Rhyming Patterns

[Threndor]

What patterns do you use most often for rhyming in your songs? I personally use A B C B most often, but I've had songs where I've done A B A B, A B C B D D E E, or even one time where the last line of every verse and chorus all rhymed with each other but nothing else.

What's your favorite?

[john]

Hey

I don't know thyat I have a favorite, although perhaps ABCB is most often used, even as part of a larger scheme.

I'm quite a fan of no rhyme scheme for verses, or using AbCb where the lower case uses a half-rhyme. I recently wrote one with a verse scheme of AbccDbEE, that was fun!

I think I tend to use ABCB most often within a refrain.

Cheers

John

[Steve]

It's been so long since I've written a lyric, I can't recall anything?

[Lazz]

Dunno if I have a favourite - I would have to check and see.

Lately I haven't had a great deal of time to spare for lyric writing.

Most of it done in my head as a fall asleep after tough days.

I am managing to retain what I have done and continue the next night.

Currently have three on the go in this fashion - and one of them has a rhyme-scheme which is a bit of a bastard.

Might be dependent upon an excess of internal rhythmic rhymings (where we can get away with loads of half-rhymes anyway) and sound repetitions.

Fun though.

Scheme it is as follows:

abcd

abcd

ee f

gg hh f

Luckily, I fall asleep reasonably quickly.

[Steve]

Scheme it is as follows:

abcd

abcd

ee f

gg hh f

Luckily, I fall asleep reasonably quickly.

[Threndor]

Scheme it is as follows:

abcd

abcd

ee f

gg hh f

That's a darn long verse. I'd like to see those lyrics posted here for review.

[Lazz]

That's a darn long verse. I'd like to see those lyrics posted here for review.

Sometimes words can go by pretty quickly.

It's nowhere near ready for review yet - still mutating and growing - and will most probably require a bridge section for contrast and some kind of relief.

But you are welcome to take a look at where it is so far in development.

Yesterday - A Long Time Ago

1.

When we were young

The days were long

Summers were endless

And love was forever

Changes were rung

When things went wrong

Some of it friendless

In storm-driven weather

And yet we cling to life

With what we bring to life

All we can know

Trying to understand

Doing the best we can

Maybe it’s best to say

That yesterday

Was a long time ago

2.

When we were grown

Dreams were misplaced

Taken by others

Distracted by pleasure

Out on our own

Throwing the race

Balance recovered

Repentance and leisure

Lust for the taste of life

Knowing the waste of life

On with the show

Making the best of it

Facing the rest of it

But I have less to say

Now yesterday

Was a long time ago

3.

When we are gone….

blah, blah, blah, blah....

Edited November 8, 2007 by Lazz

[thelevellers]

I feel I use rhyme too much... especially ABAB or AABB, so I'm trying to diversify a bit... but as I struggle with melodies it's hard for me to make it all hang together in my head without rhymes...

Rohan

[typo]

i tend to use half rhymes and internal rhymes more than full end of line rhymes, quite often as abcb or abcc

[Carnival]

Lazz, this shows a lot of promise. You are onto someting. I know this isn't a review section, but I wanted to tell you what I suspect you know - the weak points.

Specifically:

Some of it friendless

In storm-driven weather

Balance recovered

Repentance and leisure

These occur in the exact same spot in Sections 1 and 2. They sound like lines that were formed exclusively to make rhymes. It IS a bastard of a challenge. They don't fit the rest of the song very well. I like the rest of it just FINE

[Lazz]

- the weak points. They sound like lines that were formed exclusively to make rhymes. It IS a bastard of a challenge.

Thanks Norm - it is clearly more just exercise (and a bastard of a challenge) to fill time and try to stay sharp while I have little song-wise going on.

But you're perfectlly correct - not only that, but I feel the same about most of the rest... it will all shake itself out eventually (I hope).

Most of my lines I think grow from attacks of rhyming disease - (hence I end up with lots of diggerel).