How to Compose Music: What is a Hook Anyway?

by David Doty

In previous posts I’ve used the term “hook” without defining it. You may be wondering, what is a hook anyway? OK, I’ll tell you.

Have you ever gone fishing?

A hook is a melodic device, or at least that’s how I typically think of it, usually a short musical phrase that catches the ear (Ouch! Well, not really). It helps make the song or piece “catchy” or memorable and helps gives the piece or song its distinctive character.

As a rule, or general guideline of composition if you prefer, a hook should be used at least twice in a piece or song to be effective. Used only once leaves the listener wondering “What was that? And why was it included?”

But perhaps the best way to explain a hook is with an example.

According to Wikipedia, Plain White T’s 2010 hit song Rhythm of Love has sold over a million copies. Perhaps this has something to do with its hook. This soft, folksy song opens with a whimsical hook that is excellent for our purposes of demonstration. The hook, noted on staff paper, looks something like this:

Underlying the song is a triplet sixteenth division of the beat, hence the brackets over the staff with “3” in the middle (the first two sixteenth notes of the triplet are contained in the eighth note rest). This example contains the first three instances of the hook used in the song's introduction, each all of four notes with a subtle change in the third instance.

It’s really best to listen to music and not only read about it if you want to learn more.

You can download Plain White T’s Rhythm of Love here.

Or give it a listen on YouTube here.  

String Loops Old and New

by David Doty

In a previous post we looked at Coldplay’s 2008 hit, Viva La Vida. The opening riff/loop of the strings both characterizes the song and provides momentum throughout. (Can you imagine what the song would sound like without it?)  If you haven’t heard the song, give it a listen on YouTube by clicking here, or download the MP3 here.

The rhythmic pattern of this loop/riff could be represented by the following series of rhythmic values:

And yet, the concept of using such a riff or loop in the strings is not new. Take the following series of rhythmic values (with articulations) for example. Can you guess which piece relies heavily upon this rhythmic pattern? Here’s a clue: the piece, or rather the movement in which this rhythmic pattern is taken, is featured in a recently released motion picture:

Dost thou protest, “Why, that could be anything!”? I’ll admit, the rhythmic pattern: long, short, short, long, long, is pretty generic.

The motion picture? The King’s Speech starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush. The piece?

[This space is intentionally left blank]

Answer:

Symphony #7 in A, Op. 92 – 2 Allegretto by Ludwig Von Beethoven.  If you’re not familiar with this movement, you can download the MP3 here.

This movement has been used as background music in other motion pictures, such as Mr. Holland’s Opus. Can you think of any others? Feel free to leave a comment.

Viva La Vida by Coldplay (2008)

by David Doty

Coldplay‘s pop hit, Viva La Vida (2008), may have reason to be considered almost (ok, somewhat?) classical. I’ll spare you the recording and chart performance details (you can read about them on Wikipedia here). I am far more interested in what’s going on musically.

  
Somewhat Classical

What makes this pop song at least somewhat classical? For me it’s the refreshing use of strings  (strings? Yes, strings!), a synth patch that sounds like a hammered dulcimer, combined with the use of timpani, a bell, bass drum, and suspended cymbal in place of a typical drum/trap set.

The song is in common (4/4) meter throughout and begins with eight measures of introduction featuring the song-characterizing riff-loop of the strings. This riff-loop is pretty consistent throughout. The chord progression IV, V, I, vi is also used throughout as well as the bass drum pulse on every beat beginning with the entrance of lyrics in the first verse. The combination of the strings’ rhythmic activity and the bass drum’s consistent pulse provide momentum and propel the song forward.

Tension and Resolution

The song builds to the first chorus when all of the tension created by the strings, drum, and melody (generally higher frequencies, except drum) is finally released with the entrance of the bass guitar filling out the texture. This moment is suitably accompanied by a crescendo created by the timpani and suspended cymbal.

Word Painting

The chorus, containing the lyrics “I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing,” is nicely augmented by a bell struck on the off-beats (beats 2 and 4). This gives the chorus a brighter color (timbre) with the additional high frequencies.

Poignancy

A number of elements contribute to the poignancy of this song. The melody of the vocalist and the countermelody of the strings create and resolve many suspensions, thereby adding to the richness of the harmonic context. The particular chord progression used extensively throughout may add to the sense of poignancy. Additionally, the lively tempo (137 BPM according to someone on Wikipedia-Oh where is my metronome when I need one?) and upbeat feel of the rhythmic content contrasts sharply with the dismal lyrics of the song’s protagonist.

Final Thoughts

The constant rhythmic pulse of the bass drum in this song is nearly a sure-fire way to make listeners happy. The psychology behind this phenomena, however, is beyond the scope of this post. Yet this pulse is only one of the many elements that I appreciate about this song. I welcome the use of classical instruments. The repetition of the same four chords is not unusual but nevertheless an enjoyable progression. And the lyrics are interesting…

…But I will refrain from speculating on their meaning in this post.

To watch the official Coldplay Viva la Vida MV on YouTube, click here.

To buy the Coldplay Viva La Vida album or MP3 download, click here.