Songwriting Framework

Songwriting Framework

When to Use

Use this skill when:

• The user wants to write a new song from scratch and needs a structural framework, lyric development process, or both
• The user has existing lyric fragments, a title idea, or a journal entry they want to shape into a complete song
• The user has a chord progression and wants to add melody, lyrics, and structure to turn it into a finished piece
• The user wants to choose between competing song structures and understand the trade-offs of each for their genre and message
• The user wants to improve a song draft -- strengthen the hook, fix a bridge that does not land, or resolve lyric cliches
• The user asks specifically about rhyme scheme selection, lyric imagery techniques, or how melody relates to chord changes
• The user is co-writing with another person and needs a shared framework to divide the work
• The user wants to write a song in a focused session (30-90 minutes) and needs a speed-oriented process

Do NOT use this skill when:

• The user needs music theory fundamentals such as scales, intervals, modes, or chord construction -- use music-theory-fundamentals instead
• The user is a beginner learning their first guitar chords or hand positions -- use guitar-beginner-foundations instead
• The user wants to record, mix, or produce a song they have written -- use home-recording-starter instead
• The user wants a structured daily or weekly practice schedule for an instrument -- use practice-routine-builder instead
• The user is asking about music licensing, publishing royalties, or copyright registration -- use a legal/business skill or defer to a professional
• The user wants to analyze a specific existing song academically (form analysis, harmonic analysis) without writing anything new -- this skill is generative, not analytical

Process

Step 1: Gather the Songwriting Brief

Before writing a single lyric or selecting a structure, collect the inputs that will drive every subsequent decision.

• Theme or subject: Ask what the song is fundamentally about. Push past the first answer. "Heartbreak" is a category. "The three weeks after a breakup when you still check someone's Instagram at midnight" is a song. Use follow-up questions: "What specifically happened?" "What do you want to say that you could not say at the time?"
• Genre and reference artists: Ask for 2-3 songs or artists that feel like the right neighborhood. This encodes tempo, instrumentation texture, lyric density, and production expectations simultaneously. A user who says "like Phoebe Bridgers" means something completely different from one who says "like Taylor Swift's 1989."
• Mood and emotional arc: Ask not just what the song feels like at the start, but where it ends emotionally. A song that begins in grief and ends in grief is a lament. A song that begins in grief and ends in gratitude is a transformation. The emotional arc determines everything about structure, bridge placement, and how the outro should resolve.
• Existing material inventory: Ask if they have any of the following already: a chord progression, a melodic fragment they can hum or describe, a title or hook phrase, a verse or chorus draft, or a specific line they love. Existing material is an anchor -- work outward from it rather than starting from nothing.
• Instrument and playing level: What they will write on (guitar, piano, voice only, DAW/loops) determines chord complexity recommendations, key selection advice, and how to frame the melody-chord relationship guidance. A guitarist with five open chords gets different suggestions than a pianist who reads music.
• Intended use: Is this for performing live, recording, submitting to a co-write, sharing privately, or entering a competition? Competitions often have time limits (under 4 minutes). Live performance allows more extended outros. This context shapes length and structure recommendations.

Step 2: Narrow the Theme to a Central Image or Moment

Generic themes produce generic songs. The most memorable songs in any genre are specific -- so specific they feel universal. This step is the most important creative discipline in the entire process.

• The snapshot technique: Ask the user to describe the theme as a single, specific scene -- a place, a time of day, one action happening. "Loneliness" is not a scene. "Eating cereal alone in an apartment at 11 PM with the TV on for company" is a scene. The snapshot does not have to appear verbatim in the song, but every lyric decision should be filtered through it.
• The five senses audit: For whatever snapshot the user identifies, ask: what do they see, hear, smell, feel physically, and taste in that moment? Even one concrete sensory detail in a verse (the fluorescent hum of a gas station, the specific weight of a winter coat) anchors the song in lived experience. Listeners recognize specificity even if they have never been to the exact place.
• The title test: Before writing a single section, try to summarize the song in a 3-7 word title. If the title cannot be written, the theme is not focused enough. Good title tests: "Would someone want to find this song on Spotify?" "Does the title create an expectation the song can fulfill?" "Does the title contain a natural hook rhythm?"
• The emotional arc map: Define two emotional coordinates: where the song starts emotionally, and where it ends. Common arcs that work structurally:
  • Confusion -- clarity (verse to chorus reveals the insight)
  • Hope -- loss (the chorus is the painful realization)
  • Anger -- acceptance (bridge provides the turning point)
  • Nostalgia -- release (the final chorus transforms the feeling)
  • Numbness -- grief (the song cracks open what was being suppressed) The bridge is the mechanism that moves the listener from one emotional state to the other, so knowing the arc determines bridge placement and content.
• The "what is the song NOT saying" test: Ask the user what the song is avoiding saying. Often the most powerful line is the thing the writer instinctively buries. The bridge is typically where this suppressed truth surfaces.

