How To Compose A Bridge/Pre-Chorus?

[KaosTheMIDIProphet]

I've used the search function, I couldn't find anything, so I have a question about this lol

How do you compose a bridge? I know you're supposed to switch up the chords, but everythin i do doesnt sound right, like... my songs in the key of Eb Minor, am I supposed to keep my bridge chords in the same key? or transpose my current chords to a different key? Is there a proper formula for this?

I usually dont do bridges in my songs, but I'm trying to start implementing them so my beats sound more professional and 'industry'... I'm just confused by this lol, I can't seem to keep the same feel and mood of my song when I switch chords, it sounds too out of place

So any help would be appreciated

 

[Wen_Vu]

I don't usually switch out of key. I would use the chords that provides more "Tension" than harmony (the ones that aren't in the Chorus or Verse) and then I'd resolve it with the Chorus's chord progression...

Sounds really good because you've built tension in the song and resolved it with the chorus.

 

[lilboyakadagenius]

I don't usually switch out of key. I would use the chords that provides more "Tension" than harmony (the ones that aren't in the Chorus or Verse) and then I'd resolve it with the Chorus's chord progression...

Sounds really good because you've built tension in the song and resolved it with the chorus.

I agree with you on that, But also to add to that, I try to also be different with what I do, You can tell the differenc from a darkchild bridge or a timbaland bridge or eve a polow bridge, So you most def need that original sound you know!!

 

[so_r3as0nabl3]

This is the one thing that has stunted my progression with R&B production.

I'd be interested in reading any other replies as well.

 

[zerrat]

The classical Rnb/pop bridge is created like this: Take your chord progression from your verse, and transpose every note two scale notes down. Thats it. If your chord progression is in C major, then transpose everything down to A minor and so on.

 

[user name: none]

If I can remember correctly without googling a bridge is supposed to be transposed a perfect 4th of the key you started in. Not sayin that you have to stick to that but that's what I read. And also to the poster that said he uses chords that creates tension during the bridge, what if u didn't use chords then what would u do?

 

[so_r3as0nabl3]

The classical Rnb/pop bridge is created like this: Take your chord progression from your verse, and transpose every note two scale notes down. Thats it. If your chord progression is in C major, then transpose everything down to A minor and so on.

Hmmm...so compose the bridge in the relative minor of the Major key that you're playing in (if your song is in a major key)?

 

[KaosTheMIDIProphet]

Thanks for your help everyone

The classical Rnb/pop bridge is created like this: Take your chord progression from your verse, and transpose every note two scale notes down. Thats it. If your chord progression is in C major, then transpose everything down to A minor and so on.

Ok so my beat is in Eb Minor, would I compose the bridge in the relative major? so it would be a Gb Major

 

[SOOPA]

transition transition transition...all about how you get to dat next key

 

[user name: none]

Tell me more about transition.

 

[MadTiger3000]

The classical Rnb/pop bridge is created like this: Take your chord progression from your verse, and transpose every note two scale notes down. Thats it. If your chord progression is in C major, then transpose everything down to A minor and so on.

It's not two scale notes, it's three half steps down from the major, using the minor scale built on that note. That way, it always works out.

Relative minor.

 

[JerzHittaz]

listen to gospel..youtube has many progressions you can use........Shahid El-Amin

www.soundclick.com/shahidel-amin

 

[zerrat]

Yes you all got it right. It's all about transposing to the relative minor/major (depending what scale/key you started in). Wheter you call it two scale notes or 3 half notes is irrelevant to me.

 

[Prince Ramsey]

I dunno....I usually just add another instrument in Reason and start my bridge around the 8th bar. One of my tracks, I just used a I-iii-V progression. I'm still working on said track and want to insert a new instrument and a new progression.

I do agree with an earlier post about it building tension and anticipation.

 

[Nate Will]

Yes you all got it right. It's all about transposing to the relative minor/major (depending what scale/key you started in). Wheter you call it two scale notes or 3 half notes is irrelevant to me.

Thats crucial information right there lol. Ive been in the dark as far as bridges go for so long. Ive been winging it, to much accidental success.lol But its good to know I have a formula/theory to fall back on. Thank you guys so much.

Recap:
1)If making a song in any major key,
2)You take the the relative minor root of your major root key (the 6th note of the major scale you're using)
3)Make your bridge using the minor scale of your new relative minor root key.

Question: What minor scale do we use when we get our new relative minor root key?
a)natural minor scale
b)melodic minor scale
c)harmonic minor scale

 

[zerrat]

Question: What minor scale do we use when we get our new relative minor root key?
a)natural minor scale
b)melodic minor scale
c)harmonic minor scale[/quote]

I don't know the name, but it's the one that only uses white keys in a minor!

 

[Jeremy Lim]

The classical Rnb/pop bridge is created like this: Take your chord progression from your verse, and transpose every note two scale notes down. Thats it. If your chord progression is in C major, then transpose everything down to A minor and so on.

I've never heard of that before. I dropped everything four semi-tones down, but it sounds .. quite awkward. Do you have any samples on you you could share?

 

[Nate Will]

I've never heard of that before. I dropped everything four semi-tones down, but it sounds .. quite awkward. Do you have any samples on you you could share?

What he was trying to say is, you have to transpose the root key of your song to tis relative minor or major, then use the new scale to create a bridge. Depending on how complex your original chord progression is, if you just transpose it to its relative minor, it sounds weird lol. It sounds like the same exact thing you were playing in the chorus but with a different feel. Try it and see you might like it.


But A is the relative minor of C major (just to give you an example)
And C is the relative major of A minor.

 

[dropkick]

For a bridge you can also modulate to another key using the circle of fifths and then change the progression a little bit so that it keeps a little bit of the old progression! In the key of Cmaj you would modulate up a fifth to the key of Gmaj! I would just simplify my chorus progression and use that as a bridge just in another key! If you were using a 1-4-5 progression for your chorus use a 5-1 progression for your bridge! Cmaj-Fmaj-Gmaj(chorus) to Gmaj-Fmaj(bridge)!

 

[Zell]

Also a lot of bridges use a variation of different chords. Some you may want to look at using are diminished, augmented, sustains, etc.

With the sustains, they always make a nice transition when going from sus -> maj or sus -> min, say for example, E sus -> E maj, then back to the chorus. But yeah try just listening to some of your fav. songs with bridges and relearn how the progressions went during the bridges. Doing that with a lot of songs will help you develop your own in your songs. A lot of bridges I hear oddly enough are comprised of the same chords, sometimes just done in different progressive orders.

Hope that helps somewhat