.svg)
.svg)
Illustration: Filip Fröhlich
A great verse sets up a great chorus.
Without a strong verse, your drop or hook just won’t hit the same. Much like the chapters of a book, verses unfold the narrative one piece at a time.
In this in-depth guide, we explore what a verse is, some popular structures, and tips for how to write one of your own.
What is a verse in a song?
A verse is the building block of storytelling—whether in music, poetry, or spoken word, it’s a section made up of a few lines that carry meaning, rhythm, and direction.
In music, a verse is where your song’s story lives. It helps set the mood, introduce themes, and explore emotions. Verses can provide context, express ideas and points of view, and draw you in before handing things over to a pre-chorus or chorus.
What is considered a verse?
A verse usually appears early in the song structure. It might start the song, or come in right after an intro and before the first chorus, laying the foundation. It’s typically made up of a stanza or two of four to eight lines and follows a consistent rhyme scheme (like AABB or ABAB) to keep things cohesive and lyrical. The melody often stays the same between verses, while the lyrics evolve to push the story forward.
Here are a few rhyme scheme examples from the queen herself, Lady Gaga:
AABB: The “Poker Face” verse
I wanna hold ’em like they do in Texas, please (A)
Fold ’em, let ’em hit me, raise it, baby, stay with me (A)
LoveGame intuition, play the cards with spades to start (B)
And after he’s been hooked, I’ll play the one that’s on his heart (B)
ABAB: The “Born This Way” verse
My mama told me when I was young (A)
“We are all born superstars” (B)
She rolled my hair and put my lipstick on (A)
In the glass of her boudoir (B)
As heard above, enunciation and delivery can go a long way in making rhymes work out of less expected word combinations.
How many bars are in a verse?
A typical verse is usually 8 – 16 bars long depending on the genre, tempo, and overall structure of the song. In pop, dance, and electronic music, eight-bar verses are common to hold attention and maintain high energy. In hip hop or R&B, you might hear 16 bars to allow for more emotive storytelling via the lyrics.
The key is balance—verses need enough space to develop the story without losing momentum before the chorus hits. Understanding bar counts helps with arranging builds, transitions, and drops that keep listeners locked in and engaged.
What is the purpose of a verse in a song?
Broadly speaking, there are a few different purposes that a verse could serve in a song.
1. Storytelling and narrative development
A verse should drive the song’s story forward lyrically. A vessel for musical depth, verses show us who the artist is in their brand of communication. They might be witty, flirty, conversational, cryptic, direct, cheeky, or sentimental.
For example, Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” doesn’t tell us much from the chorus alone, but the verses tell the full story:
Great stories connect with people—they’re what can turn a song into a hit and a listener into a fan.
2. Dynamic shift
Everyone wants to hear the chorus of a song hit—and the verse plays a crucial role in setting that up by utilizing dynamics.
Dynamics are a shift in volume, expressiveness, or emotion. This can be done in the verse by using chords with tension, building a steady rise in the melody before the chorus, pulling back the overall arrangement, or creating space in the rhythm so the chorus can shine.
Listen to how the second verse of Calvin Harris and Clementine Douglas’ “Blessings” shifts into second gear by adding a four-to-the-floor kick, soft pads, and strings:
3. Harmonic tension and building emotion
Humor me while I geek out on music theory for a second. Musical tension is often created through the use of non-tonic chords, especially the dominant fifth (V) chord. This can sound as though it’s leading us somewhere by delaying resolution to the tonic (I) chord. In turn, this unresolved tension builds anticipation, which is why a chorus’ chord progression usually returns to the tonic, which is satisfying to the ear; it’s a clever way to keep engagement before returning to the chorus.
Listen to songwriter extraordinaire Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” to hear an example of the chords shifting from the dominant (V) at the end of the verse to the tonic (I):
How to write a verse
Below are a few key tips for creating an effective verse as you write your own song.
1. Be intentional with your lyrics
A verse isn’t just filler between hooks. Keep your lyrics intentional and evolving throughout the song.
If you’re not sure where to start, here are some tips broken down by verse order:
Verse 1:
- Set the scene, date, tense, time, place, or person. What are we working with?
- Don’t be afraid to start the song with a double verse if the melody is strong and the bar counts are quick. I performed in cover bands for years, catching everyone singing along to Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody.” That chorus doesn’t come in when you think it does… and it’s a classic.
- Try a ‘callback’ lyric. This is a lyric that repeats in the last line of every verse stanza. Give Billy Joel’s “She’s Always a Woman” a spin and tell me it isn’t a genius technique.
Verse 2:
- Give an example of the song’s key message. What’s the point you’re making?
- Play out a conversation or point of view.