Step 3: Select a Song Structure

Structure is not a cage -- it is a contract with the listener. Present options based on genre, theme complexity, and the user's experience level, and explain the trade-offs of each.

Verse-Chorus (Standard Pop/Rock/Country): Intro -- Verse 1 -- Chorus -- Verse 2 -- Chorus -- Bridge -- Chorus (x2 or tag) -- Outro

• The default structure for 90% of commercial songs. Provides maximum repetition of the hook.
• Verse carries the story, chorus carries the thesis. The listener knows every time the chorus comes that they are getting the emotional core.
• Total sections: 10-12. Running time target: 3:00-3:45.
• Best for: songs with a strong, singable hook; pop, country, mainstream rock, R&B.

Verse-Pre-Chorus-Chorus: Intro -- Verse 1 -- Pre-Chorus -- Chorus -- Verse 2 -- Pre-Chorus -- Chorus -- Bridge -- Chorus -- Outro

• Pre-chorus is the engine of modern pop production. It functions as a pressure valve that builds tension before the chorus detonates.
• Pre-chorus typically uses a rising melodic sequence, a stripped-back arrangement, or increasing harmonic tension (often landing on V7 or a borrowed chord before the chorus tonic).
• Length: 2-4 lines, never more than 8 bars. It should feel like the song is straining to get to the chorus.
• Best for: songs where the verse feels conversational and the chorus is an explosion; modern pop, pop-country, radio rock.

AABA (Tin Pan Alley / Jazz Standard Form): A section (8 bars) -- A section (8 bars, same melody, new words) -- B section (8 bars, contrasting bridge) -- A section (8 bars, resolution)

• No traditional chorus. The hook is the last line of each A section (this is called the "payoff line" or "punchline").
• The B section ("the release" or "middle eight") is the emotional counterpoint -- a different key area, different rhyme, different emotional register.
• Running time is compact: often 2:00-2:30 for a single pass, extended with repetition in jazz performance.
• Best for: sophisticated, lyric-driven songs; jazz-influenced writing; Burt Bacharach, Carole King early work, musical theater ballads.

Verse-Refrain (Folk / Singer-Songwriter): Verse 1 (ending with refrain line) -- Verse 2 (ending with refrain line) -- Verse 3 (ending with refrain line) -- [Optional] Verse 4 or instrumental -- Refrain

• The refrain is a single repeated line or couplet at the end of each verse, not a separate chorus section. The story is entirely in the verses.
• The refrain line changes meaning as the verses accumulate context around it. This is one of the most powerful structural techniques in folk and country storytelling.
• Works because folk audiences lean in for narrative; the repeating line is a reward that deepens with each verse.
• Best for: narrative songs, character songs, protest songs, story-driven country. Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Josh Ritter, Gillian Welch.

Through-Composed (Narrative / Art Song / Progressive): No repeating sections. Each section is unique, progressing the narrative linearly like chapters.

• Extremely difficult to execute well because there is no built-in hook repetition. The listener has to trust the story.
• Use only when the song is explicitly narrative-driven (a complete story with beginning, middle, and climax) and the writer is experienced.
• Best for: folk ballads with cinematic scope, progressive rock, musical theater, singer-songwriter concept albums.
• Running time can exceed 5:00 because the structure allows expansion. This is the only structure where exceeding 5 minutes is acceptable.

Recommendation protocol: For first-time songwriters or anyone without a specific structural reason to choose otherwise, recommend Verse-Chorus or Verse-Pre-Chorus-Chorus. For narrative-focused or folk-influenced writers, recommend Verse-Refrain. Save AABA and Through-Composed for writers with existing craft experience.

Step 4: Develop Lyrics Section by Section

Each section of a song has a distinct job. Violating these functional roles is the most common cause of songs that "feel like something is off."

