HOOKS
This is the part of a commercial composition we remember after the song is over;
the refrain ;the part of the song that grabs you. The part you cannot seem to
get out of your head, that you keep singing, the catchy repeated chorus. Commercial
jingle writers are some of the most proficient in coming up with memorible hooks.
These are the compositions that stick even if we try to forget them. There are
many forms for hooks and hooklines.
HOOK BASED ON SONG STRUCTURE
This type of hook is repeated several times and contains the hook line or title
of the song; usually the first or last line of the chorus. Sometimes a bridge
section can also be a hook, but we mainly refer to the chorus.
HOOK BASED ON INSTRUMENTAL MELODY LINE
Some phrases that are played by a lead instrument may ingrain themselves into
our memory and indeed be considered a melodic hook. Sometimes we tend to make
up our own syllables to go along with these popular riffs such as the Pretty
Woman riff, or the Beatles Something.
HOOK BASED ON THE LYRICS
Sometimes the lyrics or storyline are so powerful, or the message so potent,
that we associate that subject with a certain song. This association acually
hooks the listener into identifying with a certain subject or emotion. This
angle is a bit less defined than going with a traditional song structure hook
based on repetition, but can also be very powerful.
Hooks using certain sounds, effects and other production tools can also be identified with when the soundscape is heard and is also a further way of individualizing the production.