š Start with a simple text file
The easiest is to start preparing it in a simple text editor before moving on to Writer in order to first focus on the content rather than on the format.
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Once you’ve gathered the lyrics and the chords in the same place, start defining the sections by placing a name tag (e.g.
[Intro],[Chorus], etc.) above each section and make sure the sections are separated by one empty line -
If a section is repeated multiple times, keep only its name tag where it’s re-used
- š” Tip: If a section is partially re-used, you can try to use substitutions and repetitions
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Now, start grouping the chords above each section next to the name tag
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Look for patterns in the chord structure of each section and try to simplify it using multipliers to indicate groups that repeat
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And then, try to look for individual sections that share the same chord patterns, keep the chords only on the first of these section and make sure it’s clear that the other ones share the same chords
- š” Tip: Similarly to the lyrics, if the chords of a section are partially re-used, you can try to use [substitutions and repetitions]
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You’re almost done! If there are several name tags without lyrics in a row, pile them up on top of one another
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Last but not least, make sure that each line of lyrics represents two measures and indicate the empty lines with a
ā¦
Nice! The overall structure of the song should now be much clearer. And, depending on the song, you may have saved a lot of space already š„
Make sure the lyrics actually match what’s being said
This will prove useful later when underlining the lyrics. In particular, pay attention to:
- Contracted words like
I'm,you'll,gonna,wanna,tryna,'cause,'bout,'em, etc. - An oral
a-prefix to a word, e.g.:
And in the streets, you run a-free
Like it’s only you and me
Note
In languages such as French, try to refrain from transcribing syncope, which is a very common oral phenomenon, with an ' symbol. This usually makes the lyrics more difficult to read. Imagine if we were doing the same in English: ev’ry, rest’rant, mem’ries, fin’ly, asp’rin, fav’rite š
Get rid of unnecessary punctuation
Since they will use some extra space and don’t add real value to the one-pager, make sure to remove all the unnecessary punctuation markersāexcept in the title of the song:
| Necessary punctuation markers | Unnecessary punctuation markers |
|---|---|
', - and , |
Anything else, e.g.: ., ?, !, ;, :, ", ā, ā, Ā«, Ā» |