Verse:

• The verse's job is to earn the chorus. It sets the specific scene, character, or situation. It uses concrete, sensory language. It creates an emotional state in the listener that the chorus then names or transforms.
• Each subsequent verse must advance -- not repeat -- the story or perspective. Verse 1 sets the situation. Verse 2 deepens it, complicates it, or shifts the time or point of view. A song where Verse 2 repeats what Verse 1 already said is a song that loses listeners at the 1:30 mark.
• Lyric density in verses is typically higher than in choruses -- more syllables per bar, more information per line.
• Verse melody sits below the chorus melody in the singer's range, creating headroom for the chorus to lift.
• Rhyme schemes for verses: ABCB and ABAB are the most common. ABCB (only lines 2 and 4 rhyme) feels most natural and conversational, matching speech patterns.

Chorus:

• The chorus must answer the question the verse poses, or name the feeling the verse has been circling.
• The hook -- the single most memorable melodic and lyrical moment -- must appear in the chorus, ideally in the first or last line. If the user's strongest line is in a verse, it belongs in the chorus.
• Chorus lyrics use more abstract, emotional, universal language than verses. Where the verse says "I drove past your mother's house on Tuesday," the chorus says "I don't know how to stop coming back." The verse is the specific; the chorus is the meaning.
• Syllable count in choruses is shorter per line than verses -- the melody stretches longer notes, giving each word more weight.
• Rhyme schemes for choruses: AABB (couplets) feels resolved and satisfying. ABAB works but requires more setup. Many modern pop choruses use AABB or even just a single repeated line (AAA).
• The chorus must use the same words every time it repeats. Changing even one word in a subsequent chorus disrupts the listener's ability to sing along and feel the repetition as intensification.

Pre-Chorus:

• The pre-chorus exists to make the chorus feel earned and inevitable. Without a pre-chorus, the verse and chorus can feel like two separate songs pasted together.
• Structurally, the pre-chorus should increase one of three things: harmonic tension (moving toward V or a borrowed chord), melodic register (rising pitch), or rhythmic density (more syllables, more urgency).
• The pre-chorus often works by stating the emotional question that the chorus answers. If the chorus says "I was always going to leave," the pre-chorus might say "So why does it feel like this."
• Keep pre-choruses to 2-4 lines and under 8 bars. If it gets longer, it becomes a second verse.
• Pre-choruses do not always need their own distinct rhyme scheme -- many are open (no rhyme) to create instability that resolves into the chorus's tighter rhyme scheme.

Bridge:

• The bridge must introduce something the song has not yet said. This is non-negotiable. A bridge that summarizes the verses is not a bridge -- it is a third verse placed in the wrong position.
• The bridge most commonly appears once, after the second chorus, at approximately the 2:00-2:30 mark in a 3:30 song.
• The bridge should change at least two of these four parameters: chord progression, melodic contour, lyric perspective, rhythmic feel. Changing only one produces a bridge that does not feel like enough of a departure.
• Three effective bridge types:
  1. The revelation bridge: The singer realizes something they did not know in the verses. Changes the meaning of what came before.
  2. The acceptance bridge: The singer makes peace with the situation. Sets up the final chorus as an emotionally transformed repeat.
  3. The counter-argument bridge: The singer voices the opposing view they have been suppressing. Creates tension before the final chorus resolves it.
• Bridge length: 4-8 bars lyrically, sometimes extended instrumentally after the vocal. The arrangement should strip back before the final chorus to create maximum contrast.

Intro and Outro:

• The intro's job is to set the sonic and emotional world of the song before the first word. It should immediately communicate genre, tempo, and emotional register. 4-8 bars is standard. An intro longer than 16 bars (unless intentionally atmospheric) is too long for most contexts.
• The outro provides resolution or open-ended ambiguity depending on the song's emotional arc. Fade-outs on repeated choruses signal the listener that the emotional state is ongoing. A clean ending (the song stops) suggests resolution and finality. Choose deliberately.

Step 5: Select and Apply a Rhyme Scheme

Rhyme scheme is not decoration -- it is a structural scaffold that the listener's ear follows unconsciously. A rhyme scheme that breaks inconsistently creates a subliminal sense of wrongness even for listeners who cannot name why.

AABB (Paired couplets): Lines 1 and 2 rhyme; lines 3 and 4 rhyme.

