If you’ve written lyrics that you think sound cheesy, amateur or embarrassing… check your rhyming before you trash your song!
Correct these 3 common rhyming mistakes to make your songwriting sound excellent… instead of using predictable rhymes that are boring and make your song sound amateur.
Below the video lesson is a written transcript, followed by several links to other articles to help you with specific rhyme solutions for your songwriting…
Three Songwriting Rhyme Mistakes: Video Transcript
If you’ve ever written song lyrics you didn’t like or thought were cheesy it’s likely because of the rhyming,
In this video, I’ll explain three common rhyming mistakes and solutions so you can stop writing boring, predictable rhymes that make your songs sound amateur and embarrassing.
Hi I’m Trevor Dimoff, I transform musicians into songwriters at epicsongwriting.com. Like this video and subscribe if you learn something. Click the links in the description to read a written transcript of this video and for more songwriting help. There’s also a playlist of rhyming video lessons at the end that explains more about each rhyming problem and solutions in more detail.
Now, let’s fix your rhyming mistakes.
Rhyme Mistake #1, Predictable Rhymes
Rhymes act like punctuation to help your audience remember the lyrics and figure out the structure of each section while they’re listening. The next time you’re listening to a new song, notice how you’re listening to the lyrics. You try to figure out what the song is about and what the next rhyme word will be.
It’s boring if it’s too predictable. “Bleh, I so heard that rhyme coming”
The Rhyming Solution 1:
don’t pick the first rhyme you think of. As you’re writing, brainstorm several possible rhymes to choose from. You’ll find more interesting ideas if you stretch yourself. You can also use a rhyming dictionary to find rhymes you didn’t think of.
Rhyme Mistake #2, Your Rhymes are Too Perfect
Rhymes act like punctuation, letting the audience know it’s the end of a lyric line. Perfect rhymes sound complete, like the period at the end of a sentence. That’s why we like them and why they’re so common in songs. But if every sentence. Is short and abrupt. It sounds odd. There’s no flow. The forward motion. Stops.
Rhyming Solution 2:
Slant rhymes, or imperfect rhymes, act like commas, letting the lyrics flow smoothly through a song section. Mix it up and relax your rhyming with more slant rhymes.
Rhyme Mistake #3, Same Rhyme Scheme
The third common rhyming mistake is using the same rhyme scheme in every song section. It gets boring even if your audience doesn’t realize why.
The Rhyming Solution 3:
The solution is to use different rhymes schemes, mix it up and make it more interesting. My personal rule is to use at least two different rhymes schemes in a song. Learn to use the basic rhymes schemes such as AABB, ABAB, XAXA and others.
Rhyming Mistakes: Summary
To summarize, your lyrics sound cheezy and boring when your rhymes sound are too predictable, either because
1. Your rhyme choices are too obvious, you’re
2. Rhymes are Too Perfect, or
3. Your rhyme schemes are all the same.
Mixing up your rhyming makes your lyrics sound more interesting and sophisticated.
Thanks for watching (reading)!
I’m Trevor Dimoff, I transform musicians into songwriters at epicsongwriting.com. Like this video (share this article using the magic share buttons on your screen) and subscribe if you learned something. For more songwriting help click the links in the description. For more video lessons about rhyming check out this playlist (and check the links below!). Once you’ve done all that, go write some awesome rhymes.
End Video Transcript
Bonus Solutions For Weak Rhyming
1. Rhyme Find
Pick a word you want to rhyme and find a dozen or more rhymes for it. Brainstorm words first, then check a rhyming dictionary that includes slant rhymes (imperfect rhymes)… check out this exercise and 4 others to level up your songwriting skills…
https://epicsongwriting.com/5-songwriting-exercises/
2. Use More Rhyme Variety
Perfect rhymes sound great, but there’s more to rhyming. Open up new rhyming possibilities with slant rhymes…
3. Use Different Rhyme Schemes
4. Level Up Your Rhyme Skills
Focus your songwriting rhyming skills…
5. Learn From Songs You Love
Don’t rely on “rules” or “advice” when you can study songs you love and emulate the best ideas in the songs and styles you love!
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