- Change tenses from past to present or future.
Verse 3:
- If you make it this far, bring it home with the concept.
- Use a third verse in place of a bridge for an intimate conclusion.
- Offer a fresh or unexpected perspective.
2. Leave space
Ask yourself with every musical element, “Does this serve the song?” Try not to over-complicate parts or saturate the frequency spectrum with too many layers of sounds (you’ll just set yourself up for a headache when it comes to mixing).
When you’re writing verses, be sure to let the lead vocal breathe. Use well-placed silences or gaps for vocal phrasing, and know that subtle production techniques like reverse reverbs, vinyl crackle, and ambient textures can go a long way. Tucked in the background, these should feel interesting, but not busy. Using them to create a sense of space will give the chorus greater impact.
3. Develop dynamics
Think of your verse as a small journey. Maybe you start with just chords and a vocal, and then layer in an open hi-hat, vocal harmony, or second instrument halfway through. If your chorus is straight and driving, try pulling back the verse so it’s minimal or broken for contrast.
Developing the dynamics ever so slightly stops a song from feeling repetitive or stagnant. These types of creative choices are what make up your signature sound and express your musical personality.
4. Try word painting
Word painting is a musical technique where a lyric is sung and the music also reflects its meaning. It’s a really playful way of reinforcing themes, lyrics, or motifs with music and effects.
Check out the word painting in the verses of these famous songs:
- Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk:” The music stops as Bruno Mars sings, “Stop, wait a minute.”
- Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody:” Chimes represent the shivers as Freddie Mercury sings, “Sends shivers down my spine.”
- Wheatus’ “Teenage Dirtbag:” An organ responds to the lyric, “She rings my bell,” and it’s the only time we hear it.
5. Add transitions
Not all songs need to change their chord progression between the verse and chorus—take Drake’s “Hotline Bling,” The Weeknd’s “Blinging Lights,” or Juice WRLD’s “Lucid Dreams” for some examples. Their tasteful uses of transitions help hold the listener’s attention by signaling that a new section is coming.
In this way, transitions contribute to the tension-building role of verses. They can be achieved with one-shots such as uplifters, reversed vocals, risers, drum fills, and even drop-outs (where the music cuts out completely for anywhere up to a bar).
Voice to verse—anywhere. With the addition of Splice Mic, you can instantly test and record ideas, explore genres, and unlock new creative possibilities, all from the Splice mobile app.
Understanding song structure: Verses, choruses, and beyond
While song structure isn’t a one-rule-fits-all, there are a few considerations like genre, tempo, and storyline that might influence it.
For example, as mentioned in our discussion on verse length, pop, dance, and electronic genres tend to favor short, high-tempo, and memorable moments, while R&B, hip hop, and singer-songwriter genres tend to place more value on storytelling and slower tempos to express emotion.
Here are some examples of song structures that are popular in different genres to get you started:
- Intro, verse, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus, outro (electronic)
- Chorus, verse, chorus, verse, bridge, double chorus (pop)
- Verse, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, double chorus (rap, hip hop)
- Verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, verse, chorus (singer-songwriter)
For more on song structures, be sure to check out our dedicated guide:
What is the difference between a verse and a chorus?
Choruses tend to repeat, but you’ll generally never hear the same verse twice. They offer an opportunity to explore deeper meanings and musical themes in a way a chorus isn’t always designed to do. Choruses are often memorable, easy to sing along with, straightforward, and catchy. More often than not, you’ll find the song title in the chorus’ lyrics.
The chorus communicates what I like to call ‘the punchline,’ delivering the key message and summary point of the song. The verse adds color for you to authentically say what you want it to say.
What is the difference between a verse and a bridge?
Bridges, sometimes referred to as the ‘middle eight’ (in reference to their eight-bar length), typically appear once in the latter half of a song, before the final chorus. Like a literal bridge, they link two sections of a song together.
We know verses carry a lot of information and choruses get a lot of repetition, but bridges provide a unique opportunity to break away from the main structure for more intimacy, build, and a fresh perspective.
It’s not uncommon for a bridge to follow a different chord progression, key, or rhythmic pattern. It’s a great point in the song for an a capella moment, an instrumental solo, or some other break. For more on bridges, check out our guide below:
Conclusion
And there you have it! Hopefully this article gave you a better understanding of what verses are, how they’re unique from other parts of a song, and the techniques involved with writing one. What are some of your favorite verses in music? What other topics would you like to see us explore next? Start a conversation with us and an ever-growing community of music creators via the Splice Discord.
Use Splice Mobile to instantly test and record ideas, explore genres, and unlock new creative possibilities—all from your phone:
June 26, 2025