• Feels resolved, organized, and singable. Natural for choruses.
• Risk: can feel forced or "nursery rhyme" if the rhymes are too perfect (moon/June, heart/apart).
• Mitigation: use slant rhymes for at least one pair in every stanza.

ABAB (Alternating): Lines 1 and 3 rhyme; lines 2 and 4 rhyme.

• Feels more conversational because the rhyme is delayed. The listener holds the sound in memory.
• Works well for verses with narrative content because the delayed resolution mirrors conversational storytelling.
• Slightly harder to write than AABB because the rhyming words must be set up further apart.

ABCB (Ballad meter / common meter): Only lines 2 and 4 rhyme. Lines 1 and 3 are free.

• Feels the most natural and speech-like of all standard schemes.
• Allows Verse lines 1 and 3 to carry heavy narrative content without being constrained by rhyme requirements.
• The most common scheme in folk, country, and narrative songwriting.
• When in doubt, default to ABCB for verses.

XAXA (Free/Rhymed alternating): Lines 1 and 3 do not rhyme; lines 2 and 4 rhyme.

• Functionally similar to ABCB but the labeling clarifies that lines 1 and 3 are genuinely independent.
• Used in more literary, art-song, or indie-folk contexts.

Slant rhyme (near rhyme / half rhyme): Words that share a vowel sound or ending consonant but are not perfect rhymes: "time/mine," "home/alone," "water/daughter," "love/move," "gone/on."

• Slant rhyme is a mark of craft, not a compromise. It is used intentionally by experienced songwriters to avoid the "sing-song" quality of relentless perfect rhymes.
• Rule for using slant rhyme: the semantic connection between the two words must be strong enough that the listener feels the rhyme as satisfying. If the two words are completely unrelated in meaning, the slant rhyme feels like a miss rather than a choice.
• Never force an exact rhyme by inverting word order ("The stars above me, I cannot see them now" instead of "I cannot see the stars above me now"). Natural word order always wins over perfect rhyme.

Multi-syllable and internal rhyme:

• Multi-syllable rhymes ("hiding/deciding," "remember/December") create forward momentum and feel virtuosic without feeling strained.
• Internal rhyme (rhyming within a line, not just at line ends) adds musicality: "I'll drive the whole long night while the highway lights blur white."
• Do not use internal rhyme in every line -- it becomes exhausting. Use it as emphasis in the hook or the most emotionally charged line.

Rhyme scheme discipline:

• Once a rhyme scheme is established in a section, hold to it across all repetitions of that section. If Verse 1 is ABCB, Verse 2 must also be ABCB.
• Chorus and verse do NOT need to share the same scheme -- in fact, they should differ to give each section a distinct feel.

Step 6: Connect Melody to Chord Progressions

This step applies when the user has a chord progression and needs to find a melody, or has a melody and needs to understand why it does or does not work over the chords.

Chord tones and non-chord tones:

• The notes in any given chord (root, third, fifth, and in seventh chords, the seventh) are "safe" landing notes for the melody. If the chord is G major (G-B-D), landing on any of those three notes on a strong beat feels resolved.
• Non-chord tones -- notes not in the chord -- create tension. They work on weak beats or as passing tones between chord tones. A melody that lands on a non-chord tone on a strong beat and holds it feels dissonant. This can be intentional (tension before a resolution) or an error (unintended jarring note).
• Practical test: play a chord and sing the melody line over it. If a note sounds "wrong," it is likely a non-chord tone on a strong beat. Move the note or change which beat it falls on.

The hook melody must be singable from memory:

• "Singable in the shower" is not a metaphor -- it is a technical criterion. If a melody cannot be recalled and reproduced without the recording, it is not a hook melody. It is a melody.
• Hook melodies have three characteristics: (1) they repeat at least twice in the section, (2) they have a distinctive rhythmic shape (not just a stepwise ascending scale), and (3) they stay within a one-octave range or a range that a non-singer can approximate.
• The hook melody's highest note should align with the hook's most emotionally loaded word. This is the "peak" of the melodic arc.

Rising and falling melodic shapes:

• A rising melodic line over the same chord creates energy and expectation. Use it approaching a chorus, in the pre-chorus, or on lines that build emotional intensity.
• A falling melodic line creates resolution, release, or sadness. Verses that end on a falling line set up the chorus as a lift.
• The final line of a chorus often falls or resolves, providing completion. The final line of a verse often rises or ends on an unresolved note (V of the next chord), pulling the listener into the next section.

