Many songwriters don’t know how long to make the intro of their song. Ultimately it depends on what you are trying to achieve with your song. If you’re just writing for yourself and you think really long intros are great, then go for it. On the other hand, if you’re trying to sell your songs or get any kind of significant airplay with them, you’ll probably increase the chances of that happening if your song has a short intro.
The main reason for this is that many times when you submit your song to a professional in the music industry, they don’t hear the full track. In fact, if you don’t engage them right away, they’ll move on. It’s sad but true. They are busy people and usually don’t have time to fairly listen to every random song sent to them. So they make it easy for them, but they judge songs very quickly.
According to author Jay Frank, who has written a couple of excellent songwriting books including Future Success DNA Y hack your punchYou have about ten seconds to engage your listener. ten seconds before they have that burning desire to move on to another song, if they’re not committed to yours.
Also consider that in the digital age, it’s easier than ever to hear the beginning of a song before quickly moving on to the next. All it takes is the press of a button to immediately listen to the next track, either online or on CD. It’s not like the old days with cassette tapes, where it would probably be easier to listen to a whole song than try to find the next one you want to listen to. As big as technology is, it often times plays into the typically short attention spans that we humans have. This can work against you if you’re looking for someone to give your song a fair chance.
On top of that, even if you caught them early on with a good start, the next “check” point will be at about two minutes. So having your second chorus past, with a new melody and chords (in your bridge) at that point is usually a good idea for a catchy pop song. But that goes a bit further than what we’re talking about here regarding song intros.
I don’t necessarily advocate doing any cookie cutter move. However, if your music is really good (after all, having a short intro is clearly not the only thing a music industry professional will be looking for) and you want to increase the chances of it being heard, a short intro is often an option. good option. idea. I know there are plenty of examples of hit songs with long intros (especially on classic rock songs), but it’s not the norm these days.
Often times it’s even a good idea to put in a catchy little tune as an introduction before the verse begins. You can use the introduction as a way to draw the listener in, as opposed to something they just have to wait for. It can even be something as simple as the intro to Pink’s “So What.” It’s just a nonsensical repetition of a syllable in the word “nah”, after a guitar riff that played the same tune. It’s simple, but it’s catchy and holds you until the verse starts.
Think of ways to make your intro as catchy as possible, instead of just being a repetition of the verse chords you’re about to play when you start singing. A catchy little guitar lick or nonsensical piece of melody can go a long way when it comes to hooking listeners. Your intro is a great opportunity for you to come up with new, fun, catchy (and quick!) ideas to draw people into your song. So enjoy the process!
