to Princess Diana by Elton John's "Goodbye England's Rose." Here again you see the title, the song and maybe even the words come rushing to your mind.

Every song has a hook to it, but you should remember that a good hook makes your song, memorable!

Exercise:

If you have been following the examples previously set, you will have an inspiration point for your song, a purpose for your song, and you will no doubt also have a very good idea about the mood or message you want your listener to receive. In this exercise, you will come up with a hook.

1. Focus on your found inspiration, purpose, and mood or message you want in your song. Was it a happy and upbeat? Or was is sad and slow? Maybe it was melancholy and a bit dramatic?
2. Armed with that information, start humming a tune that would best reflect the mood you are in. This will help set the mood for the song. Is it a tune that you can remember? Would your listener remember it?
3. This is a little bit ahead, but put a beat to it. Tap your foot, bob your head, or play out a beat with your pencil.
4. Once you have either a tune or a beat, (or both), get it on a tape recorder or record it on your computer so you do not forget it. Many times and artist will lose a tune if they take a break and come back to it later. Do not fall victim to "writer's loss!"

If you are having trouble coming up with a tune or a beat, don't worry. This is your first go around. It's not something that comes immediately. Writing music is a skill that takes practice to develop.