Chord change alignment:

• In most songs, chord changes align with the start of a new lyric phrase or the barline. Placing a chord change in the middle of a sung word (between syllables) is almost always jarring unless done as a specific rhythmic effect.
• The number of chord changes per bar affects lyric density. One chord per two bars allows long, sustained melody notes. Two chords per bar requires shorter, more syllable-dense lines (the melody must move faster to fit the harmonic rhythm).
• For folk and singer-songwriter styles: one chord change per measure or two measures. For pop and R&B: one chord change per two measures in verses, one per measure in choruses. For jazz-influenced writing: chord changes can occur every two beats.

Key selection based on vocal range:

• If the user sings, the key should be chosen so the chorus peak note lands comfortably in the upper part of their chest voice range, not at their absolute ceiling. Pushing to the exact ceiling creates tension that sounds strained rather than powerful.
• A chorus peak note 2-3 semitones below the singer's maximum comfortable note is the target. This allows room for a final belted chorus key change (up a half step or whole step) if the arrangement calls for it.

Step 7: Revise Using the Three-Pass Method

The first draft of any song is raw material, not a finished song. Revision is where craft happens. Guide the user through three distinct passes, each addressing a different layer of the song.

Pass 1 -- Lyric Truth Check:

• Read every line and ask: "Does this line move the story or deepen the emotional state?" If the answer is no, cut it. Padding lines (lines that exist to complete a rhyme or fill out a bar) are always better replaced.
• Hunt for cliches: "broken heart," "tears in my eyes," "light at the end of the tunnel," "stronger than I knew," "never let you go." Every cliche was once a fresh image. The songwriter's job is to find the fresh version. Challenge every cliche with: "What do I actually mean here? What is the specific version of this?"
• Check every abstract noun: love, pain, hope, fear, freedom. These words can appear in a chorus where universality is the goal, but in verses, every abstract noun should be replaced with the specific image that represents it to the songwriter.
• Verify the emotional arc is delivered. If the arc was defined as anger -- acceptance, does the song actually move from one to the other? If the bridge is where acceptance arrives, the bridge lyrics must contain the pivot moment.

Pass 2 -- Singability Check:

• Sing every line at tempo, with the actual melody and chords. Do not just read the lyrics.
• Identify any line where you have to rush syllables to fit the bar, or where you run out of breath before the line ends, or where a word's natural stress accent falls on a weak beat (singing "reMEMber" as "REMember" because the bar forces it).
• Fix stress conflicts by reordering words, replacing words with synonyms that have a different stress pattern, or slightly adjusting the melody to accommodate the natural speech rhythm of the line.
• Identify consonant clusters that create tongue-twisters at tempo: "sixth street streetlights," "that thick brick bridge." Replace any that require rehearsal to pronounce cleanly.
• Check the breath plan: a singer needs a breath approximately every 8-12 syllables in most tempos. Lines longer than 12 syllables without a natural pause or break require a breath technique that most singers should not have to think about.

Pass 3 -- Structure Check:

• Does the chorus hit harder than the verse? If the verse's melody or lyric is more interesting than the chorus, reverse-engineer: move the verse's best line into the chorus, or simplify the verse to give the chorus more contrast.
• Does the bridge provide genuine departure? Play the verse, chorus, and bridge back-to-back. If the bridge does not feel noticeably different in two or more of: chord progression, melody, lyric perspective, rhythmic feel -- rewrite the bridge.
• Check section lengths against genre expectations:
  • Pop verse: 8 bars standard, 16 bars maximum before needing a pre-chorus
  • Pop chorus: 8 bars standard, can be 4 bars in high-energy styles
  • Bridge: 8 bars standard (4 bars is too short; 16 bars is too long unless instrumental)
  • Total song length targets: pop 3:00-3:30, rock/indie 3:30-4:30, folk/country 3:00-4:00, ballad 4:00-5:00, through-composed up to 6:00
• Confirm the outro provides appropriate resolution for the emotional arc. A song about acceptance should not end on an unresolved chord. A song about lingering loss can fade on a repeated chorus because the repetition itself communicates the ongoing state.

Output Format

## Song Blueprint: [Working Title]

### Songwriting Brief
| Field            | Content                                         |
|------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| Core theme       | [specific snapshot description]                 |
| Genre / style    | [genre + reference artist if provided]          |
| Mood             | [primary mood descriptor]                       |
| Emotional arc    | [starting emotion] --> [ending emotion]         |
| Structure        | [chosen structure + rationale]                  |
| Key / Instrument | [key if known, instrument]                      |

---

### Song Structure Map
| Section       | Length   | Function                          | Chord Progression     | Rhyme Scheme |
|---------------|----------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------|--------------|
| Intro         | 4-8 bars | Set sonic and emotional world     | [chords]              | N/A          |
| Verse 1       | 8 bars   | Set scene, specific detail        | [chords]              | [scheme]     |
| Pre-Chorus    | 4 bars   | Build tension toward chorus       | [chords]              | [scheme]     |
| Chorus        | 8 bars   | Emotional peak + hook             | [chords]              | [scheme]     |
| Verse 2       | 8 bars   | Advance/deepen story              | [chords]              | [scheme]     |
| Pre-Chorus    | 4 bars   | Rebuild tension                   | [chords]              | [scheme]     |
| Chorus        | 8 bars   | Repeat (same words)               | [chords]              | [scheme]     |
| Bridge        | 8 bars   | New perspective / revelation      | [new chords]          | [scheme]     |
| Final Chorus  | 8 bars   | Transformed repeat (key change?)  | [chords]              | [scheme]     |
| Outro         | 4-8 bars | Resolution or fade                | [chords]              | N/A          |

*Adjust rows based on the structure chosen (remove Pre-Chorus rows for folk/Verse-Refrain, etc.)*

---

### Lyric Worksheet

**Verse 1** | Rhyme scheme: [ABCB / ABAB / AABB]
Line 1: [Lyric draft or writing prompt -- set the scene: where, when, who]
Line 2: [Lyric draft or writing prompt -- sensory detail only a local/insider would know]
Line 3: [Lyric draft or writing prompt -- action or movement]
Line 4: [Lyric draft or writing prompt -- emotional reaction; rhymes with Line 2]

**Pre-Chorus** (if applicable) | Rhyme scheme: [open / AA]
Line 1: [Rising tension -- state the question or urgency]
Line 2: [Increase the pressure; can rhyme with line 1 or remain open]
Line 3 (optional): [Land on an unresolved feeling that demands the chorus]

**Chorus** | Rhyme scheme: [AABB / ABAB]
Line 1 (hook): [The central message in one singable phrase -- this is the song's thesis]
Line 2: [Reinforce or expand the hook; rhymes with Line 1 if AABB]
Line 3: [Deepen the emotional weight]
Line 4: [Complete the thought; rhymes with Line 3; returns to hook territory]

**Verse 2** | Rhyme scheme: [same as Verse 1]
Line 1: [New scene or time shift -- must advance beyond Verse 1]
Line 2: [New sensory detail]
Line 3: [Complication, contrast, or consequence]
Line 4: [Build toward chorus re-entry; rhymes with Line 2]

**Bridge** | Bridge type: [Revelation / Acceptance / Counter-Argument]
Line 1: [The thing the song has not said yet]
Line 2: [Deepen or complicate Line 1]
Line 3: [The turn -- the realization or pivot]
Line 4: [Set up the final chorus; optional -- can end after Line 3 for dramatic effect]

---

### Melody and Chord Notes
- **Verse chord function:** [explain the I-IV-V-vi relationships at work]
- **Chorus chord function:** [explain why these chords carry the emotional peak]
- **Bridge chord departure:** [identify what is new -- borrowed chord, relative minor/major shift, etc.]
- **Hook melody shape:** [describe -- rising, falling, stepwise, leap-driven; identify peak note and which word it lands on]
- **Key and range check:** [confirm the chorus peak note fits comfortably below the singer's ceiling]

---

### Revision Checklist
**Pass 1 -- Lyric Truth**
- [ ] Every verse line contains at least one concrete, sensory image
- [ ] No unexamined cliches (list any found: ________________)
- [ ] Every abstract noun in verses replaced with its specific image
- [ ] Emotional arc delivers: song moves from [start state] to [end state]
- [ ] Bridge contains the pivot moment for the emotional arc

**Pass 2 -- Singability**
- [ ] Every line sung at tempo -- no syllable crowding
- [ ] Natural word stress aligns with melodic stress throughout
- [ ] No consonant clusters requiring unusual dexterity at tempo
- [ ] Breath plan works -- no line exceeds 12-14 syllables without a natural pause

**Pass 3 -- Structure**
- [ ] Chorus hits harder than verse (melody lifts, lyric is more universal)
- [ ] Bridge is genuinely different in at least 2 of: chords, melody, perspective, rhythm
- [ ] All sections are appropriate lengths for the genre
- [ ] Outro provides the correct type of resolution for the emotional arc
- [ ] Target length: [X:XX] -- within range for [genre]

Rules

1. Never write the complete song for the user. The framework provides structure, prompts, directional examples, and craft guidance. The creative choices -- specific words, images, and lines -- must come from the user. Providing line-complete lyrics removes the songwriter from their own song and produces material that does not sound like them.

2. Always narrow the theme before selecting structure. A vague theme ("love," "loss," "finding yourself") will produce structurally correct but emotionally empty songs. The snapshot test is not optional. If the user cannot describe their theme as a specific scene or moment, ask follow-up questions until they can.

3. The hook belongs in the chorus. If a user's draft has their strongest, most memorable line buried in Verse 2, identify it explicitly and recommend moving it. The chorus is where the listener is trained to expect the payoff; burying the payoff in a verse is the most common structural mistake in amateur songwriting.

4. Rhyme scheme consistency is non-negotiable within repeated sections. If Verse 1 is ABCB, Verse 2 must be ABCB. Inconsistency within a section type breaks the subliminal contract the song makes with the listener in the first pass. Chorus-to-chorus and verse-to-verse schemes must hold.

5. Never recommend forcing an exact rhyme at the cost of natural word order. Inverted syntax ("Through the darkness she walked / Her name I called") sounds archaic and removes the conversational naturalness that makes lyrics relatable. Slant rhyme with natural syntax is always superior to perfect rhyme with inverted syntax.

6. Bridge must introduce something new. A bridge that restates the chorus sentiment in slightly different words is not a bridge -- it is a third chorus placed in the wrong structural position. The bridge must change at least two structural parameters: chord progression, melodic register, lyric perspective, or rhythmic feel. If the user's bridge feels like "more of the same," help them identify what the song has not yet said.

7. Song length targets are not suggestions -- they are audience expectations. Pop radio expects 3:00-3:30. A folk storytelling song can reach 4:30. Going over 5:00 in any non-progressive genre is a significant barrier to the song being heard, shared, or remembered. When a draft is running long, identify which section can be cut (typically the third verse, an extended outro, or a redundant pre-chorus) before recommending any other revision.

8. Verses carry specificity; choruses carry universality. This is the central lyric architecture principle. Verses must have concrete images, named places, specific actions. Choruses must have language that any listener can inhabit. A chorus that is too specific ("I drove down Route 9 at 11 PM in a 2003 Civic") traps the song in the writer's specific experience. A verse that is too abstract ("I felt sad and alone") fails to earn the chorus. Both failures are equally damaging.

9. Singability check is mandatory before any draft is considered complete. Lines that read well on the page frequently fail when sung at tempo. Syllable crowding, stress conflicts, breath-point problems, and consonant clusters are invisible on the page and obvious when sung. The user must sing -- not read -- every line before the pass is complete.

10. When the user provides existing lyrics, analyze before prescribing. Do not immediately suggest structural changes to a draft without first auditing it against the revision checklist. Identify what is already working (a strong image, a good hook, a verse that earns its chorus) before addressing problems. Songwriters abandon drafts that receive only critique; they revise drafts that receive specific, actionable feedback on both strengths and gaps.

Edge Cases

User Has a Melody Fragment but No Lyrics or Chords

Work backward from the melodic rhythm, not from a blank page.

• Ask the user to describe or hum the melody, or to indicate the syllable count per line. If they say "the verse line goes DUM da da DUM da da DUM," the melody is already giving you a syllable pattern and stress map.
• Map the melody's rhythmic pattern to a syllable template. A line like DUM-da-da-DUM-da-DUM suggests a 6-syllable line with strong syllables on positions 1, 4, and 6. Every lyric written for this line must match that stress pattern.
• Identify the melodic peak -- the highest or most sustained note in the melody. That position is where the hook word lands. Work backward: what is the single most important word or idea in this song? It belongs at the melodic peak.
• Write "dummy lyrics" (also called "mouth music" or "melodic scat") first: sounds that fit the rhythm and stress pattern without meaning anything, like "I was something in the morning." Then replace each syllable position with real words that match the stress.
• For chords: the melodic peak note should be a chord tone or a strongly supported tension tone (9th, 4th going to 3rd) of whatever chord underlies it. Work from the melody's note center to identify what chord family will sound natural underneath.

User Has Lyrics but No Melody, Chords, or Musical Experience

The melody is already hiding in the speech rhythm of the lyrics. The task is to excavate it.

• Ask the user to speak their lyrics aloud, rhythmically -- not sing, just speak with natural emphasis and pacing.
• Listen for: which syllables get natural stress, how long natural pauses are, where the voice rises and falls in pitch.
• The natural pitch contour of spoken language is the blueprint for the melody. A sentence that rises at the end (a question) naturally invites an unresolved melodic contour. A sentence that falls at the end invites a descending resolution.
• For chords: identify the emotional tone of the lyric. Sad or introspective lyrics pair with progressions anchored in vi (minor tonic) or IV-I movements. Hopeful or resolving lyrics pair with I-V-IV movements. Uncertain or restless lyrics pair with unresolved V-IV or ii-V suspensions.
• Recommend the user speak the lyrics over a single droned chord first to feel the rhythm, then introduce chord changes at the phrase boundaries.

User Writing in a Language Other Than English

Rhyme and stress principles apply universally, but the specific patterns differ significantly by language.

• French: stress is almost always on the final syllable of a word or phrase. French rhyme schemes often rely on the final vowel sound, not the final consonant. The nasal vowels (an, en, in, on, un) each form their own rhyme family. French verse traditionally alternates between masculine endings (final syllable is stressed) and feminine endings (unstressed syllable follows the stressed final).
• Spanish: stress is penultimate (second-to-last syllable) by default, with accent marks indicating exceptions. Spanish lyrics feel rhythmically natural when the melodic stress aligns with these penultimate accents. Rhyme schemes in Spanish typically use assonant rhyme (matching vowel sounds) rather than full rhyme.
• Portuguese (Brazilian): similar to Spanish but with a broader vowel inventory and more nasal vowels. Brazilian popular music traditions (samba, bossa nova, MPB) use conversational, flowing lyric structures that prioritize syllabic rhythm over strong end-rhyme.
• General principle for all languages: do not impose English-language rhyme conventions on lyrics written in another language. Let the phonological patterns of the target language guide rhyme choices. Slant rhyme in the user's language is always preferable to a perfect rhyme that sounds unnatural in that language.

User Is Co-Writing with a Partner

Co-writing requires structural negotiation that solo writing does not.

• Recommend role division as the first step: one writer focuses primarily on lyrics and theme, the other on melody and chord structure. This does not mean exclusive ownership -- both contribute to both -- but it means each person has a primary responsibility and a tiebreaker role in their domain.
• Use the "trading fours" technique for melody development: each writer proposes 4-bar phrases, the other builds on or responds to them. This prevents the melody from reflecting only one person's instincts.
• Use the lyric worksheet as a shared document. Label each line with the contributing writer's initials and the draft version. This prevents the "I thought we agreed" conflicts that derail co-writing sessions.
• Resolve creative conflicts with the "serve the song" principle: if both writers cannot agree on a line, ask which version better serves the emotional arc and structural function of that specific moment -- not which is the more clever or clever-feeling line.
• Before the session, explicitly agree on the central theme (Step 2) and confirm both writers are writing the same song. Co-writing sessions that skip theme alignment produce two half-songs that do not cohere.

User Wants to Write a Song in Under 30 Minutes (Speed Songwriting)

Speed writing is a legitimate creative technique, not a shortcut that produces inferior work. The constraint forces instinctive choices that often land closer to emotional truth than over-considered revisions.

• Establish the non-negotiables before the timer starts: theme snapshot (2 minutes), structure choice (1 minute), key and chord progression (2 minutes). Do not start writing lyrics until these three are locked.
• Use the streamlined structure: Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus only. No bridge, no pre-chorus. 4+4 bar sections. This reduces the total writing task to approximately 20-24 lines.
• Set a section timer: 5 minutes per section (Verse 1, Chorus, Verse 2). Write every line that comes -- do not edit within the timer. Editing during writing is the primary cause of speed sessions stalling.
• In the final 5 minutes, do only Pass 2 (singability) --

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